In Egyptian Antiquities Market, Cat Statues Command A Premium

A collector's toolkit.

Useful link:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-26/in-egyptian-antiquities-market-cat-statues-command-a-premium

Summer Book List

Bill Gates released his annual summer book list on Monday. Go to Bill's blog, Gates Notes for more info.

Earth Break

Earth Break: A Few Suggestions For Survival, With Additional Hints and Tips About How to Make Yourself More Comfortable During the Alien Apocalypse, is a new narrative podcast in which Jenny Slate plays a woman who may be the sole survivor of a planet-decimating alien invasion. A must listen.

Idagio

Idagio GmbH is a unique Berlin startup. Idagio streams classical music, from Gregorian chants to the minimalist movements of Philip Glass. Take note.

The Terrifying Potential Of The 5G Network

Two words explain the difference between our current wireless networks and 5G: speed and latency. 5G--if all goes well--is expected to be a up to hundred times faster.

Useful link:
https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-communications/the-terrifying-potential-of-the-5g-network

Robert Wan: A True Legend

Spot on.

Useful links:
https://www.jewellerynet.com/en/magazine/features/23152
https://www.robertwan.com

A Grande Dame Of The Perfume Industry Turns Ninety-Five

Get to know Annette Green.

Useful link:
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/on-and-off-the-avenue/the-grande-dame-of-the-perfume-industry-turns-ninety-five

Macallan

Rare. Only for whisky lovers with a deep pocket.

Useful link:
https://robbreport.com/food-drink/spirits/the-macallan-72-years-old-is-going-fast-at-one-beverly-hills-hotel-2848087

Whispering Angel

Whispering Angel. Get to know Sacha Lichine, owner and founder of Chateau d’Esclans, the French wine house behind Whispering Angel. 

Jody Lidgard

Get to know Jody Lidgard, one of Chelsea’s most decorated and brilliant garden designer.

How To Change Your Mind

Writer, activist and food guru Michael Pollan continues to explore the relationship between human identity and plants. His most recent book, How to Change Your Mind, argues that psychedelics, like travel, can feed both the body and soul. Over interviews from his wood-lined Northern California home study, the author of classics like The Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food described how travel has the potential to break down cultural walls. Pollan is famous for thought-provoking mantras like ‘Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants’. He explains how people can best follow this principle when they travel; discusses how travel helps us shift our perspective; and dishes on some of the most memorable meals he's had around the world. A must read.

On Mexican Time

Get to know Tony Cohan through his popular memoir  “On Mexican Time.” 

We’re Entering A New Age Of Meatless Meat Today

As always, America starts the trend.

Useful link:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/turn-century-meatless-meat-180972042

Hacking Darwin

Get to know Jamie Metzl.

Useful link:
https://jamiemetzl.com

Are Some Diamonds Still Overgraded? Here’s What Retailers Say

Diamond grading is so subjective you will never get a correct answer.

Useful link:
https://instoremag.com/are-some-diamonds-still-overgraded-heres-what-retailers-say

Gold Worth Billions Smuggled Out Of Africa

Gold confidential.

Useful link:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-gold-africa-smuggling-exclusive/exclusive-gold-worth-billions-smuggled-out-of-africa-idUSKCN1S00IT

Legend Of Sumeria

Jay Webb and Biju Parekkadan foresee in their recent graphic novel, Legend of Sumeria, their vision of a near-future dystopian society: a corporation called Nyima acquires a DNA ancestry company (think 23andMe or Ancestry.org), along with its huge database of genetic profiles. From there, all of that data is used to create a new social media platform-cum-genetic security system called the SEQ Network, which recommends products, services, and even romantic partners based on what inferences about people can be gleaned from their genetic profiles, and tracking everything—from users’ banking transactions to their location—using their DNA signatures. It's already beginning to happen.

Leave No Trace

Leave No Trace symbolize meaningful progress toward an important goal. Clean up the planet.

The International Grown Diamond Association

There is already a group, the International Grown Diamond Association (IGDA), which represents the lab-grown diamond industry. Stay tuned.

GemGeneve 2019

Now in its second year, GemGenève is the new European jewellery show with 210 exhibitors as well as being the place to meet in person the designers to watch. GemGenève, organised by two industry insiders, offers a space where trade and press can mingle with many of the independent jewellery professionals from around the world who have emigrated from Baselworld and beyond.  Located in Geneva’s Palexpo, it is a short walk from the international airport and can be explored in a day. Take note.

