Lapidary Journal writes:
If you are looking for a gem, mineral, and jewelry show with all the amenities of a big city venue but with the low costs and laid back atmosphere of a smaller show, it’s hard to beat Laughlin, Nevada, a fast growing casino town 90 miles southeast of Las Vegas. Laughlin is a relative newcomer to the gem show circuit, but has already gained a reputation as one of the better spots to be.
All shows at Laughlin are wholesale/retail with free admission to the public. And with the exception of a show put on by the Gem & Lapidary Wholesalers, all the Clouds Jamboree events, sponsored by former Quartzsite show promoter Dick Cloud.
The main event is month-long show held outside the Avi Resort & Casino from January 7 through February 8. The other five shows are held indoors at the various hotels along Casino Drive, from January 14 through 30.
“When you go to Laughlin, you are not competing with a swap meet mentality. You are going to buy gems, minerals, and related supplies—things that have to do with the business,’ says Warron Big Eagle of Eagles Dream Co. Together with his wife Deb, Big Eagle displays gem rough and beads, as well as finished gems and silver jewelry at the Avi Resort at a booth set up outside their trailer.
“The Avi has one of the nicest, cleanest RV setups in the country,” says Big Eagle, a self-described ‘rocker’ who spends most of his time on the road. But he notes that those coming to visit the shows also have the opportunity to stay at one of the many hotels and resorts in town, with discounted rates for those attending the shows as members of the trade.
Many of the dealers who display at Laughlin—particularly at shows which end before February—go on to Tucson. “Laughlin is not a hurried show like Tucson. It’s more of a low-key, relaxed, spread-out affair,’ says dealer Ron Stanford of Precious Pebbles in Bullhead City, Arizona, just across the Colorado River from Laughlin.
“It’s also a lot cheaper for dealers to do, so you get a lot of the smaller dealers who have a wide variety of goods. You may not find a lot of the high-end merchandise that you would in Tucson, but you will find a lot of bargains on just about anything you can think of, from used lapidary equipment to beads, gemstones, finished jewelry, and gem rough. You will find a lot of rough rock there.”
Because so much of Laughlin’s economy centers on tourism, it seems that everything is done to accommodate show goers, including a shuttle service which takes visitors from one show to the next. With Vegas-like weather, a nearby airport, as well as gold courses, restaurants, and lively entertainment, it’s safe bet that Laughlin will continue to expand as a show venue.
“It just a real nice place,” says Big Eagle. “Because the Avi show goes on for so long, the vendors all get to know each other, and we will steer people in the right direction to find what they are looking for. They seem to work together rather than be overly competitive with one another, and they are trying to build the show.”
For more information, visit www.cloudsjamboree.com or call (866) 558-7719
Laughlin show schedule:
- Clouds Jamboree—Edgewater Hotel & Casino (January 14 – 23)
- Clouds Jamboree—Ramada Express Hotel & Casino (January 14 – 23)
- Clouds Jamboree—Don Laughlin’s Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino (January 14 – 30)
- G & LW—Flamingo Laughlin (January 21 – 23)
- Clouds Jamboree—AVI Casino (January 27 – February 6)
Monday, February 26, 2007
Special Effects
I love movies, because the concept enable the characters to simulate their natural talent with good acting and special effects. The reality is that in the movies a sound mixer combines all three elements of the film’s soundtrack: the dialogue, music and sound effects to create the voice of the film. In a way movies and colored gemstones are on the same wavelength. They are sensitive, attractive, and provides constant emotional stimulation--a lightswitch. A gem cutter combines size, shape, color, clarity and cut to create the voice of a colored gemstone. I would say 34% color, 33% clarity, and 33% cut—it’s life.
Citizen Kane
Memorable quote (s) from the movie:
Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles): You know, Mr. Bernstein, if I hadn't been very rich, I might have been a really great man.
Thatcher (George Coulouris): Don't you think you are?
Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles): I think I did pretty well under the circumstances.
Thatcher (George Coulouris): What would you like to have been?
Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles): Everything you hate.
Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles): You know, Mr. Bernstein, if I hadn't been very rich, I might have been a really great man.
