[Jewelry making - Article 01053] - Re: [Orchid] Suggestions for Lapidary Journal

[richard hart]

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>            Cheap, underpaid labor equals cheap product and big profit
>     - one of these days the poor folks over there will realize that $50
>     a month is not a reasonable salary and will demand more. 

    This is not necessarily true or accurate. 

    There is very fine cutting done in China and Sri Lanka. It may be
    inexpensive compared to U.S. cutting, but please be aware that the
    standard of living in China is rising to ours here in America. Or
    ours is getting lower. 

    This Christmas middle class was very thrifty with their money
    spending less, while luxury items were moving very well. 

    In the present economy, if I am selling fewer pieces, I must raise my
    prices, and seek sources where I can buy quality for lower prices
    than say, Stuller. When I don't have time, I buy from Stuller, when I
    do, I buy fine stones well cut from China. 

    Americans are not necessarily known for buying quality, they are
    known for mass consumption of low quality, spending with credit,
    while holding a moral high ground about those poor over worked
    underpaid people overseas. Our hourly work week has increased, cost
    of living is going up faster than wages excuse me but as a nation we
    are in denial and delusional. 

    Listen to NPR or foreign news to find out what is really happening. 

    I recently had the experience of trying to buy locally from an
    American who has cutting done in another country, and he wanted
    about $285 for something I got from an Indian dealer in New York for
    $60. My customers budget was $300. I did the job for $220. 

    We Americans seem to like to be ignorant of the world view of things
    and the current war is absolute proof of the lack of connection we
    have to other nations and cultures. We talk a great talk, we just
    don't act the way we talk.

Richard in Denver

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