D'USS'E Cognac

D’USS´E Cognac, a division of Bacardi USA, is clear about who the consumer is: Historically, Cognac has been recognized as a male-dominated spirit. But now it appeals to a diverse mix of men and women from different demographics. The reality is, women love Cognac just as much as men do.

Les Clefs d'Or

Get to know Les Clefs d'Or, the international association of elite concierges. Recognizable by a pair of golden keys pinned to their lapels, the network spans 80 countries and has approximately 4,000 members. They pride themselves on making the impossible possible.

How SoftBank And Its $100 Billion Vision Fund Has Become A Global Start-up Machine

SoftBank is the patient capital of the world.

Useful link:
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/17/softbanks-100-billion-vision-fund-reshapes-world-of-venture-capital.html

How To Prepare For A Future Of Gene-Edited Babies—Because It’s Coming

It's a reality.

Useful link:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/how-to-prepare-for-future-gene-edited-babies-180972027

A Prototype Patek Philippe Aquanaut Sells For CHF 401,000 At Antiquorum Geneva

The definition of price is as much as we can get you to pay for.

Useful link:
https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/prototype-patek-philippe-aquanaut-sells-antiquorum-geneva?mc_cid=175bc24451&mc_eid=9e3639944a

Scientists Need To Talk More About Failure

I think they should.

Useful link:
https://www.wired.com/story/scientists-need-more-failure-talk

LVMH Has Just Discovered A Way To Make Bordeaux-Style Wines In China

Made in China is getting a whole new spin.

Useful link:
https://robbreport.com/food-drink/wine/lvmh-has-just-discovered-a-way-to-make-bordeaux-style-wines-in-china-2847736

The Next Lab-Grown Diamond Fight May Be Over Patents

Quite likely.

Useful link:
https://www.jckonline.com/editorial-article/lab-grown-diamond-fights-patents

Style Crone

Get to know Judith Boyd through her blog, Style Crone.

Verde Valley Wine Trail

Verde Valley Wine Trail. A must visit.

The 2019 Fortune 500 List

The big are getting bigger, and the rich are getting richer. The economic chemistry is simply difficult to describe.

Useful link:
http://fortune.com/longform/fortune-500-2019-covers

Meet The Bold Independent Designers Disrupting London’s Old-School Jewelry Scene

Nothing is off-limits to the new jewelry designers.

Useful link:
https://robbreport.com/style/jewelry/meet-the-bold-independent-designers-disrupting-londons-old-school-jewelry-scene-2847901

Lucara Finds Largest Uncut Diamond In Botswana

This time it's Lucara Diamond Corporation.

Useful link:
http://www.mining.com/web/lucara-finds-largest-uncut-diamond-recent-history-botswana-mine

Two Wives Shaped Dallas Mogul's Art Collection Coming To Auction

How do art collections come together? It depends on who you marry.

Useful link:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-25/two-wives-shaped-dallas-mogul-s-art-collection-coming-to-auction?srnd=premium-asia

Mercedes Abramo

Get to know Mercedes Abramo, president of Cartier, North America.

Useful link:
https://robbreport.com/style/jewelry/cartiers-mercedes-abramo-on-cultivating-female-leaders-2850877

Why Noise Pollution Is More Dangerous Than We Think

The serious costs to human health and wildlife is phenomenal.

Useful link:
https://video.newyorker.com/watch/the-backstory-why-noise-pollution-is-more-dangerous-than-we-think

The Look Book

The Plumb Club has created branded marketing materials, such as in-case signage and social media templates, for members to promote their original collections both in-store and online.

The 'Radiant Universe' collection is set to debut at JCK Las Vegas. A lookbook is available online and will also be distributed at The Plumb Club Annual Breakfast Symposium and in the Pavilion at the JCK Las Vegas show.

Magnificent Jewel Auction

The Christie’s Magnificent Jewels sale totaled $62.6 million. To see the full results, visit the auction house’s website.

AlterEgo

AlterEgo is an AI-enabled headset device that Kapur, an MIT Media Lab researcher, has been developing for the past several years and demonstrated for the first time on stage at TED 2019 in Vancouver last month; you can now watch the video of the device in action.

Random Thoughts

Every product you innovate will be out-innovated. Every corporate giant we take as a fact of life will one day be a historical footnote. But when you change a heart, you change it forever. That's what art and creativity do.

The Making Of A Billion-Dollar Burger

Get to know Ethan Brown of Beyond Meat.

