Friday, August 31, 2007
Francis Ford Coppola
Listen, if there's one sure-fire rule that I have learned in this business, it's that I don't know anything about human nature.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
The Great Late Salvador Dalí
George Stolz writes about Salvador Dali's painting, sculpting, film, writing, design, and fashion careers + his strange brand of reactionary personality + other viewpoints @ http://artnews.com/issues/article.asp?art_id=1673
Diamonds Forever, For Everyone
Gem Merchants: (via Economic Times + Times News Network) Ritwik Donde writes:
Although born with a silver spoon, it was gold and diamonds that Mehul Choksi was more interested in. The chairman and CEO of the Rs 3,500-crore Geetanjali Group has been considered by many as one of the architects of the present-day organised retail jewellery market.
After completing his studies, Choksi joined the family business as he thought that having a practical understanding is always better than cramming oneself with theories. With the initial money that he took from his father, he diversified the family business from a pure trading-led enterprise to a marketing-oriented retail format. And this is just the beginning, he says.
After convincing his investors about the benefits of a retail format, Choksi targeted the government undertaking MMTC (Minerals and Metals Trading Corporation) to kick start his retail venture. "I used to queue up in front of the MMTC office to get the best offer. And it was through this order that I was able to earn my first million," he says.
It was a bit easier for me to earn my first revenue as I entered the diamond market when it was at a high, he adds. At the same time, he also started to sell his product at the Zaveri Bazaar in Mumbai directly to end customers. In 1985, Choksi decided it was high time that he produced what he sold. And thus, his company ventured into manufacturing.
"It was during this time, that the Gold Control Act was lifted and we looked at the opportunity in mass production of jewellery," he recalls. He also travelled extensively through to collect international clientele. "There were times when I had to travel three countries in a single day to meet clients," Choksi says.
But the most difficult times were yet to come. According to Choksi, he had a harrowing time convincing the organised retailers to house his branded jewellery in their shops. "Brands for a gold or diamond product were relatively unknown during the early 1990s. I had to convince department stores to keep my jewellery instead of cakes and biscuits," he says.
Not many readily agreed, for the consumer, who relied heavily on the family-run, small jewellery shops, had to be convinced of the branding strategy for Choksi’s products. Moreover, he also had to drive home the point that a diamond was not just meant for the rich and famous but the middle-income group too could afford it. "We helped democratise the diamond in India," Choksi says.
As of now, the company already has some of the leading jewellery brands such as D’damas, Nakshatra, Sangini and Asmi under its umbrella and it plans to acquire more brands in the near future. The idea is to reach consumers at all levels.
To attain this objective, the company is now planning a Rs 500-crore investment in building a gem and jewellery SEZ that would cater to the entire value chain of the industry, from manufacturing to retail. Moreover, it also plans to venture into other lifestyle products such as silverware and watches, in addition to catering to the lifestyle needs for high end weddings. "We want to manufacture these products and would also look at partnerships with foreign brands," says Choksi. All that glitters is indeed gold for this enterprising entrepreneur.
Although born with a silver spoon, it was gold and diamonds that Mehul Choksi was more interested in. The chairman and CEO of the Rs 3,500-crore Geetanjali Group has been considered by many as one of the architects of the present-day organised retail jewellery market.
After completing his studies, Choksi joined the family business as he thought that having a practical understanding is always better than cramming oneself with theories. With the initial money that he took from his father, he diversified the family business from a pure trading-led enterprise to a marketing-oriented retail format. And this is just the beginning, he says.
After convincing his investors about the benefits of a retail format, Choksi targeted the government undertaking MMTC (Minerals and Metals Trading Corporation) to kick start his retail venture. "I used to queue up in front of the MMTC office to get the best offer. And it was through this order that I was able to earn my first million," he says.
It was a bit easier for me to earn my first revenue as I entered the diamond market when it was at a high, he adds. At the same time, he also started to sell his product at the Zaveri Bazaar in Mumbai directly to end customers. In 1985, Choksi decided it was high time that he produced what he sold. And thus, his company ventured into manufacturing.
"It was during this time, that the Gold Control Act was lifted and we looked at the opportunity in mass production of jewellery," he recalls. He also travelled extensively through to collect international clientele. "There were times when I had to travel three countries in a single day to meet clients," Choksi says.
