Bill Burnham Viewpoint

Great post, Bill. I agree with all of what you said. I would like to see real money going for innovation in other fields as well.

Useful link:
http://billburnham.blogs.com

Random Thoughts

Henry Hazlitt, one of the great popularisers of free-market thinking, once said that good ideas have to be relearned in every generation. This is certainly true of good ideas about business.

- The Economist
www.economist.com

Spot on.

Bill Cunningham Viewpoint

On the Street Standouts. Bill Cunningham's overview of men's style with unexpected color was brilliant. I loved it.

Carmen Herrera Story

Deborah Sontag's opinion piece in the New York Times about Carmen Herrera was an inspiring story. How can we have missed these beautiful artworks? Hats off to Carmen!

We have a saying in Puerto Rico. The bus — la guagua — always comes for those who wait.
- Tony Bechara

I do it because I have to do it; it’s a compulsion that also gives me pleasure. I never in my life had any idea of money and I thought fame was a very vulgar thing. So I just worked and waited. And at the end of my life, I’m getting a lot of recognition, to my amazement and my pleasure, actually.
- Carmen Herrera

Useful links:
www.walkerart.org
www.moma.org
http://hirshhorn.si.edu
www.tate.org.uk

Gary Hamel Viewpoint

Gary was spot on. Towers Perrin's Global Workforce Survey was an eye opener and interesting. Thanks Gary.

Useful links:
http://blogs.wsj.com/management
www.garyhamel.com
www.towersperrin.com

Ten Tactics

10 tactics = Turning information into action. Give it a try.

Useful links:
http://tacticaltech.org
www.informationactivism.org
www.witness.org

Safe Agua Chile

The new tools developed by students to help bring safe and clean water to the slums of Chile was brilliant and inspiring. I think we need similar projects in India.

Useful links:
http://tech.ashoka.org
http://www.designmatters.artcenter.edu

Art Market Update

The Economist report about the state of the contemporary art market was insightful. Collectors were chasing for the new new of everything and buying quality. Buyers in every sector of the art market now seem to follow a pattern. Stay tuned.

Prices today reflect what is happening out there. People are discounting the coming inflation and buying quality. They know that inflation has always been the art dealer’s friend.
- David Mason

Useful links:
www.christies.com
www.sothebys.com
www.macconnal-mason.com

Christmas Card Art

A selection of Christmas cards designed by artists have gone on display at Tate Britain, in London. www.tate.org.uk/britain

Mobile Internet Report

The Morgan Stanley report on rapidly changing mobile internet was interesting. Check it out.

- The Mobile Internet Report Setup
- The Mobile Internet Report Key Themes
- The Mobile Internet Report

Useful link:
www.morganstanley.com

The New Gold Party

Kelly Evan's report in the Wall Street Journal about the new kind of social gathering (the gold party) was interesting. I guess it's the excitement and convenience that's attracting the attention of gold sellers. The best advice: always do your research.

Useful links:
www.itsagoldmineparty.com
www.partyofgold.com

Motherland Afghanistan

The movie is about an Afghan born doctor, who lived/trained in the US returns to try help maternal surgical care. A moving/inspiring movie, really. Don't miss.

Sacred Spain: Art And Belief In The Spanish World

During the 17th century El Greco, Velázquez, Zurbarán, Murillo and others created art that spurred both admiration and devotion. See magnificent works—paintings, sculpture and more—from Spain, Mexico, Peru and Colombia, including the famed and rarely displayed Crown of the Andes, a baroque gold crown set with 450 emeralds. Don't miss.

Useful link:
www.imamuseum.org

Earth-Like Planets

George Musser's viewpoints in Scientific American about extrasolar planets was interesting. I have always thought that there must be rigid shells of diamond and other crystals embedded in rocks in the galaxy waiting to be discovered. I hope the Kepler spacecraft will find diamond-rich planets in the near term. Stay tuned.

Useful links:
www.psi.edu
www.ciw.edu
www.princeton.edu
http://kepler.nasa.gov

Gemstone Creative

Gemstone Creative is the brainchild of Mark Hirschel/Sarah Stultman who have assembled talent in the fields of mosaic art and jewelry setting to be able to bring this unique concept to the marketplace. Interesting collectors pieces.

Useful links:
www.gemstonecreative.com
www.londonartfair.co.uk

Random Thoughts

Social media is becoming the web, and social media is becoming the media. It's been a nice area to be covering these last few years, and we've been able to grow as a blog alongside it. There's very little on the web that hasn't had this social element built in to it. It's integrated in to every site you use now.

- Pete Cashmore
http://mashable.com

Spot on.

Fahrenheit 212

Some people say Fahrenheit 212 is innovator's paradise. Check it out.

Useful link:
www.fahrenheit-212.com

Wrekin Ruby

I think the two-kilo Wrekin Ruby would be worth more as a geological curio than a gemstone. The ruby, weighing more than 10,000 carats (two kilos), was valued at £11 million (a big joke, really). At one point it was speculated that it could be worth as little as £100 (maybe). The game is not over. Stay tuned.

Chaim Even Zohar Viewpoint

Chaim was spot on. The diamond industry is an oligopoly with a handful of corporate players. The whole concept of continued global generic diamond promotion is still a great idea, but at the end of the day it's all about money, results and leadership.

Useful links:
www.diamondintelligence.com
http://eng.alrosa.ru
www.debeersgroup.com
www.dtc.com
www.riotinto.com
www.bhpbilliton.com

Responsible Jewellery Council's Certification System

The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) has announced that its certification system is now fully operational to certify its members for responsible ethical, social and environmental practices throughout the diamond and gold jewelry supply chain. I hope the sector-wide initiative will improve consumer confidence in the long term. For more information, contact www.responsiblejewellery.com