Gemscentric

Written by Julian Robov


Ten


Rudy decided to stay for two more days. He had immersed himself in privacy at Julian’s office with his collection of top quality blue sapphires. It was all well intact. Now he moved his attention to other attractions.

The Hindu temple became a must visit since he began doing business with Julian in Singapore. Even though he didn’t understand the complex deities significance in the Hindu religion—the varieties of Gods, their mythical definitions, the good winning over evil scenarios, infinite rituals, festivals, and the colorful people who frequented the temple made him like it more than any other entertainment in town.
Rudy thought a bit differently. He had nothing to lose by visiting a holy shrine. The rituals also allowed him to exercise his aging body, as he bowed several times in front of different deities under the supervision of temple priests. He loved it.

By Wednesday evening, Rudy was punctually back at Changi airport to take a seven o’clock flight to Hong Kong. A simple truth he knew to stay alive and survive in this dog-eat-dog market of the gem trade was to keep making money. Money took away all prejudices. The old confidence was back because of his savings. Armed with this ammunition, entering again into the gem battle field seemed convenient. Julian had already transferred forty thousand dollars, and one of his contacts was going to deliver another forty thousand dollars cash at Rudy’s for his disposal at the hotel. Rudy loved Hong Kong for one reason—less corruption, fairly transparent, everything within his reach—and, of course, the majestic skyscrapers. This was a trading colony, and everyone wanted to make money. As a major Asian banking and insurance center, there was no shortage of money. The spectacular harbors intrigued him constantly all the time he was in Hong Kong.

Mandarin hotel was his favorite. Julian had already booked his room. He was amazed at the pace of changes in Hong Kong, since his last visit six years ago. He did special business with the famous auction houses. The last time he had been in Hong Kong was before his ordeal in Cambodia. He had an exceptional quality blue sapphire of 18.88carats from Pailin, and the trade sold it as a Kashmir sapphire to a private collector for three million dollars. Hong Kong always had a tradition of buying big gems of good quality as an investment, and a very few families controlled the exceptional quality blue sapphire market. Putting each of these wealthy families into fierce competition became the trick of the day—to fetch high prices. Visiting these families who had business interests in mainland China wasn’t that easy. He had several names in mind, as he began searching for their phone numbers from his palm pc. After double-checking, he dialed Simon Foo, a textile tycoon with several factories and fashion outlets in Shanghai. He had gone to Russia. Rudy reminded his secretary that he would be calling again—tough luck. Rudy dialed Emily Chia. The response was the same. They were all out of the country. It was just a bad timing. That was it. He got tired and went to bed.

Next day after breakfast, he went for a walk on Connaught Road. The soothing breeze and the skyscrapers symmetrical elevation reaching up to the skies, created a different mood in him altogether, as if he were in a museum. It reminded him of the days when he stayed in New York. The same feeling orbited through his mind, as he walked along the footpath, at times halting and gazing at a person, as if he recognized someone. He walked for two kilometers, and later decided to return to the hotel.

Rudy switched on his palm pc, and searched for one more contact—Kennedy Lee. He hung up, as the secretary said something in Cantonese.
“Hello! So you’re back. Good. Where are you calling from?” Kennedy asked.
“I’m staying at the Mandarin. Maybe, we could have lunch today, if you’re not that busy,” Rudy said, expecting a positive reply.
“Just hold on a sec.” Rudy waited. “What time?” Kennedy asked, holding the line. “Say at around eleven.”
“I’ll be there. You must have some interesting news to share. By the way, my business is good. I’m selling blue sapphires to the Xinhua (Chinese news agency) guys, and the fat cats in Beijing like hot cakes. Guess what? Someone had told them wearing blue brought luck and prosperity. Rudy, you won’t believe this. I’ve already received orders for fifteen pieces. Good you are in Hong Kong. I was thinking of making a trip to Bangkok. You know Seri?”
“Yeah!”
“He has been supplying me with some very nice stones at a very competitive price. Rudy, you won’t believe this. The blue hums like Mariah Carey. So you’re back in business, right? Okay. Don’t tell me anything. Just allow me to get there to see you in the flesh. I should be there in a few minutes, when I’ve finished signing a few checks,” Kennedy answered.
“I’ll be waiting for you in the lobby,” Rudy said, and hung up.
Seri Fonhlaeng. The name kept coming back again. This time in Hong Kong. Kennedy ran his import and export business, and gems became a side business due to its portability and liquidity. Rudy had known Kennedy for the past eleven years, and he always bought from him when he had rich ladies looking for a particular size blue sapphire. He had sold more than two thousand pieces of top quality perfectly cut eight carat blue sapphires from Pailin, because Kennedy’s client believed in the lucky number eight.

Rudy had what others didn’t have. Both Kennedy and Rudy made a bundle from that deal. Now that he had turned to Seri, Rudy wondered whether he was selling the right stuff. If it turned out to be salted blues, then Kennedy’s fate in Hong Kong was quite obvious—dead meat. But he waited to hear the whole story.

By a quarter to eleven, Rudy returned to the lobby. Kennedy was already there with his brand new leather briefcase. He never invited anyone to his office. The meetings were always scheduled in a restaurant or in a quiet coffee house. That was his style. This time Rudy decided that the meeting should be in the Chinese restaurant. After ordering from the menu, it was business as usual.
“So tell me about everything. You look the same—perfect shape and handsome. Why on earth did you opt to live with the Khmer Rouge?” Kennedy asked, munching a few snacks from the table.
“It was not my choice. It was a set up. Someone in the trade......I don’t know yet, but I’ll find out, my way. Now why I’m here is to let you know personally that I’m back in business with the same old team—James, Toni, Gary, Bill and Johnny. You know them, don’t you? Now tell me about Seri,” Rudy said briskly.
“I forgot to tell you this. Jeffrey was here in Hong Kong last week with some, you know, the pieces I can sell. Just one call to Seri, and Jeffrey was in Hong Kong with the goods. I’ve no idea where he gets the cream, but as you know in business, we all have to make money,” Kennedy answered. Kennedy was right. A deal always generated good money.

Rudy went into a deep thought as to how to handle the situation. He struggled in vain to find a language in which he could convey everything he knew about Seri, Jeffrey and the scam in which they were involved. In Hong Kong gauging the loyalty of old friends after a long absence wasn’t that easy. Like in any other business, repeated personal visits and constant communication were the only medium in which he could do business, because they cared more for relationship than the transaction concept. He had to start all over again to build that incremental and consistent relationship followed by trust, and that simple but powerful handshake.
“Are the clients happy with the blue sapphires?” Rudy asked in a low voice.
“I think so. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be sitting in Hong Kong. So, when can I start to buy stones from you. We did a good business and you know that too well. I understand your problems. We all have ups and down. That’s part of our lives, isn’t it?” Kennedy was back to his noodles and fragrant soups.

Rudy decided not to reveal the facts he had intended. The timing was not right. Kennedy still remembered the good old days. It was a good sign and a convenient avenue to renew an old relationship. At least Kennedy had a good attitude.
“You know something,” Kennedy continued, “the auction houses are begging for 8carat blue sapphires—good color, clarity, and well cut stones. That’s what they are looking for. Can you believe this? They don’t care about the origin. As long as it remained natural that was fine. 8carats. Not 8.01carats, but 8carats. The Chinese men and women are crying like crazy for this one particular size—believe it or not.”
“Where did you get this information?” Rudy asked.
“They called me, you know. They are crazy. 8carat blue sapphires! That’s what they want.
Crazy, Rudy. Crazy. How do you like that?” Kennedy added.
“8carats,” echoed Rudy.