Dirk-Jan de Bruin - lifestyle blog

Although the traditional American style class ring is not my favorite, due to it's bulky and often tacky looks. When it's a matter of style, I prefer a more European, plain signet ring style. But I do appreciate the craftsmanship required to create a highly detailed traditional American style class ring.

Check out these video's by Balfour & Jostens:

Currently I am taking a night course in silver-smithing basics. The reason is I have designed and sold jewellery for fraternities when in college, and still continue to do so.
I think it's good to know the basics, even though skilled jewellers create the products for me.

Yesterday, I tried handengraving for the first time. I'm just going to use some basic engraving in a simple project.

On YouTube, you can see the work of some true masters!

Check out the hand engraving on this Zippo:

Enjoy the fine script engraving:

And monogram engraving:

Another monogram:

I have written on the subject myself a while ago.
Here is an interesting article from the Bangkong Post on the tourist-tailoring scams in Thailand:

Stitched up and ripped off on holiday

In most Asian countries small tailors offer low-quality items, due to many factors (lack of experience producing high quality garments, low quality materials - especially fusings, low quality equipment, etc etc.).
On the other hand, a large percentage of the fashion industries products in made in China, and many of the famous brands outsource to China, Asia, Mexico, etc.. These products range from medium-to-high quality.

The main difference between the low quality garments made by small tailors, and the medium to high quality factory made garments is the level of industralisation in the process. Factories are optimized for low-cost production and use expensive equipment to produce cheap garments at high speed. They also provide better, more specialised training for each employee in the process, and often workers are assigned one specific task (specialisation).

The bottom line is: Yes, decent quality items are produced in Asia. But if you are a tourist, expect to be offered low quality products. Paying more is not going to guarantee good quality either.

It's also interesting to read people discussing the subject on Lonely Planet. Please note among the 'reviewers' are often tailors and touts for tailors writing positive words regarding their own store and/or bashing the competition.

The story has been covered in the media for a while, but recently the NY Times did a cover on the topic bringing back the discussion.

Being a lawyer, which also doubles as freelance fashion writer from time to time, I have been keeping track of this development for quite some time.

Check out these articles I have collected over the years. If you have your own additions, please let me know!

2004: BBC (Tamsin Smith), Crisis in Tuscany's Chinatown

2006: Spiegel (Germany, international edition) (Fiona Ehlers): The New Wave of Globalization -
Made in Italy at Chinese Prices

2007: BBC (Rosie Goldsmith), Italy struggles with Chinese migrants

2009: Chigaco Tribute (Christine Spolar): Chinese immigrants transform Italy's fashion industry

2010: NY Times (Rachel Donadio): Chinese Remake the ‘Made in Italy’ Fashion Label