Home gemstone cutting and polishing studio

Independent jewellers and jewellery makers, collectors, fossickers with their own rough, and people who want a family stone recut or a custom shape.

A fee per stone or per carat, with higher prices for faceting, precise calibrated sizes and difficult materials. Repeat work from jewellers is the steadiest income.

• Steady hands and patience
• An eye for symmetry and shape
• Basic gemstone knowledge
• Clear communication with customers about risk and finish

• Dust and slurry from cutting can harm your lungs, so check safe work guidance on silica and use proper protection and extraction
• Check with your local council whether you need approval to run a workshop from home, including noise and waste water rules
• Public liability insurance, plus cover for customers' stones in your care, which can be valuable and irreplaceable
• Stones can crack or be lost during cutting, so agree in writing how risk is handled
• You need an ABN, and should check when GST registration applies as your income grows

Startup costs are typically around $3,000 to $12,000, depending on the machines you buy, such as a cabbing machine, faceting machine and trim saw, and on dust extraction and protective gear.

Monthly revenue is typically around $500 to $3,500, depending on how many commissions you take and the type of stones you cut. These are estimates only, and you would still need to cover supplies and insurance.

Check safe work guidance on silica dust and slurry, and council approval for a home workshop, including noise and waste water. Also check public liability and cover for customers' stones, and ABN and GST registration.