Scenes from JCK 2008

[John P]

Date: 5/31/2008 9:02:15 AM
Author: Regular Guy

Date: 5/30/2008 1:50:45 PM
Author: Lorelei
Good stuff Sir John, I always enjoy your Vegas bulletins!

Is there any question about the cause for the timing of John's uncloaking?

Thanks, John...nice work as always!

Actually I'm quite late RG. I wish I'd been able to report on the Polygon Show in Salt Lake City, and the incredible AGS Conclave in Seattle I attended these last few months, but there was just too much work to be done. Happy to be back now

and you're welcome.

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 5/31/2008 4:59:09 PM
Author: John Pollard
After a couple of rounds Garry had to ask Felicia to stop stalking Andrey (he's such a charmer).

LOL

Garry does look like he is telling her to behave.

 

[John P]

Buy say it in Austin-Powers-Speak Skippy...

Oh be-HAYVE!

Yeah, that''s more like Garry.

 

[John P]

A couple more social scenes.

Dave Atlas and Paul after a dinner at Bouchon.

 

[John P]

Garry fences with the sommelier at Rosemarie''s over Sauvignon Blanc.

 

[John P]

Same restaurant from the other night (Rosemarie's). A fun and gracious group of people. Those of us already named are joined by Garry's wife Drena and Isaac Gottesman.

 

[Ellen]

John, thanks so much for taking the time to post. Love the info, pics, love your captions just as much, maybe more.

 

[JulieN]

Gah! Bouchon is one of my favorite restaurants in Vegas.

 

[Lynn B]

John,
Thanks for all the great pics and narratives! LOVE LOVE LOVE all of it!!!

Lynn

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 5/30/2008 12:58:19 PM
Author: John Pollard
A further thought about memo: Many see memo as the great industry killer. How is it possible that - in a world where cash and carry has always defined the most successful - our luxury trade has been allowed to back itself into this corner?






Our archivists have been working day and night to trace the roots of memo.

Where did this all start, and how? Well, according to a joint report filed by Dr. Brillianteering and Professor RB Hoverworthington (leaders in studies of DSS and PSA), we may have an answer…

According to ancient text scrawled on briefke recovered from a Flemish shipwreck - the Memo epidemic can be traced to the jungles of Brazil some decades ago: A poor native jeweler allowed an American Marine from Idaho to tote a number of 25-cent-per-carat amethysts to show his buddies in hopes of selling them. That American was not required to pay, only to borrow the gems with the promise of cash or return (!) In the native Tupi language this practice was referred to as Winkborrow *. South American gem traders shortened it to “orrow” and upon reaching Tel Aviv Israeli traders called the practice “memo.”

This affliction spread quickly, to Antwerp, Mumbai New York and finally to the rest of the world.

No one knew, those decades ago, that the largesse of one native trader in the Brazilian rain forest would bring the industry to its knees today. Our researchers are now trying to trace the identity of the Marine from Idaho – what happened to him? Has he survived and, somehow, does he carry a gene that could lead to an immunization for our trade?

Grave issues indeed.

* A side note: Some anthropologists speculate “Wheelbarrow” gets its roots in “Winkborrow,” attributable to the vast amounts of amethyst that the mysterious American jeweler traded in his Brazilian days.

Seriously laugh out loud funny John

 

[John P]

Finally home and decompressed. Here are some final photos from this year’s JCK:

Jim Caudill shows a new version of the ASET tool called ASET Cam. This allows pros to view and show a diamond''s light performance on a computer monitor, and to capture the image. This is useful for jeweler who have clients wanting the imagery (for use on PS for example) as well as appraisers.

 

[John P]

Jim demonstrated that the ASET Cam works on mounted stones as well as loose.

 

[John P]

Mounted stone image - could be very useful for appraisers.

 

[partgypsy]

Thanks for your dispatch from JCK, and the fun pics. It is always interesting to hear what is going on with industry insiders.

 

[John P]

There are several different floors at the show. Many dealers like to have girls in cocktail dresses handing out brochures and such (some of you will remember the GCAL promos).

This year...cheerleaders? What an interesting contrast.

I wonder what an appropriate cheer would be for diamonds right now?
Maybe "Two bits...four bits...six bits...eight bits...twelve...no, twenty!"

 

[John P]

Photos and videos were not allowed in many sections this year - designers worry about property infringement. The non design areas were largely still image-safe.

Speaking of safes, for some reason the large-bling-storage section always reminds me of some of our PS community members (you know who you are).

 

[John P]

Since the hot topic was pricing this year - here are lunch prices from a cafe near the Expo.

Glass half full: Chicken and steak are the same price!
Glass half empty: The price.

 

[John P]

A few of us got away from strip pricing by joining Peter Yanzter (AGS lab director) for a meal on his side of town. It was nice to visit with him, particularly since neither AGS or GIA labs gave presentations at this year''s education sessions. We look forward to seeing them back on the agenda in the future.

 

[John P]

Peter Yantzer’s Ferrari!

 

[John P]

Ok. Not really.

 

[John P]

We did have a Mustang though.

Mustang Pauly. Uh huh. Guess you better slow your Mustang down.

 

[John P]

The GIA Alumni reception at Tao. Some people from different parts of the globe; Chris Ryder from BHP Billiton, Angela Dearie with Indicator Minerals and Clark McEwen from Gemesis.

 

[John P]

In the middle is Barak Green, formerly of GIA, now with the World Gemological Institute. WGI has established offices in California and is introducing new grading & packaging. A topic of interest was their assessment of hearts & arrows in rounds; something most US labs have avoided.

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 6/4/2008 12:33:09 PM
Author: John Pollard
There are several different floors at the show. Many dealers like to have girls in cocktail dresses handing out brochures and such (some of you will remember the GCAL promos).


This year...cheerleaders? What an interesting contrast.


I wonder what an appropriate cheer would be for diamonds right now?

Maybe ''Two bits...four bits...six bits...eight bits...twelve...no, ninety nine!''

There fixed it for you.

 

[John P]

A very cool item that WGI was providing to pros was "The Loupe with Light." Reminiscent of the old Zeiss proportions loupe it has a circle of lights inside a diffuser ring facing the diamond, as well as UV for checking fluorescence. These were a hit. I will try to get a photo looking through it later.

 

[John P]

Date: 6/4/2008 1:01:48 PM
Author: strmrdr

Date: 6/4/2008 12:33:09 PM
Author: John Pollard
There are several different floors at the show. Many dealers like to have girls in cocktail dresses handing out brochures and such (some of you will remember the GCAL promos).


This year...cheerleaders? What an interesting contrast.


I wonder what an appropriate cheer would be for diamonds right now?

Maybe ''Two bits...four bits...six bits...eight bits...twelve...no, ninety nine!''

There fixed it for you.

You nailed the cheer for 3ct+
Now I''m waiting for the video of Strm doing the pom-pom routine.

 

[John P]

Caravaning to a dealers’ dinner: Bill Scherlag from DiamondOne in NY with Kristoff and Paul.

 

[John P]

...

 

[John P]

Other troublemakers sharing the ride.

 

[John P]

Andrey hosted a gathering to share coming features and functionality on Pricescope. Although he still hasn’t found a way to dispense diamonds directly from your computer terminal he’s working on it.

L-R: Paul from Infinity, Garry Holloway, Andrey from Pricescope, Lesley and Brian from Whiteflash, Lieve from Infinity, Ankur from Angara and Wink from Winfield’s.