Thatcher (George Coulouris): Don't you think you are?
Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles): I think I did pretty well under the circumstances.
Thatcher (George Coulouris): What would you like to have been?
Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles): Everything you hate.
The Jade Kingdom
By Paul E Desautels
Van Nostrand Reinhold Company Inc
1986 ISBN 0-442-21797-8
Van Nostrand Reinhold writes:
For more than 4000 years, jade has been a stone of legend and mystery, prized for its beauty and superiority as a hardstone carving material. The development of mineralogical and gemological knowledge of jade has been as fascinating as jade lore and history. Yet, until now, no book on jade has explored jade’s physical and chemical properties as well as the stone’s rich history. Instead, past literature has tended toward quick surveys of some of the more exotic carvings that have flowed, generation after generation, from the lapidary shops of China.
The Jade Kingdom is the first book to cover almost every aspect of jade—its occurrences worldwide, its mineralogy and geology, jade’s history, legend, and lore, the major cultures that have made use of it, and the techniques they have developed to master it. Specific areas covered include comparisons of true and false jades, the various methods of testing jade, from simple field tests to sophisticated laboratory analyses, and the known sources of jade, both ancient and modern.
The book also explores China’s centuries—old love of jade, discussing the origins and meanings of symbolic jade carvings as well as the clues to past Chinese culture, philosophy, and technology that are revealed by existing jade objects. The history of jade in the New World is surveyed as well, from the earliest Olmec times to the conquest of the Aztecs by Spanish adventurers. Other jade-using cultures covered in The Jade Kingdom include Europe, New Zealand, South-central Asia, India, Russia, and Japan. Dozens of photographs of nephrite and jadeite—the two main types of jade—as well as ancient and modern artifacts complete this handsome reference work.
Gemologists, collectors, anthropologists, archeologists, and jade dealers will welcome this first-time synthesis of new and old information about jade.
About the author
Paul E Desautels is the author of four other books—The Mineral Kingdom, The Gem Kingdom, Rocks and Minerals, and Gems in the Smithsonian—and has contributed many articles to such magazines as the Smithsonian, Mineralogical Record, Natural History, and American Mineralogist.
Van Nostrand Reinhold Company Inc
1986 ISBN 0-442-21797-8
Van Nostrand Reinhold writes:
For more than 4000 years, jade has been a stone of legend and mystery, prized for its beauty and superiority as a hardstone carving material. The development of mineralogical and gemological knowledge of jade has been as fascinating as jade lore and history. Yet, until now, no book on jade has explored jade’s physical and chemical properties as well as the stone’s rich history. Instead, past literature has tended toward quick surveys of some of the more exotic carvings that have flowed, generation after generation, from the lapidary shops of China.
The Jade Kingdom is the first book to cover almost every aspect of jade—its occurrences worldwide, its mineralogy and geology, jade’s history, legend, and lore, the major cultures that have made use of it, and the techniques they have developed to master it. Specific areas covered include comparisons of true and false jades, the various methods of testing jade, from simple field tests to sophisticated laboratory analyses, and the known sources of jade, both ancient and modern.
The book also explores China’s centuries—old love of jade, discussing the origins and meanings of symbolic jade carvings as well as the clues to past Chinese culture, philosophy, and technology that are revealed by existing jade objects. The history of jade in the New World is surveyed as well, from the earliest Olmec times to the conquest of the Aztecs by Spanish adventurers. Other jade-using cultures covered in The Jade Kingdom include Europe, New Zealand, South-central Asia, India, Russia, and Japan. Dozens of photographs of nephrite and jadeite—the two main types of jade—as well as ancient and modern artifacts complete this handsome reference work.
Gemologists, collectors, anthropologists, archeologists, and jade dealers will welcome this first-time synthesis of new and old information about jade.
About the author
Paul E Desautels is the author of four other books—The Mineral Kingdom, The Gem Kingdom, Rocks and Minerals, and Gems in the Smithsonian—and has contributed many articles to such magazines as the Smithsonian, Mineralogical Record, Natural History, and American Mineralogist.
