Nathan Myhrvold

A market in invention capital. www.intellectualventures.com

Art Market Update

The Economist art review about museum-quality modern Middle Eastern art was interesting. Many thanks.

Useful link:
www.christies.com

The Diamond Decade: New Opportunities

Martin Rapaport Presentation at Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair 2010. Don't miss. www.diamonds.net

Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair 2010

The 45th Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair will be held from February 26, 2010 through March 2, 2010. Don't miss. www.bangkokgemsfair.com

All Economics Is Local

So true. Many thanks to Behavior Research Center + Knowledge@W.P. Carey.

Useful link:
www.brc-research.com

Etienne Perret

Etienne's Gem Ceramic collection. www.etienneperret.com

Disclosure Codes For Colored Gemstones

CIBJO has announced that it had adopted the disclosure codes for colored gemstones as formulated by the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) and the International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA). The decision to harmonize the disclosure codes for colored gemstones makes sense. I hope it works.

Useful links:
www.cibjo.org
www.agta.org
www.gemstone.org

Games + Learning

Gus Mastrapa's viewpoints in Wired about video games and their useful role in education and testing skills was insightful. James Paul Gee was spot on. Videogames is all about learning.

Useful links:
www.gameslearningsociety.org
http://jamespaulgee.cgpublisher.com

Brilliant Earth

Certified conflict free diamonds. www.brilliantearth.com

Global Business BBC

Peter Day's Global Business programme on the clothing industry in Bangladesh was insightful. Many thanks.

Useful links:
www.itglwf.org
www.inditex.com
http://bgmea.com.bd

Action Comics # 1

It has been reported that Comic Connect has just sold Action Comics #1, an extremely rare, top-condition copy for exactly $1,000,000. Check it out.

Useful link:
www.comicconnect.com

Random Thoughts

In the next five years, the mantra of providing the best...for the least is going to become ever-present. In other words, if you go into an extended-stay two-star hotel, you are going to get wireless, better thread-counts on your sheets and other things that five-star hotels typically had. And on a high-luxury end, people are also going to want more value for their dollar, and so it's up to the different hoteliers to figure out what that is going to be.

- Dianna Wong
www.diannawong.com

Spot on.

Gary Hamel Viewpoint

Interesting insights. Many thanks Gary. I think Apple knows how to connect the dots, and that's why they are successful. Period.

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

Cantor Exchange

Cantor Fitzgerald is expected to launch an electronic futures exchange in April 2010 that would allow investors to bet on box office returns for movies. A different way to get into the game, really.

Useful links:
www.cantorexchange.com
www.hsx.com

Bloom Energy Update

Michael Kanellos's viewpoints in Wired about yttria stabilized zirconia, the secret ingredient in Bloom Energy’s Bloom boxes was interesting. Many thanks.

Useful links:
www.bloomenergy.com
www.uspto.gov
www.greentechmedia.com

RayWOx

Hirschmann Laborgeräte GmbH from Eberstadt and KACO new energy GmbH from Neckarsulm has developed an industrially useful and reliable design for the waste water cleaning system. The systems will be sold by KACO new energy under the RayWOx product name. Brilliant!

Useful links:
www.kaco-newenergy.com
www.dlr.de
www.hirschmann-laborgeraete.de

World of Gems Conference 2010

Gemworld International, Inc., publisher of the GemGuide has announced the second international gem conference to be held in Rosemont, Illinois at Chicago's O’Hare. Mark your calendar.

Useful links:
www.worldofgemsconference.com
http://gemguide.com

6,225ct Zambian Emerald

Gemfields has announced the discovery of 6,225-carat rough emerald at its Kagem mine in Zambia. The emerald has been named Insofu, which means elephant in the vernacular of the region's indigenous Bemba people, in honor of the World Land Trust's Elephant Corridor Project and in consideration of the stone's unusually large size. Check it out. It is really a big piece. http://gemfields.co.uk/image_gallery11.asp

Useful link:
www.gemfields.co.uk

Jade Collector

Dao Trong Cuong must be a true jade lover. He not only sold his villa in Hanoi, but also borrowed money from the bank to buy the jade at $1.45 million to make the world’s largest jade Buddha statue. Amazing story. http://english.vietnamnet.vn/lifestyle/201001/Largest-gemstone-Buddha-statue-on-the-work-890298

Chrysoprase + Prase Opal, Haneti, Central Tanzania

James E. Shigley/Brendan M. Laurs/Nathan D. Renfro (GIA) has written a brilliant piece on chrysoprase and green prase opal (nickel-bearing chalcedony and common opal) recovered from altered serpentinite deposits near Haneti, Tanzania. Check it out.

Useful link:
www.gia.edu