Anyone know jewelers in BA?

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Rickyj

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Hi guys

I am planning on moving to BA in coming months and I have experience in diamond industry - mining and dealing. I would like to establish links with jewelers in BA, so that I can establish whether there is a demand for my skills and contacts here in South Africa.

If anyone knows anything in this regard at all, please let me know... :)
 
Well, if I recall, the area two blocks immediately south of the Teatro Colon is the big retail area for jewellry, but I could be mistaken. You could start by asking in the shops there.

I think most of the expats that have been involved in the diamond trade in Argieland are now in jail or dead. Hence the lack of reply. :)
 
Illegal activity in the trade is very strange for a country that doesn't produce diamonds! That type of thing tends to be confined to countries where people can trade in rough contraband (unpolished diamonds). Anyway, thanks, I'll check it out once I get there.
 
As Mendoza says, the jewelry district is on Libertad. From about 0-100 you have the vendors that sell tools and metals. Then around 100-300 you have the jewelry stores. (Up to Corrientes, then the camera stores start).

I know jewelers but none that work in gold & diamonds. They work in silver & alpaca. Gold & diamonds are too expensive for them to touch.
 
Most businesses like this in Argentina are family businesses, usually very closely held.
ANY employee in Argentina is a bit of a hassle- once you hire one, its really hard to fire, you pay 13 months salary for some undetermined amount of work that is less than 12 months, and there is an incredible amount of tax and employment paperwork.

So almost all small businesses are primarily run by family members.
This would be even more so in a business dealing with small, easily transportable, valuable items like diamonds.

And my guess is that, like many other places, the diamond business is primarily jewish here as well- with family connections in Antwerp, NYC, and Israel.

All of which mean it would be a very tough nut to crack for a stranger.
Now maybe you do have enough connections and experience to get in- I sure dont know.
But I would agree that initially scoping out the way the market works, by doing on the ground research and networking, is going to be the best way in.

Shoe leather.
 
As far as I know gold and diamonds are not popular as you cannot come out of your house wearing them. Silver and white gold seem to be no problem.
 
Definitely Libertad & Corrientes. On a similar note, has anyone seen silver charms? I have a charm bracelet and I collect small, silver charms for all of the places I visit, but I have yet to find a single one in Buenos Aires (I went all up and down the jewelry district on Libertad). Here's an example of what I'm looking for-- simple, no color, small, & silver. Preferably something that either says "Argentina" or "Buenos Aires" or represents the country in some way.
P11541264.jpg
 
Maybe you should buy a silver coin (argentina) if you can't find it...
 
There's a jewelers that sells silver charms on the corner of Paraguay and Larrea.
 
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