Useful link:
https://www.fastcompany.com/video/wheres-the-beef-the-making-of-a-billion-dollar-burger/66ngoGA2

Fabergé's Imperial Easter Eggs

Take a look.

Useful link:
http://www.thejewelleryeditor.com/jewellery/vintage/article/faberge-imperial-easter-eggs-history

Jewelry For Gentlemen

A must read.

Useful link:
https://www.gia.edu/gia-book-review-jewelry-for-gentlemen

Galleries And Museums Continue To Push Into Chinese Market

Think long-term; China will make patient investors and collectors rich.

Useful link:
https://www.barrons.com/articles/galleries-and-museums-continue-to-push-into-chinese-market-01556040589?mod=hp_minor_pos26

Smart Kalasatama

Smart Kalasatama. Take a look.

OpenAI

The way OpenAI works is amazingly simple. A user gives the system, called GPT-2, a prompt — a few words, a snippet of text, a passage from an article, what have you. The system has been trained, on data drawn from the internet, to predict the next words of the passage — meaning the AI will turn your prompt into a news article, a short story, or a poem. (You can give the newest version of GPT-2 a try on a private site hosted by machine learning engineer Adam King.)

Laws Of Motion

A startup called Laws of Motion wants to totally overhaul this traditional sizing model. Take note.

Ghost Work

Ghost Work, a book by Microsoft's Research's Mary Gray and Siddharth Suri is a must read.

PassivDom

A brilliant startup called PassivDom has designed houses to use as few resources as possible. I would really like to live in a functional house that saves everything.

Lepidocrocite In Boulder Opal

Take a look.

Useful link:
https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/winter-2018-microworld-lepidocrocite-in-boulder-opal

The Color Origin Of Gem Diaspore: Correlation To Corundum

One of a kind gem with unique phenomenal effects.

Useful link:
https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/winter-2018-color-origin-of-gem-diaspore-correlation-to-corundum

What Do We See When Our Eyes Are Closed?

A very good question. Ivan Schwab has the answer.

Useful link:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-do-we-see-when-our-eyes-are-closed-11556034564

Woodstock Backers Hope To Export Brand To Other Countries

How do you compliment summer of love with summer of profit? Time will tell.

Useful link:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-23/woodstock-backers-hope-to-export-brand-to-other-countries?srnd=premium-asia

Superforecasters

If you are that Einstein, go here to enter.

In Bloom

Called In Bloom, the sale comprises 75 pieces, and almost as many floral inspirations, from hollyhocks and hyacinths to orchids and gardenias. The pieces have been commissioned and curated in partnership with Carol Woolton, the celebrated historian, author, and contributing director of jewelry at British Vogue. In Bloom will be open to the public in Sotheby’s newly expanded and reimagined galleries in New York City through May 24. Take note.

Ruby Chocolate

Barry Callebaut reveals the fourth type in chocolate: Ruby. Get it ASAP.

Luminary Has Launched

I wish them good luck with their new venture.

Useful link:
https://www.fastcompany.com/90338534/luminary-has-launched-is-the-latest-netflix-for-podcasts-worth-it

Love Oregon Pinot Noirs?

One of the newest trade auctions to watch is Willamette.

Useful link:
https://robbreport.com/food-drink/wine/rare-pinot-noir-from-oregon-to-buy-now-2847586

John McAfee Vows To Unmask Bitcoin’s Satoshi Nakamoto

Please do it quickly without any further delay.

Useful link:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-23/john-mcafee-vows-to-unmask-crypto-s-satoshi-nakamoto-within-days?srnd=premium-asia

Africa’s Only Hope Is Industrialization

NS was spot on.

Useful link:
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-04-24/africa-s-only-way-out-of-poverty-is-to-industrialize?srnd=premium-asia

Solve For Happy

Get to know Mo Gawdat, former chief business officer for Google X and the author of Solve For Happy.

Haus Hiltl

Haus Hiltl isn’t just one Zürich’s most popular dining options; it’s recognised by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest continuously run vegetarian restaurant – a gourmet temple of ‘healthy indulgence’, founded in 1898 and operated by the fourth generation of the Hiltl family. Combining Indian, Asian, Mediterranean and Swiss influences, Haus Hiltl’s boundary-pushing menus have introduced generations of Swiss and Europeans to a rich ratatouille of vegetarian options beyond potatoes and root vegetables since it first opened its doors.

A must visit.