Gem Show Tips
If you are planning to attend any gem shows for the first time, here are some things to keep in mind.
- Book in advance
Pre-registering for the shows you want to attend will help you avoid lines. The same applies to book accommodation in advance.
- Set a budget
If you hope to stay within your means, you need to establish a budget for the real stuff as well as for the fun stuff.
- Take notes
We are distracted all the time and worse—we have short memory so take notes. If you see an interesting piece and are thinking of coming back to see it, write down the location you saw it. Otherwise, chances are you will either forget about it or, more likely, forget where you saw it.
- Be comfortable
Dress comfortably. Don’t even think about doing the shows in high heels or clothes that don’t breathe. Drink plenty of water to stay refreshed and to avoid dehydration.
- Talk to people
People are always eager to learn about new things. So when you need help, ask in a sweet language. They will always remember you. Gem shows are unique cultural experiences. Asking others what they have seen and which shows they have visited is a good way to start a conversation. The password is— have the right attitude.
- Book in advance
Pre-registering for the shows you want to attend will help you avoid lines. The same applies to book accommodation in advance.
- Set a budget
If you hope to stay within your means, you need to establish a budget for the real stuff as well as for the fun stuff.
- Take notes
We are distracted all the time and worse—we have short memory so take notes. If you see an interesting piece and are thinking of coming back to see it, write down the location you saw it. Otherwise, chances are you will either forget about it or, more likely, forget where you saw it.
- Be comfortable
Dress comfortably. Don’t even think about doing the shows in high heels or clothes that don’t breathe. Drink plenty of water to stay refreshed and to avoid dehydration.
- Talk to people
People are always eager to learn about new things. So when you need help, ask in a sweet language. They will always remember you. Gem shows are unique cultural experiences. Asking others what they have seen and which shows they have visited is a good way to start a conversation. The password is— have the right attitude.
Coated Diamonds
The first step in examining any diamond is to observe the whole diamond. Well-informed consumers start with visual observation. This gives the buyer the chance to examine and classify all aspects of the physical appearance of the diamond.
Natural colored diamonds are available in all mainstream colors, but certain colors are rare. Top quality pinks, reds, blues and other shades are extremely rare and expensive. Many colored diamonds are sold by dealers and jewelers to consumers who crave for rarity, beauty and status. Consumers with disposable income buy them because they like it. A few may be aware of treatments, but they tend to forget it. Many consumers don’t know about it.
Today diamonds can be coated with yellow, orange, pink, purplish pink, blue and green to look like the natural ones. Well-trained buyers look for iridescent film-like coating with proper magnification and lighting. But again this may not be always easy and practical. The treatment is not permanent. If in doubt always consult a reputed gem testing laboratory.
Natural colored diamonds are available in all mainstream colors, but certain colors are rare. Top quality pinks, reds, blues and other shades are extremely rare and expensive. Many colored diamonds are sold by dealers and jewelers to consumers who crave for rarity, beauty and status. Consumers with disposable income buy them because they like it. A few may be aware of treatments, but they tend to forget it. Many consumers don’t know about it.
Today diamonds can be coated with yellow, orange, pink, purplish pink, blue and green to look like the natural ones. Well-trained buyers look for iridescent film-like coating with proper magnification and lighting. But again this may not be always easy and practical. The treatment is not permanent. If in doubt always consult a reputed gem testing laboratory.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Catch Me If You Can Movie
Memorable quote (s) from the movie:
Frank Abagnale Sr. (Christopher Walken): Two little mice fell in a bucket of cream. The first mouse quickly gave up and drowned. The second mouse, wouldn't quit. He struggled so hard that eventually he churned that cream into butter and crawled out. Gentlemen, as of this moment, I am that second mouse.
Frank Abagnale Sr. (Christopher Walken): Two little mice fell in a bucket of cream. The first mouse quickly gave up and drowned. The second mouse, wouldn't quit. He struggled so hard that eventually he churned that cream into butter and crawled out. Gentlemen, as of this moment, I am that second mouse.