But the most difficult times were yet to come. According to Choksi, he had a harrowing time convincing the organised retailers to house his branded jewellery in their shops. "Brands for a gold or diamond product were relatively unknown during the early 1990s. I had to convince department stores to keep my jewellery instead of cakes and biscuits," he says.
Not many readily agreed, for the consumer, who relied heavily on the family-run, small jewellery shops, had to be convinced of the branding strategy for Choksi’s products. Moreover, he also had to drive home the point that a diamond was not just meant for the rich and famous but the middle-income group too could afford it. "We helped democratise the diamond in India," Choksi says.
As of now, the company already has some of the leading jewellery brands such as D’damas, Nakshatra, Sangini and Asmi under its umbrella and it plans to acquire more brands in the near future. The idea is to reach consumers at all levels.
To attain this objective, the company is now planning a Rs 500-crore investment in building a gem and jewellery SEZ that would cater to the entire value chain of the industry, from manufacturing to retail. Moreover, it also plans to venture into other lifestyle products such as silverware and watches, in addition to catering to the lifestyle needs for high end weddings. "We want to manufacture these products and would also look at partnerships with foreign brands," says Choksi. All that glitters is indeed gold for this enterprising entrepreneur.
Related link:
Chocolate Art
Original Art works, completely edible, made from 100% cocoa products. Chocolatier Jeff Shepherd offers his original artworks to the public for display, or to enjoy as an edible art experience. 6"x 4" White chocolate canvases, dark chocolate frames, and cocoa butter paint make these unique and exciting artworks a satisfying experience on many levels. Because these pieces are true art, no two are alike.
www.lilliebellefarms.com
Nicholas’s Sugar & Chocolate Art
www.sugarchoc.com
Art that's good enough to eat
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire/focus/2005/04/chocolate.shtml
www.lilliebellefarms.com
Nicholas’s Sugar & Chocolate Art
www.sugarchoc.com
Art that's good enough to eat
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire/focus/2005/04/chocolate.shtml
Are Swarovski Crystals Losing Their Shine?
Emine Saner writes about the Austrian company Swarovski + its own theme park, Kristallwelten, in the Austrian Tyrol + other viewpoints @ http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/fashion/story/0,,2157282,00.html
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Brain Scans Pinpoint How Chocoholics Are Hooked
Tristan Farrow writes about chocolate vs brain link + habit-forming behavioral patterns in men vs women + the sight and taste link + other viewpoints @ http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2157226,00.html
It wouldn't be a bad idea to use functional magnetic resonance imaging to scan the brains of gem and jewelry shoppers across the world and see what comes out of the research. I am more curious as to what happens in the three regions thought to be important in pleasure sensation and addictive behavior - the orbitofrontal cortex, the ventral striatum and the cingulate cortex of the shoppers.
It wouldn't be a bad idea to use functional magnetic resonance imaging to scan the brains of gem and jewelry shoppers across the world and see what comes out of the research. I am more curious as to what happens in the three regions thought to be important in pleasure sensation and addictive behavior - the orbitofrontal cortex, the ventral striatum and the cingulate cortex of the shoppers.
The Jefferson Bottles
Patrick Radden Keefe writes about the most expensive bottle of wine that was sold at Christies in London on December 5, 1985 (it had no label, but etched into the glass in a spindly hand was the year 1787, the word “Lafitte,” and the letters “Th.J.”) + the real characters behind the mystery label + other viewpoints @ http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/09/03/070903fa_fact_keefe
The story reminds me of spectacular mistakes made by experts based on experience and presumptions in gem identifiction (with/without testing equipments) + origin determination (with/without sophisticated analytical instruments) + the crazy prices collectors pay based on opinions by the same experts + the forgers ability to fool experts. In my view pricey gemstones and wines + their grading, provenance and pricing based on subjective concepts surprises me, all the time, yet collectors go for it with full knowledge that the product (s) they are buying may or may not be the real stuff.
