They have been working, creating and repairing since 1993. The Bonafos brothers, Didier and Marcel, the eldest of 14 months, have taken over from their dad. The latter, as well as their grandfather and their great-uncle worked “in house”, that is to say in the workshop on behalf of merchants.
Marcel did a year of college in science, but he quickly turned to family know-how. As for Didier, he dropped out of school when he was in first year at Arago high school. Nearly 30 years later, neither of them has any regrets. Before embarking on the fraternal adventure, they both went through the apprenticeship box. “Today, there are reputable jewelry schools where you draw a lot and where theory is put forward, but I find that young jewelers are sorely lacking in practice”emphasizes Marcel.
Members of the Confrérie du Grenat de Perpignan since the end of the 1980s, the Bonafos family continues the tradition. Marcel explains: “The red of garnet comes from iron. The size of the stone is very specific for jewelry from here. It is also called the Perpignan size. Today, the stones no longer come from here and are cut in Germany, but the assembly takes place in our workshop.”
Manufacture, repair, creation, the Bonafos workshop is located at 40, traverse de Pia in Perpignan (04 68 52 38 62). The Facebook page.