[Jewelry making - Article 00294] - Re: [Orchid] India among lowest cost producers of jewelry

[Umesh Chauhan]

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Respected Gerry,

    I am a designer, goldsmith,wax model maker, rubber mold maker,
    caster, and jewellery manufacturing technologist of 15 years
    experience now. 

    I was in US on 17th May 2002 to attend the 16th Santafe Symposium at
    Albuquerque New Mexico. 

    After that I went to meet one of my Fathers friend at Atlanta, who
    had shifted to US 25 years back from India Gujarat state. 

    Since after one week I wanted to attend the JCK Las Vegas show and
    return back home to Mumbai. 

    During my one week stay in Atlanta, I visited one jewellery tools
    shop near by to buy few Fordome tools which were not available in
    Mumbai.The owner of that tools shop suggested me to meet one jeweller
    in Stone mountain area who had a retail jewellery shop. I went to see
    him at his shop after taking his appointment,and found him working
    alone, he had 4 work benches in his shop, a master model cnc machine,
    casting machines,wax injector,steamer,Magnetic polisher,buffing motor
    with high power suction unit,Hand rolling mill, vulcanizing press,
    Ultrasonic cleaner with heater, set of GRS tools and equipment for
    setting and engraving and was a well equipped work shop. He seemed to
    be a Gentleman, greeted me and saw my work which i carried with me,
    He was very impressed, and during that meeting we decided that I
    should come back to Atlanta after the JCK Las Vegas show and share
    our knowledge, since I had 90 days Visiting Visa, and I decided to
    stay for a month since i had $1500 left with me, and then return back
    to Mumbai. 

    My fathers friend was very generous to allow me to stay in his
    house, and it was decided that Mr. Gentleman would pick me up every
    day in the morning to his shop and drop me in the evening, since
    there was no public transport available in that part of Atlanta. 

    After 15 days of working in his shop, we decided to begin a long
    term relation ship of mutual benefits, and he agreed that he will
    employ me and apply to the Georgia labor department for a H1-B
    working Visa for me, so I can officially start getting paid. Mr.
    Gentleman took me to a lawyer, and extended my visa for another 6
    months, and said that he has started the procedure of employing me
    and we would get working Visa with in 3 months. 

    Mr. Gentleman called his former employee to give me two days
    training on Model master CNC machine and Artcam software, but I
    learned to operate it in one day only so he saved $400.00 on
    training.In the first week I designed and made a wax pattern on Model
    master of a customers pendant, made a rtv rubber mold from it and he
    delivered it at the cost of $330. I started designing and making
    custom jewellery ( rings, pendants ,charms, earrings,cufflinks,etc)
    with the help of Artcam and Model Master CNC machine,I finish the wax
    pattern, invested and casted the jewellery in 14K white and yellow
    gold,filed, finished and polished it and made ready for setting.He
    did some of the setting and then he employed one black jeweller to do
    setting and repair work. I had finished my $1500 in three months, but
    the work visa did not arrive, and I was told by Mr.Gentleman that it
    would arrive in next month and it never arrived till 31st December.
    Mr Gentleman was the President of the Rotary Club of Stone mountain
    that year, and he religiously came for 6 months to pick me up at
    9.00AM in the morning and leave at 7.00PM in the evening to my Dads
    friend house where I stayed on my own expense, since as he reasoned
    that he could not pay me because it was against the law to pay,since
    I was not having a work Visa, but it was not against law for him to
    get work done from me and to continue working free for him. So I
    borrowed money from my dad's friend and returned back to Mumbai in
    Jan 2003. 

    Lately my Fathers friend found out from that lawyer,that it was a
    routine work for him to get chinese worker who were working
    illegally in US for Pittance at such Mr. Gentleman's shop. 

    Who knows how many craftsman from other countries are exploited in
    US by The Honorable US Citizens (Mr.Gentlemen). 

    I am providing only the facts and have nothing against anybody on
    this earth whether they are living on the place called US or India.
    Because I have gone through the same kind of experience in Mumbai
    working with the so called owners of Jewellery factories in Seepzs
    Mumbai. 

    May god give them (Mr. Gentlemen) good intelligence, so they can
    wake up from their sleep and see in the light of humanity, and stop
    exploiting their own kind on their own earth. 

    May God bless us all with total health- Physical, Spiritual, Mental
    and Social. 

Friend
Umesh

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