為什麼古巴鍊如此昂貴 | 昂貴之謎：英語精讀講義

Even in the high-end world of jewelry, 文法

即使在高級珠寶界，

Cuban link chains are a symbol of luxury.

古巴鍊也是奢華的象徵。

This 18 karat gold chain is worth $27,000,

這條18K金鍊價值27,000美元，

and some of the most valuable chains will cost 10 times that.

而有些最珍貴的鍊子，價格更高達它的10倍。

Making a single chain requires the skill of more than five experienced jewelers

製作一條鍊子，需要五名以上經驗豐富的珠寶工匠通力合作

and can take over 12 hours.

而且可能要花超過12個小時。

So, how exactly are Cuban link chains made?

那麼，古巴鍊究竟是怎麼做出來的？

And Is that what makes them so expensive? 文法

這就是它們如此昂貴的原因嗎？

Somebody had to literally take 14 hours of their day

有人一天裡真的得拿出整整14個小時

running hot steel through machinery

讓炙熱的鋼材穿過機器

to then turn it by hand 表達脈絡

接著用手工扭轉

to then file it by hand

再用手工銼磨

to then polish it by hand.

最後用手工拋光。

You're not just wearing a chain, 表達脈絡

你戴的不只是一條鍊子，

you're wearing somebody's blood, sweat, and tears 慣用語

你戴在脖子上的，是某個人的血、汗與淚水，

and passion around your neck.

還有他的熱情。

The origin of the Cuban link chain is tough to pinpoint,

古巴鍊的起源很難確定，

but it likely didn't start in Cuba.

但它很可能並非源自古巴。

It was a quintessential part of hip hop style in the 70s and 80s 文化背景

在1970和1980年代，它是嘻哈風格中不可或缺的一環，

and grew in popularity as hip hop became more mainstream in the US. 片語搭配

隨著嘻哈文化在美國逐漸成為主流，它也愈來愈受歡迎。

But not all Cuban link chains are created equal. 慣用語

但古巴鍊並非全都一樣。

Many Cuban link chains are made by machines

許多古巴鍊是用機器製造，

in countries like the US, Italy, and China.

產地包括美國、義大利和中國等國家。

But the authentic and most expensive ones

但真正道地、也最昂貴的古巴鍊，

are made by hand at just a few shops in Miami.

只在邁阿密少數幾家店裡手工打造。

When you move into the higher end of Cuban link chains,

當你進入古巴鍊的高階市場，

which you get into the $50,000, $80,000, $100,000 chains,

也就是價格達到5萬、8萬甚至10萬美元的級別時，

those have to be handmade.

這些鍊子就必須手工製作。

One because of the attention to detail,

一來是因為必須講究細節，

the file, the tight links.

包括銼磨工藝和鍊環的緊密度。

It's like going to a Ferrari dealer. 表達脈絡

這就像去法拉利經銷商那裡。

You could buy a Ferrari off the lot 用詞

你可以直接買一輛現成的法拉利，

or you could have it made to how you want. 文法

也可以依照自己的要求訂製。

This is a custom build.

這就是訂製款。

A chain like this goes through 30 manual and time-consuming stages. 片語動詞

像這樣的鍊子要經過30道耗時的手工工序。

The skills come from your ability and practice and knowledge.

這種技藝來自能力、練習和知識。

Worldwide, I can't tell you an exact number.

全世界確切有多少人會做，我說不準。

Within South Florida, there's a handful of people, 慣用語

在南佛羅里達，也只有寥寥幾個人，

literally a handful of people that can do this.

真的是屈指可數的人能做。

Not only is this process incredibly labor-intensive, 文法

這個過程不僅極度費工，

it's also dangerous.

還很危險。

Chino and his crew work with 1,000° flames

Chino和他的團隊要面對1,000度的火焰，

to melt down the gold and form it into a bar. 片語動詞

用來熔化黃金，再鑄成金條。

You've definitely got to be paying attention to what you're doing in this job. 文法

做這份工作時，你絕對得隨時留意自己在做什麼。

One mess up,

只要出一次差錯，

you're going to hurt yourself.

你就會受傷。

There has been people that have lost fingers in this business.

