Titanium-Diffused Sapphire Update

Every new gem treatment needs systematic identification. What was new to the researchers was that the evidence of treatment was reduced or even eliminated in faceted blue sapphires, which is scary. Many wouldn't even recognize the stones when they are mixed in a parcel. Buyer beware, really.

Useful link:
www.git.or.th

CIBJO Congress 2010 Update

The 2010 Congress of CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation, has opened at the International Congress Centre (ICM) in Munich Germany. Check out the hightlights of the conference at http://congress2010.cibjo.org

Django Reinhardt

Django Reinhardt was one of the greatest jazz guitarist. Woody Allen lovingly mythologized Reinhardt in his 1999 film, Sweet and Lowdown. That's how I fell in love with Reinhardt's beautiful music. Many thanks to Will Frieldwald.

Useful link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Django_Reinhardt

War Horse

War Horse is based on a children's book by Michael Morpurgo. Don't miss.

Useful link:
www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/warhorse

Startup Weekend

Upcoming events and business competition resources. Check it out.

Useful links:
http://startupweekend.org
www.microsoftstartupzone.com
www.microsoft.com/BizSpark
http://sxsw.com

Staying Alive In Avalanche Terrain

Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain by Bruce Tremper is a fascinating book about avalanche safety. A must read.

Useful links:

http://brucetremper.com

www.avalanche.org

Art Market Update

Souren Melikian's viewpoints in the New York Times about Bronzino's portraits was insightful. Many thanks.

Useful links:
www.metmuseum.org
www.nga.gov

Henry Moore

Mark Hudson's viewpoints in the Telegraph about Henry Moore's sculptors was very interesting. He was a genius.

Useful links:
www.henry-moore-fdn.co.uk
www.tate.org.uk

Thomas Endlein Photo

Dr Thomas Endlein's (University of Cambridge) amazing photo, an Asian weaver ant hanging upside down on a glass-like surface and holding a 500mg (0.02oz) weight in its jaws was stunningly beautiful. Congratulations!

Useful links:
www.endlein.org
www.bbsrc.ac.uk

Franz Ackermann

New ideas. Impressions. www.whitecube.com

A Stop Doing List

This is one of the best post I have read in a long time. It was all about time management. Many thanks, Jim.

Useful link:
www.jimcollins.com

The Bloom Box Story

How green/sustainable is the Bloom Box? Will it change the world? Only time will tell.

Useful links:
www.bloomenergy.com
www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/02/18/60minutes/main6221135.shtml

Random Thoughts

Dominance of De Beers and the other big companies is not going to change so quickly. What will continue to change, however, are the rough diamond marketing structures. We will probably see the end of the Diamond Trading Company within a few years. We will also most likely see that the governments of Botswana, Namibia and South Africa will control their own marketing mechanisms, just as the governments of Angola and Russia are doing today. Rough diamond marketing may ostensibly be in the hands of private companies, but it will definitely be more government-controlled.

- Chaim Even-Zohar
www.diamondintelligence.com
www.mine2mistress.com
www.idexonline.com

Spot on.

CRASH, Homage To JG Ballard

CRASH, Homage to JG Ballard, Gagosian Gallery, London, until April 1, 2010. Don't miss.

Useful links:
www.gagosian.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._G._Ballard

Craig Ward

A hairy alphabet, by Craig Ward was brilliant. I liked it.

Useful link:
www.wordsarepictures.co.uk

Shaun Rein Viewpoint

Shaun Rein was spot on. What does it take to get rich? Luck and timing. Never being afraid to fail. Creative. Having a good spouse. Family and health. Plus that Otherness. Sometimes money isn't everything. That's what the rich usually say, really.

Useful link:
www.cmrconsulting.com.cn

FrontlineSMS:Medic

Social innovation. Simple. Affordable imaging technology (LUCAS = Lensless Ultra-wide-field Cell monitoring Array platform based on Shadow imaging).

Useful links:
http://medic.frontlinesms.com
http://innovate.ee.ucla.edu

Random Thoughts

We consider this an important step and enabling technology towards more practical optical systems based on this exciting material platform. Starting with these synthetic, nanostructured diamond samples, we can start dreaming about the diamond-based devices and systems that could one day lead to applications in quantum science and technology as well as in sensing and imaging.

- Marko Loncar
http://nano-optics.seas.harvard.edu

Interesting news.

Chambord By Donald Edge

I think Chambord by Donald Edge is the world's most expensive spirits container. According to Donald Edge, the Chambord orb bottle is decorated with more than 60 carats worth of diamonds including 1,100 round brilliant cut diamonds, pear cut diamonds, a square cut emerald diamond, the finest round pearls and hand-wrought eighteen-carat yellow gold. Check it out. It's for sale.

Useful links:
www.chambordbydonaldedge.com
www.donaldedge.com
www.mbfashionweek.com

Blue Tongue Films Story

Blue Tongue Films is a unique phenomena in the unpredictable world of independent film. Many thanks to Michael Cieply for sharing the story. I wish them all the best.

Useful link:
www.bluetonguefilms.com