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inside the Jewelry Center, Down Town, Miami, Graciliano Bispo, a man in his
late sixties, who at a glance embodies patience and hard work, owns a
gem enterprise Mr. Bispo is not the only one involved in jewelry
business, but, better than anybody else, he works as did long before him
gemologists who have learned about rubies, lapis, amethyst and many more. M. Bispo
continues to make a living cutting and
handcrafting, but he also looks like an artist acquainted to earn money with a
job he loves. That’s all the difference. Globe went to pay him a visit, deep into this
777 Mall.. at 55 ne 2st street # 4 Ph: 786-357-6395
An easy
going person whose face lightens a few time after he engages conversation, Graciliano
Bispo remains soft spoken while inquiring about your
visiting him. What does he want from me? M.Bispo appears to ask. But, not long
later, the tone becomes friendly as a small grin softens this face that seems to reflect so many nuances form
observing stones and other unusual stones.
“ I used
to cut stones, all kind of them” he gets started when asked about his doing. Gold, diamond? No, he
replies all of a sudden. “ Everything is about
stones, he warns . Lapis,
emeralds and amethyst are stones with no secret for him, he proudly
says.
“ I like to work with my hands, affirms M. Bispo, a short man with eagle-shaped
eyes and stubborn attitude. His office, a 10 square feet , unable to accommodate
four people, has nothing to do with some jewelry business. Connoisseurs
affirm that with a pocket size
instrument kit worth $ 85 gemologist one
can go to business.
Such
details are not a concern to him. A stone cutter for more than a quarter of
century, M. Bispo never went the way he is supposed to. He rather trusts the power of hands, I’d say their magic. “ With my hands, only with
them” he insists. “My boss never agreed”
; he was a Chino who handled scissors, knives and other tools. Nevertheless,
with an intense gaze,
he continues to work his way.
Everything
started when he was turning seven.
We know a few about his busy childhood, but we can imagine a child splited between
his passion for stones and family
concern for education and house tasks. This young man followed his guts. He was
starting to earn some money. So he remained
with his stones, fascinated by
the nuances and light emanating from them.
As years
went by, M. bispo ventured overseas. Los Angeles seem to have been his birthplace
in matter of business. “ I really started there”, he adds with few details
about his beginnings. “Then, I went to
New York before settling here in Miami in 1979”. He always moves forward as
did his business while mentioning to be a
native of Brazil.
Now, M. Bispo
has a stable life. A man with a good laughing and deep- rooted eyes, he seems
to scrutinize everybody as he does with
his stones. But, he is a sensitive human
being enjoying relaxation and peace after so many places he went though back to these volatile
sixties. But, what a delight to examine
stones, labeled condensed energy! Energy
here is a matter of color. Our technician revolves in a infinite spectrum
of a colorful world. He goes deep
into the turquoise sea and sunny
amethyst. Lapis Lazuli hides some mystery and
golden treasury. The aquamarine
tones trigger within us a feeling
of far away adventures, without saying
nothing of the rubies and its his blood- tainted tone and the green hope of the emeralds..
Stuck to
his office and his stones, M. Bispo is
doing a creative job. He prepares beads and pearls stringing, fixes crystal for watches and recreates a microcosm of sapphires and other
luminescent stones. There is no better way to tame and humanize energy.
God Bless M. Bispo And America