這一行真的有人因此失去手指。

That bar passes through a rolling machine

金條得穿過滾軋機，

as many as 12 times just to make it thinner. 文法

多達12次，才能變得更薄。

Each of the nine jewelers at Gold Fever Miami has a specific job.

Gold Fever Miami的九名珠寶工匠各有專職。

At the stretch bench,

在拉線工作台上，

one jeweler can spend over an hour just stretching the wire to length. 文法

一名珠寶工匠光是把金線拉到所需長度，就可能花上一個多小時。

This isn't dirt.

這不是灰塵。

This is actual gold.

這可是真金。

If you look at my hands, 文法

你要是看看我的手，

you'll see the flakes of gold on them.

就會看到上面的金屑。

This wire then gets curled around a copper rod

接著，這根金線會繞著一根銅棒捲曲，

to form the shape for the links.

做出鍊環的形狀。

For smaller chains,

對於較細的鍊子，

a drill gets the job done. 慣用語

用電鑽就能完成。

But thicker ones need the strength of two jewelers.

但較粗的鍊子需要兩名珠寶工匠合力才行。

The most crucial stage of the process comes next.

接下來是整個流程中最關鍵的環節。

It also requires the most skill.

也是最考驗技術的環節。

The soldering is the most intricate part of what you're doing.

焊接是整個製作過程中最精細複雜的部分。

Essentially, what you're doing is you're heating up gold 文法

簡單來說，就是要把黃金加熱，

and right before it begins to break down and melt,

在它剛要開始分解熔化之前，

you're introducing solder.

加入焊料。

Solder is another type of metal

焊料是另一種金屬，

that's used to permanently close each link.

用來永久封合每個鍊環。

So, it's the balance of applying the right amount of flame with the right amount of uh technique 片語搭配

所以，關鍵是把火焰強度與操作技巧都拿捏得恰到好處，

to when those two metals meet,

這樣當兩種金屬接觸時，

that solder melts and fuses into the gold.

焊料便會熔化，並與黃金熔合。

So, if you left too long,

所以，如果加熱得太久，

the whole thing is just liquid gold.

整條鍊子就會變成一攤金水。

If done way too early, 文法

如果操作得太早，

the solder won't melt properly

焊料就無法正常熔化，

and you won't get that fusion between the links.

鍊環之間也就無法熔合。

You can't mess that up 片語動詞

這一步絕不能出錯，

or you're going to create gaps in the chain.

否則鍊子上就會留下縫隙。

And you can't be scared to stop and just do it all over again. 慣用語

你也不能害怕停下來，全部重做一遍。

It's no secret the price of gold

眾所皆知，黃金的價格

plays a part in determining the cost of these chains. 片語搭配

是決定這些鍊子成本的因素之一。

An ounce of gold costs $1,700 today.

如今一盎司黃金要價1,700美元。

But even the most high-end Cuban links are mixed with something else.

但即使最高級的古巴鍊，也會摻入別的材料。

Gold itself is a very soft material,

黃金本身非常柔軟，

typically too soft to be made into jewelry on its own. 文法

通常軟得無法單獨製成珠寶。

It has to be alloyed with other metals. 用詞

它必須與其他金屬製成合金。

White gold, for example,

以白K金為例，

is an alloy of gold

它是一種黃金合金，

made with white metals like silver, zinc, and nickel.

由黃金與銀、鋅和鎳等白色金屬製成。

Those metals make the gold more pliable, 文法

這些金屬會讓黃金更具延展性，

allowing it to be stretched and twisted during the jewelry-making process. 文法

使它在珠寶製作過程中可以被拉伸和扭轉。

But they can be especially difficult to work with.

但它們可能格外難處理。

One small movement can make all the difference. 慣用語

一個細微動作就可能造成截然不同的結果。

In rare cases with white gold,

在極少數情況下，處理白K金時，

this can happen.

就可能發生這種事。

This is the reason why it costs so much.

這就是它如此昂貴的原因。

If any one of these links break,

只要其中一個鍊環斷裂，

you then have to take it back to the soldering table,

就得把它拿回焊接台，

resolder it,

重新焊接，

and bring it back here and turn it again.

