(via) PR Web writes:
An exceptional gemstone, most likely the largest fine color clean tsavorite in the world was discovered near Arusha, Tanzania. The stone was found at the border of the original block B tanzanite mining area (Block B extension), at a depth of 160 meters. The area is locally known as Karo.
The uncut stone weighed 185 grams and was examined by Dr. H. Hanni of SSEF Swiss Gemmological Institute during a recent trip to Arusha. The stone was preformed and facetted at the Multicolour Gems office in Chantaburi and certified by Dr. A. Peretti at the GRS Gemresearch Swisslab in Bangkok. The impressive size and saturated color combined with remarkable clarity and transparency put this stone in a class of its own. According to Dr. A. Peretti's report, -- "One Magnificent Gemstone".
More info @ http://prweb.com/pingpr.php/UGlnZy1QaWdnLVByb2YtVGhpci1NYWduLVplcm8=
http://news.yahoo.com/s/prweb/20070107/bs_prweb/prweb495411
Friday, January 12, 2007
Running A Business
( via Fortune, April 11, 1988) Warren Edward Buffett, CEO, Berkshire Hathaway writes:
'Can you really explain to a fish what it's like to walk on land? One day on land is worth a thousand years of talking about it. And one day running a business has exactly the same kind of value.'
'Can you really explain to a fish what it's like to walk on land? One day on land is worth a thousand years of talking about it. And one day running a business has exactly the same kind of value.'
Thursday, January 11, 2007
How To Become A Diamond Sightholder
Rough diamonds are usually channeled through the CSO (Central Selling Organization)--a De Beers affiliate, from the mine to the cutting and polishing centers. The role of CSO has significantly changed and the system of single channel marketing has more or less become obsolete.
A sightholder may be a diamond manufacturer with large cutting facilities or rough diamond dealer, who may resell rough diamonds to small dealers, or Diamdel, a CSO affiliated rough trading company
Rough diamonds are sold ten times per year at gatherings in London known as sights. Attendance to sights is by invitation only. Buyers who attend the sights are known as sightholders. Sightholders go through a broker who acts as a mediator between the CSO and the sightholder. A 1% commission is paid by the sightholder to the broker based on the value of their sights. Most sights are approximately US$500000 to millions, in cash. The estimated time it takes for diamond to get from mine to producer is approximately 2.5 years.
The diamond pipeline is pretty much the same, but the role of the CSO has changed. It has subsequently been renamed the DTC (Diamond Trading Company).The new business strategy for DTC is to monitor the rough all the way through to retailing. The greatest value addition is between diamond manufacturing and retail sales, which has a mark up of more than 100 per cent. The DTC is now involved in diamond processing, jewelry manufacturing and marketing.
The new sightholder requirements are:
1. The sightholder must have solid financial standing and reliability.
2. The sightholder must have the ability to efficiently distribute diamonds to other dealers and manufacturers.
3. The sightholder must have the marketing ability on their own or together with retailers aimed at increasing consumer demand.
4. The sightholder must have a strong geographic market position.
5. The sightholder must endorse and comply with best practice policy (BPP).
6. The sightholder should not deal in synthetic diamonds.
7. The sightholder must have personal integrity and technical expertise with respect to particular diamonds.
A sightholder may be a diamond manufacturer with large cutting facilities or rough diamond dealer, who may resell rough diamonds to small dealers, or Diamdel, a CSO affiliated rough trading company
Rough diamonds are sold ten times per year at gatherings in London known as sights. Attendance to sights is by invitation only. Buyers who attend the sights are known as sightholders. Sightholders go through a broker who acts as a mediator between the CSO and the sightholder. A 1% commission is paid by the sightholder to the broker based on the value of their sights. Most sights are approximately US$500000 to millions, in cash. The estimated time it takes for diamond to get from mine to producer is approximately 2.5 years.
The diamond pipeline is pretty much the same, but the role of the CSO has changed. It has subsequently been renamed the DTC (Diamond Trading Company).The new business strategy for DTC is to monitor the rough all the way through to retailing. The greatest value addition is between diamond manufacturing and retail sales, which has a mark up of more than 100 per cent. The DTC is now involved in diamond processing, jewelry manufacturing and marketing.
