Geneva, Switzerland's high jewellery capital
High jewellery houses based in Geneva and its suburbs, notably Meyrin and Plan-les-Ouates, employ jewellers, stone setters and polishers to create one-off pieces. Geneva's jewellery auctions also attract experts, gemmologists and restorers to the region.
The jeweller-goldsmith CFC
Initial training leads to the federal certificate of jeweller-goldsmith, prepared either through an apprenticeship in a company or full time at a school. The programme combines drawing, precious metal work, soldering, assembly and finishing, alongside regular vocational classes.
Schools in Geneva and the Vallée de Joux
The Geneva vocational training centre for the arts and the technical school of the Vallée de Joux, in Le Sentier, offer this course full time, sometimes with a vocational baccalaureate. Our page on apprenticeships in Switzerland explains how the dual system works.
Stone setters, polishers and engravers
Several related trades surround the jeweller, such as the precious stone setter, who has a dedicated CFC, and the watch polisher in Switzerland. In Geneva workshops, these specialists work closely together on every high jewellery piece.
Close ties with watchmaking
The manufactures of the Jura Arc, from Biel to La Chaux-de-Fonds, employ jewellers for cases, bracelets and gem-set watches. The Swiss watch industry therefore offers stable positions to jewellers comfortable with fine tolerances and quality control.
Precious metals control
In Switzerland, trade in gold, silver, platinum and palladium articles is governed by the federal Precious Metals Control Act. Manufacturers must use a registered responsibility mark, and assay offices check the fineness and hallmarks of each article.
Gemmology and stone expertise
Lucerne, Geneva and Basel host renowned gemmological laboratories that certify diamonds, rubies and sapphires. A jeweller who adds gemmology training can move into appraisal, stone buying or advising customers in a shop on Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse.
Shops, repairs and independent workshops
Outside high jewellery, many jewellers work in shops in Lausanne, Fribourg or Sion, handling resizing, re-soldering, alterations and bespoke creations. Customer contact and preparing quotes count there as much as manual skill at the bench.
Design studies at HEAD Geneva
The Geneva University of Art and Design trains jewellery and accessory designers, who are often hired by luxury houses to develop collections. These creative profiles move in the world of fashion and luxury in Switzerland and work hand in hand with the workshops.
Digital tools and prototyping
Swiss workshops increasingly use computer-aided design, printed wax models and lost-wax casting. A jeweller able to take a 3D file all the way to a finished piece stands out clearly in Geneva job advertisements.
Security and employer trust
Workshops handle gold, platinum and high-value stones, often under customs bond or in secured areas. Employers in Geneva and Zurich frequently ask for a criminal record extract and apply strict procedures for weighing and tracing materials.
Pay and what drives it
Pay depends on the canton, the size of the house, the specialism and experience, with Geneva high jewellery generally paying better than a small regional jeweller's shop. The Salarium calculator from the Federal Statistical Office gives an indicative estimate.
Career path for jewellers in Switzerland
- Earn the jeweller-goldsmith CFC or have an equivalent foreign diploma recognised by SEFRI, the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation.
- Build a photo portfolio of finished pieces, stating the techniques, metals and stones used.
- Check which permit you need: B or G for EU and EFTA nationals, a hard-to-obtain quota permit for other nationalities.
- Write a Swiss-style CV with photo, employment references, CAD software skills and references from previous workshops.
- Target Geneva high jewellery workshops, Jura Arc watch manufactures and jewellery shops in French-speaking cities.
- Be ready for a practical bench test, common when Swiss workshops recruit.
Jeweller salaries and related costs in Switzerland
| Item | Benchmark | What makes it vary |
|---|---|---|
| Qualified jeweller salary | Indicative, variable | Canton, high jewellery or retail, experience and specialism |
| Geneva cantonal minimum wage | 24.59 CHF per hour in 2026 | Statutory floor for Geneva workshops |
| Diploma recognition by SEFRI | Federal fee | Amount depends on the procedure, to be checked with SEFRI |
| Gemmology or CAD training | Several hundred to several thousand francs | Course length and provider |
| LAMal health insurance | Varies by canton | Higher premiums in Geneva than in Valais or Jura |
Documents for a jeweller application
- Swiss-format CV with photo and cover letter
- Portfolio of work with detailed photographs
- Jeweller-goldsmith CFC or SEFRI recognition decision
- Employment references from previous workshops or shops
- Criminal record extract, often required in high jewellery
- Residence or cross-border permit, or passport
Frequent mistakes by jewellers applying in Switzerland
- Sending a CV without a portfolio, when Geneva workshops first judge the quality of finishing and the precision of the pieces made.
- Presenting a foreign diploma without applying for recognition, leaving the employer unable to compare its level with the Swiss CFC.
- Underestimating the security and confidentiality standards of luxury houses, which reject candidates with incomplete or unverifiable references.
- Ignoring German for a post in Zurich or Lucerne, where both shop customers and workshop exchanges operate in German.
Questions about the jeweller's trade in Switzerland
Where are most jeweller jobs in Switzerland?
The Geneva region concentrates high jewellery, while the Jura Arc, from Biel to La Chaux-de-Fonds, offers posts linked to watchmaking. Zurich, Lucerne and Lausanne mainly have retail jewellers with repair workshops.
Is a French CAP in jewellery recognised in Switzerland?
You can apply to SEFRI for recognition, and it compares the training with the Swiss CFC. For a non-regulated profession, this decision is not compulsory, but it reassures employers and helps in salary negotiations.
Do you need authorisation to make gold jewellery in Switzerland?
Manufacturers placing precious metal articles on the market must comply with the federal law on their control, including the use of a registered responsibility mark. An employee works under the employer's mark, but a self-employed jeweller has to complete the formalities.
Is CAD essential for a jeweller in Switzerland?
It is not always required, especially for shop repairs, but high jewellery workshops and watch manufactures ask for it more and more. Command of modelling software and wax prototyping is a real advantage.