The Physics And Chemistry Of Color
By Kurt Nassau
John Wiley & Sons, Inc
1983 ISBN 0-471-86776-4
John Wiley & Sons writes:
How does an organic pigment such as chlorophyll interact with white light to produce a green color? Why is the sky blue, a ruby red? To what processes does gold owes its yellow color? Here is the first comprehensive investigation of all the causes of color derived from their physical and chemical origins. Requiring no specialized knowledge since all fundamental concepts are discussed, this fascinating work explores fifteen separate causes of color and their varied and often subtle occurrences in biology, geology, mineralogy, the atmosphere, technology, and the visual arts.
Beginning with a basic introduction to the nature of light and color and quantum theory in Part 1, the book goes on to discuss the colors caused by incandescent objects, flames, and vapor excitation light sources, including auroras and lasers (Part 2). Part 3 explores the effect on electronic energy levels of transition elements in the ligand field, a phenomenon that explains the colors in most inorganic paint pigments and in many minerals and gems, such as red ruby and green emerald.
Colors caused by molecular orbitals and their interaction with light are discussed in Part 4. These include the colors of most organic substances and such minerals and gemstones as lapis lazuli and blue sapphire, where charge transfer is at work. Part 5 examines the colors caused by energy band theory, such as those in gold, copper, and brass, as well as color centers, as in amethysts. Part 6 investigates the wide range of colors involving geometrical and physical optics theory—including those derived from dispersion, scattering, interference and diffraction. This leads to the colors of the rainbow and of butterfly wings, the blue of the sky, the red of the sunset. A final section discusses a variety of color-related topics, such as lasers, art preservation, and vision.
Over 200 drawings, 30 tables, and 31 color photographs aid in the visualization of the concepts discussed. A detailed bibliography keyed to individual chapters permits readers to pursue areas of particular interest. Also included are end-of-chapter problems and a series of appendices which cover advanced topics and thus serve as a bridge to more esoteric texts and monographs.
The Physics And Chemistry of Color will prove equally useful to specialist and non-specialist alike, and to those with interests as varied as optics and art history.
About the author
Kurt Nassau is the author of Gems Made By Man.
John Wiley & Sons, Inc
1983 ISBN 0-471-86776-4
John Wiley & Sons writes:
How does an organic pigment such as chlorophyll interact with white light to produce a green color? Why is the sky blue, a ruby red? To what processes does gold owes its yellow color? Here is the first comprehensive investigation of all the causes of color derived from their physical and chemical origins. Requiring no specialized knowledge since all fundamental concepts are discussed, this fascinating work explores fifteen separate causes of color and their varied and often subtle occurrences in biology, geology, mineralogy, the atmosphere, technology, and the visual arts.
Beginning with a basic introduction to the nature of light and color and quantum theory in Part 1, the book goes on to discuss the colors caused by incandescent objects, flames, and vapor excitation light sources, including auroras and lasers (Part 2). Part 3 explores the effect on electronic energy levels of transition elements in the ligand field, a phenomenon that explains the colors in most inorganic paint pigments and in many minerals and gems, such as red ruby and green emerald.
Colors caused by molecular orbitals and their interaction with light are discussed in Part 4. These include the colors of most organic substances and such minerals and gemstones as lapis lazuli and blue sapphire, where charge transfer is at work. Part 5 examines the colors caused by energy band theory, such as those in gold, copper, and brass, as well as color centers, as in amethysts. Part 6 investigates the wide range of colors involving geometrical and physical optics theory—including those derived from dispersion, scattering, interference and diffraction. This leads to the colors of the rainbow and of butterfly wings, the blue of the sky, the red of the sunset. A final section discusses a variety of color-related topics, such as lasers, art preservation, and vision.
Over 200 drawings, 30 tables, and 31 color photographs aid in the visualization of the concepts discussed. A detailed bibliography keyed to individual chapters permits readers to pursue areas of particular interest. Also included are end-of-chapter problems and a series of appendices which cover advanced topics and thus serve as a bridge to more esoteric texts and monographs.
The Physics And Chemistry of Color will prove equally useful to specialist and non-specialist alike, and to those with interests as varied as optics and art history.
About the author
Kurt Nassau is the author of Gems Made By Man.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)