Home › Work activities › Examine physical characteristics of gemstones or precious metals
O*NET detailed work activityExamine physical characteristics of gemstones or precious metals
Stays humanWatch & inspect
1 job5 tasks
Inspecting and monitoring in person means noticing what's off with your own eyes, ears and hands, and being accountable for calling it.
Part of Inspect characteristics or conditions of materials or products, under the O*NET work activity group Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials. Individual tasks below can carry a different label when their own wording calls for it (0 AI-ready, 0 AI-assist, 5 stays human).
Tasks built on this activity
- Examine gem surfaces and internal structures, using polariscopes, refractometers, microscopes, and other optical instruments, to differentiate between stones, to identify rare specimens, or to detect flaws, defects, or peculiarities affecting gem values.
- Examine gems during processing to ensure accuracy of angles and positions of cuts or bores, using magnifying glasses, loupes, or shadowgraphs.
- Examine diamonds or gems to ascertain the shape, cut, and width of cut stones, or to select the cuts that will result in the biggest, best quality stones.
- Identify and document stones' clarity characteristics, using plot diagrams.
- Immerse stones in prescribed chemical solutions to determine specific gravities and key properties of gemstones or substitutes.