Blue Diamond Update

A 13.39-carat blue diamond was sold at Christie's Geneva on May 14, 2008 at a world-record price of $8.9 million.

Useful link:
www.christies.com

'This impressive result is due to the scarcity of colored diamonds on the market, and to the great demand from collectors around the world for exceptional artworks and jewels that is currently dominating the auction world.'
- Francois Curiel, Chairman, Christie's Europe

I think he is right.

Predictably Irrational

Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions by Dan Ariely is an excellent book that provides insights into our behavioral traits + the way we make (strange) decisions. I liked it.

Useful links:
www.predictablyirrational.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ5baAOrxXY

Robert Mondavi

(via Wiki) Robert Gerald Mondavi was a leading American vineyard operator whose technical improvements and marketing strategies brought worldwide recognition for the wines of the Napa Valley in California. From an early period, Mondavi aggressively promoted labeling wines varietally rather than generically. This is now the standard for New World wines.

Useful link:
www.robertmondaviwinery.com

The pioneering vintner who helped put California wine country on the map, died at his Napa Valley home on May 16, 2008. He was 94. He was an enthusiastic ambassador for wine — especially California wine — promoting the health, cultural and social benefits of its moderate consumption.

The Forevermark Brand Strategy: Empowering The Retailers

Chaim Even Zohar writes about the launch of the De Beers Forevermark brand + the De Beers Grading Report + the impact + other viewpoints @ http://www.idexonline.com/portal_FullEditorial.asp

I think the article was very useful and informative because of all the branding efforts, the diamond jewelry industry is still one of the most fragmented industries in the world. The world's largest diamond jewelry brand has a circa one percent market share. How true!

Synthetic Quartz Update

The GEMLAB Laboratory based in the Principality of Liechtenstein has an interesting update on synthetic quartz @ http://www.gemlab.net/website/gemlab/fileadmin/user_upload/Research/Gemlab-Newsletter-05-2008.pdf

Useful link:
www.gemlab.net

Uptake

(via budgettravel) UpTake is an interesting theme-based travel search engine with tons of useful information. I liked it.

Useful links:
www.uptake.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxNqDCVvnJk

Restoration Rocks

Restoration Rocks = One-of-a-kind fragments of Frank Lloyd Wright’s modern masterpiece—the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum—gathered during the 2007 restoration and presented in hand-crafted acrylic and sterling silver @ http://www.guggenheimstore.org/rero1.html

Virtual Painter

(via dowloand.com) Try Virtual Painter for Windows. Virtual Painter can create dramatic landscapes like the Renaissance greats + you can choose among 16 artistic styles, like oil, watercolor, and charcoal, and 20 canvases to give your photos a unique artistic look.