Gemstone Quality Assurance Engineer

Overview

Van Cleef & Arpels is a storied haute-joaillerie maison renowned for its artisanal craftsmanship, creative excellence and rigorous standards for precious materials. Part of the Richemont group, the brand combines traditional bench skills with scientific gemmological expertise to produce high-jewelry and watchmaking collections.

Role & Responsibilities

• Lead incoming inspection, identification and grading of gemstones to verify conformance with established quality criteria and design specifications.
• Develop, document and maintain quality-control procedures, inspection protocols and acceptance criteria specific to diamonds, coloured stones and pearls.
• Operate and interpret results from gemmological instruments (microscope, loupe, refractometer, spectroscope) and coordinate additional laboratory analyses when required.
• Investigate non-conformances and customer or production quality issues; perform root-cause analysis and drive corrective and preventive actions with suppliers and internal ateliers.
• Manage supplier quality performance: conduct supplier audits, approve incoming lots, and collaborate on stone sourcing and traceability requirements.
• Compile and analyse quality metrics and inspection reports; present findings to design, procurement and production stakeholders to inform sourcing and process improvements.
• Provide technical guidance and training to production teams and retail specialists on stone characteristics, mounting constraints and quality expectations.
• Ensure compliance with internal standards, industry best practices and any applicable regulatory or responsible-sourcing policies.

Qualifications

• Degree in Materials Science, Gemmology, Jewellery Technology or equivalent technical qualification; advanced gemmological diploma (GIA, FGA or similar) preferred.
• Demonstrable competence in gemstone identification, grading and treatment detection.
• Strong knowledge of quality assurance methodologies, inspection techniques and corrective action processes.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to liaise with suppliers, gemmologists, designers and production teams.
• Fluency in technical reporting and documentation; strong attention to detail and organisational discipline.

Skills

Experience

3–5 years minimum in gemstone quality control, jewellery production quality, or a gemmological laboratory role; proven experience managing supplier quality and driving corrective actions in a luxury jewellery environment.

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Materials Science, Gemmology, Jewellery Technology or related field; advanced gemmological certification (GIA, FGA) preferred.

Culture

The workplace emphasises meticulous craftsmanship, scientific rigour and respect for heritage while encouraging cross-disciplinary collaboration between gemmologists, designers and artisans. Employees operate in a refined, detail-focused environment where material excellence and ethical sourcing are core values.