Upwork

Small companies go the virtual company route instead of moving entire operations to one place. There is one company that can become the platform of choice supporting this trend. Cloud Stocks: How Upwork Can Leverage the Virtual Company Trend

Keeling Curve

The concentration of carbon dioxide, the main, long-lived greenhouse gas causing global climate change, in Earth's atmosphere has reached new heights, according to scientists at Scripps Institution. The new reading of 415.26 parts per million (ppm) on May 11 was the first daily baseline at Hawaii's Mauna Loa Observatory to eclipse 415 ppm. That observatory has kept long-term record of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere since 1958. That data, known as the Keeling Curve, traces the continuous increase in the amount of this greenhouse gas in the Earth's atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution.

Take note.

Maendeleo Diamond Standards

The Diamond Development Initiative has officially launched the Maendeleo Diamond Standards, the certification system for diamonds sourced from artisanal and small-scale mining operations that DDI has been testing since 2012. 

The Maendeleo Diamond Standards consist of eight specific principles covering legality, consent and community engagement, human and worker’s rights, health and safety, violence-free operations, environmental management, interactions with large-scale mining, and site closure. 

Diamonds mined under these standards will be certified by DDI as 'Maendeleo Diamonds' (Maendeleo is a Swahili word meaning development), and can be considered as being mined in conflict-free zones through violence-free operations that respect both human and worker’s rights and use practices that are environmentally responsible.

Take note.

The Xpandable Collection

The Xpandable Collection, a genuine Picchiotti creation, launched with a dozen styles, now comes in more than 200 variations, replete with diamonds and gemstones. Styles are available at various retailers across the United States, in addition to internationally. See the full Xpandable range online. 

Bottle Of Lies

Katherine Eban is the author of the forthcoming 'Bottle of Lies: The Inside Story of the Generic Drug Boom.' A must read.

ICA Gem Lab

Get to know Dr.Dietmar Schwarz.

Useful link:
https://www.icagemlab.com

Could This Emerging Oil State Become The Richest Nation In The World?

In just couple of years, Guyana has turned from an empty spot on the international oil map into one of the new hot spots, because of a series of discoveries offshore made by Exxon and Hess Corp.

Useful link:
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Could-This-Emerging-Oil-State-Become-The-Richest-Nation-In-The-World.html

The Texas Bullion Depository

Coming soon.

Useful link:
http://www.mining.com/texas-building-gold-depository-100b-capacity-security-rivals-fort-knox

China Bourse To Promote Lab-Grown Diamonds

Lab-grown diamond business will change forever.

Useful link:
https://www.diamonds.net/News/NewsItem.aspx?ArticleID=63622&ArticleTitle=China%2bBourse%2bto%2bPromote%2bLab-Grown%2bDiamonds

Damaging Cover Story Recounts Sterling’s Alleged History Of Harassment

Sad really.

Useful link:
https://www.jckonline.com/editorial-article/ny-times-bombshell-sterling-piece

Inclusion Nudges

Inclusion Nudges, is a nonprofit organization founded in 2013 to research, collect, and share the best behavioral insights to help hapless humans become better at navigating our inevitable blind spots. It was co-founded by Lisa Kepinski and Tinna Nielsen, two experts who were looking for a better way. Take note.

Harvest Season

In California, Latinos make up the bulk of this group: a combination of multigenerational U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and migrant workers. Although often overlooked or ignored, their story is being told in Harvest Season, a new documentary from two-time Emmy nominated documentary director and producer Bernardo Ruiz. A must watch.

New Knowledge

Get to know Ryan Fox, chief operating officer of New Knowledge, a technology firm that tracks disinformation.

Freshwater Pearls, Blister And Loose, With Their Host Shells

Take a look.

Useful link:
https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/winter-2018-labnotes-freshwater-pearls-blister-and-loose-with-their-host-shells

Nominal Type IaB Diamond With Detectable Uncompensated Boron

Take a look.

Useful link:
https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/winter-2018-gemnews-nominal-type-iab-diamond-with-detectable-uncompensated-boron

Lost Collective

Lost Collective documents neglected and now rarely seen places that once played important roles in their communities. From a derelict power station in central Sydney to an elegantly decaying Japanese hotel, these sites still unite the people who made them matter. Hats off to Brett Patman.

Danielle Steel

Danielle Steel has published 179 books. She told Glamour how she does it.

Random Thoughts

Experts believe the average lifespan of a tech skill now is roughly 18 months. Durable skills like creativity, adaptability, and time management, by contrast, never get obsolete. You can take them with you anywhere in the company, or outside it.