再拿回這裡重新扭轉。

Once the links are properly turned and tightened, 文法

等鍊環正確扭轉並收緊後，

the chain will lie flat.

整條鍊子就會平整地攤開。

A jeweler must then file down the chain

接著，珠寶工匠必須銼磨整條鍊子，

so that each side is level 文法

讓兩側都保持平整，

and looks exactly the same.

看起來完全一致。

And here is where the passion of the jeweler comes into hand,

到了這裡，珠寶工匠的熱情就會展現在手藝上，

to how beautiful he can make that shape.

就看他能把這個形狀做得多漂亮。

But these Cuban links in particular

但尤其是這種古巴鍊，

didn't become so sought 片語動詞

直到最近才變得如此搶手，

after or so valuable until recently.

也如此珍貴。

Google Trends shows that searches for Cuban link chains

Google Trends顯示，古巴鍊的搜尋量

began taking off in 2012. 片語動詞

從2012年開始迅速攀升。

And in the last 2 years,

而在過去兩年裡，

Gold Fever Miami's sales have grown 100 times over.

Gold Fever Miami的銷售額成長了100倍。

The shop used to sell $2,000 worth of Cuban links a month. 文法

這家店過去每個月賣出價值2,000美元的古巴鍊。

That number is now over $200,000.

如今這個數字已超過20萬美元。

Whether you're the most famous 文法

無論你是最知名的饒舌歌手，

or you're just starting off to legitimize yourself as a rapper,

還是才剛起步、想證明自己是名副其實的饒舌歌手，

you have to have jewelry.

你都必須有珠寶。

And if you have jewelry,

而只要你有珠寶，

you have a Miami Cuban link chain.

就一定有一條邁阿密古巴鍊。

In 2012,

2012年，

Jay-Z wore one of the priciest Cuban links made at the time, 文法

Jay-Z戴上了當時造價最高的古巴鍊之一，

worth $200,000.

價值20萬美元。

A year later,

一年後，

Daddy Yankee debuted his 10 kilo Cuban link chain in a music video.

Daddy Yankee在一支音樂錄影帶中首次展示了他的10公斤古巴鍊。

And there's even more traction in the music industry now. 用詞

如今，古巴鍊在音樂界的聲勢甚至更盛。

They're so intertwined with pop culture, 文化背景

它們與流行文化緊密交織，

more specifically hip hop and reggaeton. 表達脈絡

更確切地說，是與嘻哈和雷鬼動音樂密不可分。

Just about every song that has a music video 片語搭配

幾乎每一首拍了音樂錄影帶的歌，

will have a rapper with a Miami Cuban link chain.

都會出現一名戴著邁阿密古巴鍊的饒舌歌手。

It's become in a way like a status symbol. 用詞

某種程度上，它已經成了身分地位的象徵。

We have customers that want to match their Rolexes

有些顧客想讓自己的勞力士手錶

to their chains.

與古巴鍊搭配。

These versions are often decked out with diamonds, 片語動詞

這類款式通常鑲滿鑽石，

which naturally makes them pricier.

價格自然也更高。

But Gus doesn't see demand slowing for chains like this

但Gus認為，無論是這種鍊子

or the more modest ones.

還是較低調的款式，需求都不會減緩。

Right now, as of March of 2021, 片語搭配

目前，也就是截至2021年3月，

we are pumping anywhere from 10 to 15 kilos in 5 days, 文法

我們每5天就能生產10到15公斤的鍊子，

so per 5 weeks.

也就是按每5週來算。

And we still can't keep up with the demand. 片語動詞

即便如此，我們還是趕不上需求。

We still have a wait time of 5 to 7 weeks.

等候時間依然長達5到7週。

This, 文法

這一點，

coupled with the steep price of gold,

再加上高昂的金價，

means prices likely won't drop anytime soon.

意味著價格短期內可能不會下跌。

My favorite part of the process

整個流程中，我最喜歡的部分

has to be the polishing.

一定是拋光。

It's when you see a beautiful piece of metal

在這一步，你會看到一塊漂亮的金屬

end up as a beautiful piece of jewelry. 片語動詞

最終變成一件精美的珠寶。

So, plus it's the last step,

而且，這還是最後一道工序，

so that means we're done.

也就是說，我們完工了。