Odds of Getting In

Odds of Getting In

If you come with good GIA credentials and have some connections, you might get a hotshot job as an appraiser at a big museum or auction house. However, odds are most of the gemologists end up in retail. As long as the economy holds out, there will be plenty of those.

If you're good (and lucky), you'll be appraising stones and selling rings at high-end places like Tiffany's or Cartier's. You might even run your own jewelry store, in which case, some business know-how will come in handy.

Not so lucky, and it's a nine-to-five shift at Zales in the mall.