[Brazil] Jewelry Attractions

I found this site with great interest and thought that someone might
be able to help me? I’m a british goldsmith currently working in the
Cayman Islands and I wish to relocate to Brazil.Is there anyone that
can advise me on its jewellery trade and the reality of finding a
job or starting a business there.

Christian m Wardle

Hello, Christian I am a begginer silversmith from S=E3o Paulo,Brazil.
Although i cannot properly advise you based on my own experiences
(i=B4m 23 and 2 in the craft), i am in touch with some the best
artists/teachers in S=E3o Paulo, as well as some connections with
people from jewel factories. If you would contact me in pvt, maybe i
can help you with some that might be useful to you.

For now, i would suggest a visit to http://www.ibgm.com.br/ , that=B4s
Brazilian Institute of Gems and Precious Metals, thay have an
english version. If you know some portuguese and are very patient,
there=B4s the site of the S=E3o Paulo Jeweler=B4s Association,
http://www.ajesp.com.br/framesetnews.htm , that has more specific
about the market, fairs, etc.

Priscilla

You will find that the artisans in Brazil work for very little money
(a subsistance), even those who work for International companies
like H R Sterns. You might be able to find work in one of the
smaller jewelery stores in Belem, depending upon your proficiency in
Portugese or possibly Spanish. A large number of Brazilians speak
Spanish as well as Portugese. The country is beautiful and good
quality precious gems are readily available at reasonable prices,
if you are a good gemologist as well as goldsmith. Brazil would
be a great place to retire to, and do goldsmith jewelry making
without having to rely soley on the goldsmithing business to earn a
living.

One must also be very aware of the banking and inflation and
deflation of the Brazilian. I still have two million dollars in
Cruzados and Cruzerios as souveniers worth about 40 cents American.

Some comments on your message:

You will find that the artisans in Brazil work for very little
money (a subsistance)

Subsistence depends on each person=B4s idea of wealth and life
standards. Metal artists tend to have really good payment for their
work, mostly if they=B4re independent artist who get to know the right
people and have a good sense of what is fashionable for those people.
Cheesy designs really don=B4t have a good market here (i am talking
about Sao Paulo, the financial capital), because there is enough
cheap “gold jewelry” factories to fullfill those needs. Trendy,
unique designs with innovative shapes and materials really hit it
off, and a good contact with the fashion (clothing) industry is a
must, since it is growing really fast these days.

What must be observed is that we all (all over the world) are
experiencing a worldwide crisis, financial and war-like, and a lot of
care must be taken when deciding new paths in life in such a delicate
situation.

As for the inflation problem, much has been done in the past decade,
and i believe your is more than 10 years old. Our
currency, Real, is today worth 3,5 dollars, and started off as a 1 to
1 to the dollar in 1994. I believe that shows quite well our control
of inflation and the financial stability that we have lived in for
the past decade.

After January 1st, though, we will be having a new president, who is
well intended but has a life history of communism and id friends with
people like Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez. That is, nobody knows for
sure what is going to happen next, but people are very confident.
Even the International Monetary Fund, the European Community and your
american international trade communities are supporting and confident
about this new president. So, i believe optimism is the right word
for the situation.

I am sorry to post such a long comment, but i believe i needed to
correct those you gave.

Priscilla

Dear Priscilla, I quite agree with your statements about jewelry
making in Brazil and I certainly believe that the Brazilians are
amongst the world’s most creative people. I do, however, take issue
with your statement that the Real is worth three and a half dollars.
My take on the exchange ratio is that the real is now worth only
about thirty American cents…just the opposite. This suggests that
you have experienced about three hundred percent infaltion since the
Real was introduced. Ciao, from an American who loves Brazil,
Ron at Mills Gem. Los Osos, CA.