JEWELERS, IN CRISIS. Not even the alliances are already used in gold, he'i artisan

Due to the pandemic, many jewelry artisans had to dedicate themselves to delivery or work in construction.

The entire world is being shaken by the covid-19 pandemic, but in our country even more so due to the precarious health system we have. Many families, in order to afford their expenses to try to get rid of this disease, sold their belongings, including their houses. Other katu with great sadness omopê for their family heirlooms, memories of their great-great-grandmothers and that, in order to save the lives of their loved ones.

“Several people pool their gold to sell now as a last resort to be able to buy very expensive medicines to treat the bug. Recently a person came to sell a family heirloom to buy a medicine that cost 12 million, but unfortunately his relative died,” said Francisco Moreno, who has been making jewelry in Luque for 25 years.

“This pandemic affected many areas, including us, now jewelry is no longer sold as before, there are no longer events to exhibit and as a result of that many colleagues had to dedicate themselves to something else to bring the bread of every day to their homes. Some became masons, others work as delivery ”, he recounted.

“Gone is the issue of using gold, now people wear jewelry, imitations. Few buy gold jewelry, even wedding rings now take more silver, which is much cheaper," added the jewelry artisan.

Regarding those who seek the famous yvyguy silver, he said that there are always those who find it but when one goes to sell the gold no one realizes where it came from, since it does not have any mark, “but that ñe'êmbeguépe always he knows everything,” Francisco said.

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In jewelry stores, the purchase price of gold, depending on its quality, is 200,000 per gram; a kilo of gold is equivalent to 200 million guaraníes. Luque is one of the cities with the longest tradition in the field of gold and silver jewelry and the famous and beautiful filigree pieces that our people love so much. Many jewelers and artisans are on the verge of closing their businesses, according to Francisco Moreno told Crónica.

Muleteers give gifts to their friends to “go to another level”

“Before, it was men who more gave away jewelry, now women also give away, but in most cases it is men.

On special dates is when it is worn the most, for example, for Friendship Day, men give their friends gifts when they want to go to 'another level,'” Francisco said.

In other cases, ndaje, instead of celebrating a quinceañera, since events are prohibited, the relatives give the birthday girls jewelry, but gold. "A gold chain with a medal of about 10 grams costs 4,500,000 guaraníes," he'i the jeweler.

Before, pieces were bought in bulk

Before the pandemic, tourists came to buy filigree jewelry from Luque artisans. “Many came to buy wholesale to take to sell again in their countries, our work is highly appreciated, but now there is none of that.

But it is always saved at least for the rent, there are days when only those of us who are artisans do jewelry cleaning or repairs, with that the day to day is saved, but with those who are only dedicated to selling it is the situation is uglier," he said.

“Engagement rings are the ones that sell the most now, the cheapest gold one costs 600 thousand, but what is most popular are silver ones, which can be found from 80 thousand guaraníes.

Silver wedding rings are already available for 200,000, and gold rings are the cheapest for 1,200,000 guaraníes”, he explained to the artisan.