The story reminds me of spectacular mistakes made by experts based on experience and presumptions in gem identifiction (with/without testing equipments) + origin determination (with/without sophisticated analytical instruments) + the crazy prices collectors pay based on opinions by the same experts + the forgers ability to fool experts. In my view pricey gemstones and wines + their grading, provenance and pricing based on subjective concepts surprises me, all the time, yet collectors go for it with full knowledge that the product (s) they are buying may or may not be the real stuff.
Underrated/Overrated
Hilarie M. Sheets writes about the metamorphic state of artists + other viewpoints @ http://artnews.com/issues/article.asp?art_id=1668
The DTC’s Iron Lady And The Politics On The Way To The Top
Chaim Even-Zohar profiles Varda Shine @ http://www.idexonline.com/portal_FullEditorial.asp?TextSearch=&KeyMatch=0&id=24564
Coffee Art Gallery
The artwork is painted entirely in coffee - no additives, just 100% pure coffee.
www.justcoffeeart.com
Coffee Art is a unique technique developed by Karen Eland to express her creative imagination. The original paintings displayed on this website are created entirely out of espresso on watercolor paper.
www.coffee-art.com
Coffee painting produces everlasting shining. The coffee-on-canvas paintings resemble antique sepia effect. Painting with coffee gets the old-look effect.
www.coffee-paintings.com
www.justcoffeeart.com
Coffee Art is a unique technique developed by Karen Eland to express her creative imagination. The original paintings displayed on this website are created entirely out of espresso on watercolor paper.
www.coffee-art.com
Coffee painting produces everlasting shining. The coffee-on-canvas paintings resemble antique sepia effect. Painting with coffee gets the old-look effect.
www.coffee-paintings.com
You Can Buy Diamond In Bits And Pieces
New Business Models: (via Times News Network) Moinak Mitra writes:
Diamonds are forever but can’t be bought loose. That’s when the Rs 3,467-crore Gitanjali group had this gem of an idea. Starting August 15, diamonds ranging from 0.25 to 1-carat will be loosely available in retail. The company calls them Ezee Diamonds, and has released 500 such boxes on Independence Day. A box may have one big diamond of, say, 2-carat, or several small diamond pieces measuring up to 1-carat, and so on and so forth. So every box will have different carat-age. And for the first time, like prices of bullion, Ezee diamond prices will be listed and updated fortnightly across the media by the Mumbai-based Ezee Diamond Council. ET gets the sparkle on the loose. For one, the mood at the Gitanjali headquarters in Mumbai is ebullient. “This is the first time diamonds would be available loose and priced pegged to changing global benchmarks,” says Mehul Choksi, managing director of Gitanjali group. “Prices would be updated every fortnight and moderated by the Ezee Diamond Council, which consists of 8-10 representatives from different verticals of the diamond industry,” he adds. ET learns that some of the moderators doing the rounds hail from International Gemological Institute, Retailers’ Association of India, Diamond Trading Company, Indian Institute of Jewellery, Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council, Franchise India Holding. “The council has been specially set up to keep track of the Ezee Diamonds. It’s a fair and transparent module, which ensures an unbiased way of pricing the diamonds. Consumers can be sure of the quality of the diamonds and the price they are paying for it,” says Nilesh Shah, head, Diamond Panel Committee, Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council. The road ahead looks easy too. “In a year, we can do more than a million boxes. The cheapest diamond box would be available for Rs 5,000 and go up to Rs 5-lakh,” says Anuj Rakyan, vice president – retail, Gitanjali group. The Ezee diamond initiative is in line with the company’s mass-market strategy to make diamonds more affordable. In 1994, the group launched its Gili brand of jewellery across retail and popularised the 18-carat gold concept. Today, Gitanjali is present in the market with a wide spectrum of gem and jewellery brands catering to most market segments. Mr Choksi wanted “to make diamonds more affordable to the middle-class”. The fortnightly pricing on I-Day is another step to that end.