The new sightholder requirements are:
1. The sightholder must have solid financial standing and reliability.
2. The sightholder must have the ability to efficiently distribute diamonds to other dealers and manufacturers.
3. The sightholder must have the marketing ability on their own or together with retailers aimed at increasing consumer demand.
4. The sightholder must have a strong geographic market position.
5. The sightholder must endorse and comply with best practice policy (BPP).
6. The sightholder should not deal in synthetic diamonds.
7. The sightholder must have personal integrity and technical expertise with respect to particular diamonds.
Diamond Cut: Buddha Cut
The Buddha cut, a diamond polished in the shape of a meditating Buddha, was co-designed in 1995 by a Buddhist member of the Japanese Soto Zen federation and Oliver Korn for J Korn & Partners. The name is a patent of Antwerp-based diamond manufacturer J Korn & Partners, which also holds a copyright on the shape. The Buddha cut is produced by Oliver Korn for J Korn & Partners.
The cut is perceived as a three-dimensional sculpture that fits well into jewelry. The Buddha, hand cut in Antwerp, is faceted like modern brilliant cuts with 33 crown facets, 21 pavilion facets and a culet. The girdle is also faceted. The different styles of Buddha cut diamonds have historical and regional significance. The Shakyamuni Buddha represents the historical Buddha of India. The Kwan Yin (China) or Kannon (Japan) represents the feminine form of Buddha. A third styling, the Thai representation of the Buddha is available by special order only.
Buddha diamonds are most commonly set as center stones for pendants and rings. Brooches and tiepins are also common uses. For religious reasons, they are not used as earrings.
The cut is perceived as a three-dimensional sculpture that fits well into jewelry. The Buddha, hand cut in Antwerp, is faceted like modern brilliant cuts with 33 crown facets, 21 pavilion facets and a culet. The girdle is also faceted. The different styles of Buddha cut diamonds have historical and regional significance. The Shakyamuni Buddha represents the historical Buddha of India. The Kwan Yin (China) or Kannon (Japan) represents the feminine form of Buddha. A third styling, the Thai representation of the Buddha is available by special order only.
Buddha diamonds are most commonly set as center stones for pendants and rings. Brooches and tiepins are also common uses. For religious reasons, they are not used as earrings.
Diamond Cut: Tycoon Cut
The Tycoon Cut™ was invented in 1999 by Toros Kejejian . The name Tycoon Cut is trademarked, and has been patented in both the US and internationally. Los Angles based Tycoon Jewelry is its sole distributor.
The cut is a rectangular mixed cut. It has 33 facets—nine on the crown and 24 making up the pavilion. The faceting of the crown is what makes the Tycoon Cut unique as the entire crown can be considered a nine facet table. The top center facet is in the shape of a diamond, making it the only diamond with a diamond on top.
The cut is a rectangular mixed cut. It has 33 facets—nine on the crown and 24 making up the pavilion. The faceting of the crown is what makes the Tycoon Cut unique as the entire crown can be considered a nine facet table. The top center facet is in the shape of a diamond, making it the only diamond with a diamond on top.
How To Judge Alexandrite (color change) Chrysoberyl
Color
- The primary consideration is the extent of color change. The most desirable color change is saturated ruby red (incandescent lighting) to saturated emerald green (day light or fluorescent light). Quite often the stones have color modifiers which may result in the reds having a purplish, and the greens a bluish secondary color.
- In most cases the saturation level of both hues is relatively low so stones that show colors of high intensity fetch higher premium.
Phenomenon
- The stone should display distinct change of color from an incandescent light source to a day light fluorescent one.
Clarity
- The clarity of the stone is a factor. Alexandrites may be heavily included; as long as the inclusions are not too distracting, the stone should be judged based on the unique color change.
Cut
- Alexandrites are usually faceted. If they a show a chatoyant phenomenon, they may be cut cabochon.
- The primary consideration is the extent of color change. The most desirable color change is saturated ruby red (incandescent lighting) to saturated emerald green (day light or fluorescent light). Quite often the stones have color modifiers which may result in the reds having a purplish, and the greens a bluish secondary color.
- In most cases the saturation level of both hues is relatively low so stones that show colors of high intensity fetch higher premium.
Phenomenon
- The stone should display distinct change of color from an incandescent light source to a day light fluorescent one.
