South African Designer Jewellery
A rare thing indeed. Many South Africa Goldsmiths end up leaving the trade due to low wages and lack of job opportunities. This is really a pity.
18ct yellow and white gold ring
It seems as if the need for solid, well trained goldsmiths is being replaced by computer generated computer designs and models built from wax – the trade is looking for computer graphic designers rather that craftsmen. The knowledge that is held in the heads of old Goldsmith – Master goldsmiths is in danger of being lost forever. This is a crime – with our large unemployment in South Africa we have need of any trade which uses hands – and one thing African people are good at is working with their hands – no matter how disenfranchised they were from the apartheid days. The subjects which hold so many Africans back from making money are not an issue in the jewellery trade. You do not need maths or English or science – just a love for working with your hands. South African Jewellers and the South African Government need to catch a wake-up! We need this trade and their is a great future in it for young South Africans. Where are the apprentice goldsmiths?