Diamonds are forever but can’t be bought loose. That’s when the Rs 3,467-crore Gitanjali group had this gem of an idea. Starting August 15, diamonds ranging from 0.25 to 1-carat will be loosely available in retail. The company calls them Ezee Diamonds, and has released 500 such boxes on Independence Day. A box may have one big diamond of, say, 2-carat, or several small diamond pieces measuring up to 1-carat, and so on and so forth. So every box will have different carat-age. And for the first time, like prices of bullion, Ezee diamond prices will be listed and updated fortnightly across the media by the Mumbai-based Ezee Diamond Council. ET gets the sparkle on the loose. For one, the mood at the Gitanjali headquarters in Mumbai is ebullient. “This is the first time diamonds would be available loose and priced pegged to changing global benchmarks,” says Mehul Choksi, managing director of Gitanjali group. “Prices would be updated every fortnight and moderated by the Ezee Diamond Council, which consists of 8-10 representatives from different verticals of the diamond industry,” he adds. ET learns that some of the moderators doing the rounds hail from International Gemological Institute, Retailers’ Association of India, Diamond Trading Company, Indian Institute of Jewellery, Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council, Franchise India Holding. “The council has been specially set up to keep track of the Ezee Diamonds. It’s a fair and transparent module, which ensures an unbiased way of pricing the diamonds. Consumers can be sure of the quality of the diamonds and the price they are paying for it,” says Nilesh Shah, head, Diamond Panel Committee, Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council. The road ahead looks easy too. “In a year, we can do more than a million boxes. The cheapest diamond box would be available for Rs 5,000 and go up to Rs 5-lakh,” says Anuj Rakyan, vice president – retail, Gitanjali group. The Ezee diamond initiative is in line with the company’s mass-market strategy to make diamonds more affordable. In 1994, the group launched its Gili brand of jewellery across retail and popularised the 18-carat gold concept. Today, Gitanjali is present in the market with a wide spectrum of gem and jewellery brands catering to most market segments. Mr Choksi wanted “to make diamonds more affordable to the middle-class”. The fortnightly pricing on I-Day is another step to that end.
Paua Shell
Paua, New Zealand’s largest iridescent nacreous abalone has been known under a variety of pseudonyms, such as rainbow abalone, opal of the sea, sea ear, mutton fish, and Venus looking glass. Experts believe the strong iridescence in paua shell is due to diffraction + the diffraction color (s) are dependent on the thickness of the aragonite platelets.
Paua shell is routinely color enhanced by dyeing to hide commonly seen brownish patches. Visual observation may indicate the distinctive iridescent patterns of Paua shell, but if in doubt always consult a reputed expert or gem testing laboratory.
Paua
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paua
Paua shell is routinely color enhanced by dyeing to hide commonly seen brownish patches. Visual observation may indicate the distinctive iridescent patterns of Paua shell, but if in doubt always consult a reputed expert or gem testing laboratory.
Paua
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paua
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Coatings For Gemstones And Other Decorative Objects
I found the link on treatments @ http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/7137275-claims.html educational and insightful.
For The Love Of God
The Economist profiles Jay Joplings, London's most ambitious contemporary gallerist + other viewpoints @ http://www.economist.com/daily/columns/artview/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9707227
Banking Facilities For The Politically Correct
Chaim Even-Zohar writes about diamond banker's dilema on financing the industry + the high administrative costs associated with the anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing compliance rules + other viewpoints @ http://www.idexonline.com/portal_FullEditorial.asp?TextSearch=&KeyMatch=0&id=24671
Synthetic Malachite
Today most synthetic malachites are produced in Russia. Visual identification may be difficult because they are virtually indistinguishable except by destructive /analytical tests, but the SG (specific gravity) values aren't the same.
Natural malachite = 3.87 – 3.92
Synthetic malachite = 3.61 – 3.70
Malachite
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malachite
Natural malachite = 3.87 – 3.92
Synthetic malachite = 3.61 – 3.70
Malachite
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malachite
Cameos: Gift From The Sea
Deborah Blumenthal writes about Cameo + Torre del Greco, the home of shell cameo carving industry + other viewpoints @ http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=travel&res=9C05EEDD1738F936A3575BC0A962948260
Cameo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cameo
Cameo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cameo
Monday, August 27, 2007
Can You Identify The Stone?
A 'maw' or window is polished in the boulder to allow inspection before the auction. This statement refers to the sale of: nephrite; jadeite; massive corundum; alexandrite.
Ray Kroc Speaks
If you work just for money, you'll never make it, but if you love what you're doing and you always put the customer first, success will be yours.
Buddha Speaks
Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.
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