ByElisenda Peters

With more gold and gemstones per square meter than any other place in the hemisphere, St Maarten is sometimes referred to as the jewellery capital of the Caribbean. It is certainly one of the most prolific items to be found around here. Even though our island enjoys a large jewellery, there is a gap when it comes to jewellery culture, according  to African jewellery designer Hans Meevis. I'm amazed that there  isn't a bigger industry of jewellery making here. "If people would just have the knowledge of how to make jewellery, then there certainly would be a market here," he said. Hans and his wife Anne own a jewellery store and studio in Philipsburg and recently started offering jewellery-making classes for beginners and advanced.

"I love jewellery, you couldn't put it out of me. I think it's important that you teach others," he said. Hans has been designing and making jewellery  and cutting gemstones for over 25 years.                    According to him, there's a lot of secrecy in the jewellery industry, but a new online movement called "Ganoskin" has emerged with the mission to change that by creating a pool of information for the benefit of jewellers and craftsman free of charge.                    "It's a website where  professional jewellers, like myself, give our knowledge for free. Secrecy must go away, there's no point in that. You get much more in return if your craft becomes open," he stressed. "I have the same attitude: I have no secrecy in jewellery, because nothing is new in jewellery. It was done 5000 years ago by the Egyptians," he added," he added.

To become a jeweller, you usually have to complete an an apprenticeship in jewellery for three to five years. "In this area of the

world that's not the case, therefore I started giving private lessons," he said. Hans' classes are taught individually and the price is US$25 an hour, which includes tools and materials.        Officially jewellery-making classes start off with the theory, but Hans likes to put the theory into practice right away. "There is a lot of science involved. Buts it's difficult to start off with science first and then make it. It might put some people off and then they don't want to carry on," Anne explained.          During the first lesson the student will learn how to make a simple silver band. Whereas in the United States jewellery students often start in bronze and copper, Hans prefers to use silver. "I prefer to start people in silver, because if you're going to make something you want something of value. It's nicer if you can walk away with silver then with bronze. You can always start in gold, and then you just pay extra for the weight of the gold," he said.

The lessons take place in three-hour segments. "During the first class, you'll learn how to melt the silver with a flame. Once you've cast your piece of metal, you go on to the "roller" machine, which forms the silver into whatever form you want it. Then we bend it round and close it. Then comes the difficult part of filling it and learning how to use all the different files and other tools," he explained. "It sounds easy, but it's not." Sometimes students have their very own idea of what jewellery they want to make. But when you come in here for the first time you have no choice," Anne said. "You've got no knowledge to say what you like in making, so we start with a simple band. You have to learn about the different equipment when and how you use them. The second set of lessons is more independent."

Hans is very pleased with the response to the jewellery making classes.                   

"A good number of people came in for                       second and third lessons," he said. "Once                      you learn the basics, the jewellery bug bites                  you. It's like an addiction."                                                Once students want to continue, they can                        set their own place up at home where they                       can practise. "It's nice when students get to                 that   stage. I will help them by making the                     tools for  them, as most equipment is                    expensive. Some machines are just to costly                      to invest in, like the roller. But in that case                      they can come to my studio and I will roll                         the metal for them or they do it themselves                      and go home to continue there," he explained.              Once a student gets his or her own place the           learning process will also become less                   expensive. "It's not reasonable to think                      someone is going to pay 25 dollars an hour                      for five years. You start first with the lessons                  and afterwards you practise by yourself.                       Then you only come in for  certain specific       handlings," Hans said.

If students become more advanced and are                      able to make their own designs and creations,              Hans and Anne can put their pieces in the                     shop and sell them on the students' behalf.                "That's also nice for them as it teaches them                    the business side of jewellery, which is                  important. It's all very well to do it for fun,                        but the object to teach somebody is for them                     to make money out of it," Hans emphasized.                    "It's important to have your outlet. It inspires              people, because you know you can start                       living off your jewellery as well," Anne added.              "You also get involved with how to sell, how                    to make your websites, and how to take                    pictures of your  jewellery and so on. It all              becomes integrated," she said.                                         After a couple of years, a student can also                       get a certificate of competence. "We can                       teach everything, designing, drawing, gem                cutting and setting, mass-producing,                       repairing, the whole lot. You can get a                      certificate in all of that, which can help you                       get a job in the industry," Hans said.                 

Classes can be taught to adults and children                 from 12 years onward. "If a kid starts                          learning at the age, it's excellent, because by                     the time you're 17 you've got an income. It's                     one thing to do it as a hobby, but I like to                       teach it as a business," Hans said.                                   Hans and Anne have also taught jewellery                 making in Botswana, where they lived and                    owned two jewellery stores for 13 years.                           "In Botswana we taught the local people                         who were employed in our business. They                     were apprentices. Some of them turned out                        to be great jewellers. And that's nice," Hans                said.    Because of the unstable political                      situation of the neighbouring Zimbabwe,                       Hans and Anne decided to trade the                           African continent for the Caribbean. "We                      make artistic jewellery that tourists like                       buying. That market is pretty much in the           Caribbean," said Anne. When we saw the                     green mountains of St Maarten we were                       sold!"

The jewellery pieces sold in the Meevis'                              shop are all custom-made. "I believe our                             shop is different. We don't sell standard                jewellery, it ha a totally artistic inclination,"                  Anne said.   "That's what we like to do.                       There's such a nice tourist market here and              tourists to buy jewellery and locally made                       crafts. So we really want to promote jewellery               'proudly made in St Maarten.' There is                  potential," Anne concluded.