Clarity
- The clarity of the stone is a factor. Alexandrites may be heavily included; as long as the inclusions are not too distracting, the stone should be judged based on the unique color change.
Cut
- Alexandrites are usually faceted. If they a show a chatoyant phenomenon, they may be cut cabochon.
Fiber Optic Technology
David R. Goff writes:
A Brief History of Fiber Optic Technology
Fiber optic technology experienced a phenomenal rate of progress in the second half of the twentieth century. Early success came during the 1950’s with the development of the fiberscope. This image-transmitting device, which used the first practical all-glass fiber, was concurrently devised by Brian O’Brien at the American Optical Company and Narinder Kapany (who first coined the term “fiber optics” in 1956) and colleagues at the Imperial College of Science and Technology in London. Early all-glass fibers experienced excessive optical loss, the loss of the light signal as it traveled the fiber, limiting transmission distances.
More info @ http://www.fiber-optics.info/fiber-history.htm
A Brief History of Fiber Optic Technology
Fiber optic technology experienced a phenomenal rate of progress in the second half of the twentieth century. Early success came during the 1950’s with the development of the fiberscope. This image-transmitting device, which used the first practical all-glass fiber, was concurrently devised by Brian O’Brien at the American Optical Company and Narinder Kapany (who first coined the term “fiber optics” in 1956) and colleagues at the Imperial College of Science and Technology in London. Early all-glass fibers experienced excessive optical loss, the loss of the light signal as it traveled the fiber, limiting transmission distances.
More info @ http://www.fiber-optics.info/fiber-history.htm
Raman Spectroscopy
Renishaw writes:
Users in research laboratories, development labs and production lines worldwide employ the microscopes and analysers in a diverse range of fields - for example, in the computer hard disc, pharmaceutical, polymer, semiconductor, and chemical industries. More exotic applications include the identification of drugs and explosives by forensic scientists, and the analysis of paint and pigments on historic works of art as an aid to accurate restoration.
Gemmologists are also using the Raman microscopes to identify gemstones, and to determine their source by analysing the tiny mineral inclusions contained within them.
Currently, there is much discussion in the gems community about a new heat-treatment for poor quality diamonds that changes their appearance to that of gem quality diamond. Fortunately, Renishaw Raman systems can reveal when this has occurred, ensuring that true diamond quality is maintained. Also, a variety of medical applications is being developed, one of the most notable being the detection of cancerous and pre-cancerous cells. In the near future, it is expected that small optical fibre probes and automated microscope systems will be used to acquire spectra from human tissue, allowing the rapid diagnosis of potential cancers as an outpatient procedure.
The capabilities of the instruments have been expanded to include a wider range of lasers, enhanced optical filtering systems, many new accessories, increased automation and improved software, making the instruments even easier to use. The number of applications will increase as Renishaw continues to develop new technologies in Raman spectroscopy.
More info @ http://www.renishaw.com/client/product/UKEnglish/PGP-37.shtml
Users in research laboratories, development labs and production lines worldwide employ the microscopes and analysers in a diverse range of fields - for example, in the computer hard disc, pharmaceutical, polymer, semiconductor, and chemical industries. More exotic applications include the identification of drugs and explosives by forensic scientists, and the analysis of paint and pigments on historic works of art as an aid to accurate restoration.
Gemmologists are also using the Raman microscopes to identify gemstones, and to determine their source by analysing the tiny mineral inclusions contained within them.
Currently, there is much discussion in the gems community about a new heat-treatment for poor quality diamonds that changes their appearance to that of gem quality diamond. Fortunately, Renishaw Raman systems can reveal when this has occurred, ensuring that true diamond quality is maintained. Also, a variety of medical applications is being developed, one of the most notable being the detection of cancerous and pre-cancerous cells. In the near future, it is expected that small optical fibre probes and automated microscope systems will be used to acquire spectra from human tissue, allowing the rapid diagnosis of potential cancers as an outpatient procedure.
The capabilities of the instruments have been expanded to include a wider range of lasers, enhanced optical filtering systems, many new accessories, increased automation and improved software, making the instruments even easier to use. The number of applications will increase as Renishaw continues to develop new technologies in Raman spectroscopy.
More info @ http://www.renishaw.com/client/product/UKEnglish/PGP-37.shtml
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