Goldsmith Job Description, KRAs and Skills

A Goldsmith makes and repairs gold jewellery at the bench. The person melts and alloys metal, casts or fabricates pieces, solders, sizes rings, and polishes finished items to a clean shine. In an Indian workshop the goldsmith also handles customer repairs, resizing and old-gold remaking while keeping metal loss low. A good goldsmith turns out sound, well-finished pieces on time with minimal wastage, and can be trusted with high-value metal and accurate weights.

Detail	For this role
Department	Retail and Showroom
Level	Entry level
Reports to	Workshop In-charge
Direct reports	None
Experience	3 to 8 years at the goldsmith bench, from apprentice to skilled hand

Goldsmith job description template

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Job title: Goldsmith

Department: Retail and Showroom

Reports to: Workshop In-charge

Location: [City], [office, branch or site]

About the role

Key responsibilities

Melt and alloy gold to the required karat and prepare metal for casting or hand fabrication.
Fabricate and assemble jewellery from designs or samples using sawing, soldering and forming.
Repair and resize rings, chains, clasps and broken joints brought in by customers.
Solder settings and joints cleanly so the piece is strong and the finish is smooth.
Polish and buff finished pieces to the required shine without thinning the metal.
Weigh metal in and out for every job and keep gold loss within the allowed wastage limit.
Handle old-gold remaking and refining jobs and account for the returned weight accurately.
Check each finished piece against the design for weight, size and quality before handover.
Keep tools, torch, and the bench safe and in working order, and follow fire safety at the flame.
Support the karigar team on urgent or bulk orders during festive and wedding season.

Requirements

ITI or trade training in goldsmithing, or a traditional apprenticeship
Proven bench skills
Literacy for weight records an advantage
3 to 8 years at the goldsmith bench, from apprentice to skilled hand

KRAs and KPIs for a Goldsmith

Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.

Key result area	How to measure it
Output	Agreed number of pieces or repairs completed each day to quality
Wastage control	Gold loss per job kept within the allowed wastage percentage every month
Rework	Pieces returned for rework held below the workshop target each week
Metal accountability	Weight issued and returned reconciles with zero unexplained gold shortage
Finish quality	Finished pieces pass quality check on first inspection at the target rate
On-time delivery	Repairs and orders handed over by the promised date every time

Skills and tools

Melting and alloyingCasting and fabricationSolderingRing sizing and repairPolishing and finishingMetal weight accountingTorch and fire safetySteady handsHonesty with metal

Tools used day to day: Gas torch and blowpipe, Rolling mill, Casting setup, Polishing motor, Precision weighing scale.

Reporting line and career path

Moves up from: Goldsmith Apprentice, Workshop Helper, Polishing Hand
Next roles: Senior Goldsmith, Karigar Head, Workshop In-charge

Interview questions for a Goldsmith

How do you keep gold wastage low across a day of repairs and remaking?
Walk me through resizing a ring two sizes up without weakening it.
A customer's old chain needs remaking. How do you account for the metal?
How do you solder a joint on a delicate piece without melting nearby settings?
What checks do you do before handing a finished piece back to the counter?
How do you handle a rush of wedding orders without letting quality slip?

Managing a Goldsmith in ZeniaHR

AttendanceWorkshop based on a general or fixed shift, with longer hours in wedding and festive season. Mark attendance by biometric at the workshop entry, since the bench is a fixed location and the role handles high-value metal. Use the [attendance](/hrms/features/attendance/) day log to track hours and overtime accurately during busy weeks.LeaveCover matters during festive and wedding rushes, so plan leave in the lean months. Track CL, EL and SL in the leave ledger and avoid too many bench hands off together. Grant comp-off or overtime for extra hours worked on urgent orders, approved by the workshop in-charge then HR.Performance and KRAsSet output, wastage control and finish quality as goals of the KRA type in a quarterly review cycle. The workshop in-charge rates each goal on the rating scale using output logs and rework records. Rate probation at the end of the probation period for new bench hands.

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Frequently asked questions

What does a goldsmith do?

A goldsmith makes and repairs gold jewellery at the bench. They melt and alloy metal, cast or fabricate pieces, solder, resize rings, and polish items to a clean finish. They also handle customer repairs and old-gold remaking while keeping metal loss low and accounting accurately for every gram of gold they handle.

What is the difference between a goldsmith and a jewellery karigar?

The roles overlap, but a goldsmith focuses on working the metal itself: melting, casting, soldering, sizing and repair. A karigar is a broader artisan whose skill often centres on fine handwork, stone setting and detailed finishing. In many Indian workshops the two terms are used together for the bench team.

How do you become a goldsmith?

Many goldsmiths in India learn through a traditional apprenticeship under a senior karigar, while some train at an ITI or trade course. The path is hands-on: years at the bench building skill in soldering, sizing, finishing and metal handling. Trust with high-value gold and accurate weights is earned over time.