Elonroad

Get to know Dan Zethraeus, CEO and founder of Elonroad, the company that developed the electric road technology.

The Most Unusual Gems You've Never Heard Of

It's red beryl, color changing diaspore, to mention a few.

Useful link:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/11/fashion/jewelry-rare-gems-tanzanite.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FJewels%20and%20Jewelry&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=collection

A New Take On #MetGala2019: The Looks Reimagined As Minerals

Who would have thought the link between minerals and fashion choices by celebrities at Met Gala until now. Take a look and judge for yourself.

Useful link:
https://www.nationaljeweler.com/blog/7706-a-new-take-on-metgala2019-the-looks-reimagined-as-minerals

A New Life For Revival Jewelry Styles

Inspirations from the past.

Useful link:
https://www.gia.edu/gia-news-research/new-life-revival-jewelry-styles-archaeological-renaissance-egyptian

Wolfgat

A must visit.

Useful link:
https://robbreport.com/food-drink/dining/wolfgat-south-africa-kobus-van-der-merwe-2846860

A Massive Emerald Once Owned By Catherine The Great

An emerald with a story.

Useful link:
https://robbreport.com/style/jewelry/christies-auction-emerald-catherine-the-great-2847269

The Many Facets Of Advertising Diamonds With Clarity

Take note.

Useful link:
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs/business-blog/2019/05/many-facets-advertising-diamonds-clarity?utm_source=govdelivery

Micro-Celebrities

Instagram is a place where you are supposed to show off how well you’re doing, even if you’re not doing very well at all. Scroll through the feed and you’re likely to see signifiers of social wellness (friends), mental wellness (books and bathtubs), and physical wellness (yoga and photogenic health foods) that might bear negligible resemblance to one’s actual life. Those who have succeeded at performing that wellness the most palatably for the platform have been rewarded with millions of followers, which in turn can bring brand deals and, with that, money. It’s created a new class of microcelebrities who, intentionally or not, wield enormous influence over how others live their lives, or at least how they present their lives on social media.

Jewelry District, Episode 2

JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and Rob Bates will talk Signet, watch trade-ins, a weird story, and gemstones with special guest Joe Menzie. Check it out!

Random Thoughts

Our best hope for change lies with consumers. You’ve got to change the consumers first and then the corporations will follow and then government will follow the corporations. The governments are last in line.

RVF Monitor

The rainfall-driven outbreaks have one primary culprit: the El Niño climate pattern. The warm cycle of El Niño (and cool cycle of La Niña) might relate to surges in mosquito-borne disease. Experts at the NASA, NOAA, the Department of Defense and the Department of Agriculture gathered mountains of data. They tracked surface temperatures on land and sea, followed expected climate patterns and weather observations, and used satellite images to calculate rainfall (vibrant green vegetation is a clear sign of well-watered land). All these metrics were compiled into a single tool which could pinpoint regions at risk of Rift Valley Fever outbreaks. In 2006, the RVF Monitor made its first prediction.

Pedego

Pedego was founded in 2008 by friends Don DiConstanzo and Terry Sherry, both in their 60s, with a mission to get more older people biking.

New Jewelry Inspired By Disney’s ‘Aladdin’

Take a look.

Useful link:
https://www.jckonline.com/editorial-article/zales-aladdin

Japan's Cultured Farms Still Glisten

Visit Ago Bay.

Useful link:
https://phys.org/news/2019-04-pearls-wisdom-japan-cultured-farms.html

Clean Origin

Lab-grown diamonds online.

Useful link:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/pamdanziger/2019/04/14/clean-origin-is-three-jewelry-veterans-answer-to-the-industrys-future-lab-grown-diamonds-online/#74305fcf2e33

The Jewel Heist That Wasn't There — An EW True Crime Story

Catch me if you can.

Useful link:
https://ew.com/movies/2019/04/18/jewel-heist-that-wasnt-there-ew-true-crime

Just Perfect

Rings with Perfect Fit technology.

Useful link:
http://justperfectmsp.com

Vegas Market Week

A must visit.

Useful link:
https://www.nationaljeweler.com/fashion/style/7701-the-jewelry-trends-to-seek-out-during-vegas-market-week

New York’s ‘Camp’-themed Fundraising Event

Only at Met Gala.

Useful link:
https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/3009560/cardi-bs-ruby-nipple-caps-lady-gagas-15-carat

OilNow

OilNow offers news, updates and podcasts alongside an interactive map of oilfields, offering industry information to Guyanese in accessible layman’s terms. Take note.