MY Overseas Antwerpen, Belgium Diamond Buying Trip Working ... · MY Overseas – Antwerpen, Belgium Diamond Buying Trip & Working Vacation / Adventure With ... Chesapeake, Virginia

La Shawn Bauer, GG & High Sierra Gem Lab Email: [email protected] VR3.1x © December 2013 [email protected]

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You can also checkout my website for other resource information at: http://www.gemologyonline.com/LaShawn/appraisal.html

MY

Overseas – Antwerpen, Belgium

Diamond Buying Trip

&

Working Vacation / Adventure

With

A Fun Group of I.J.O. Buyers (Independent Jewelers Organization)

By La Shawn Bauer, G, G, GG, ASG/AGA, CGL/AGA, CDG/IJO, CGL/IJO, RMV, CM/NAJA


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My Boss Steve Long of Long Jewelers in Chesapeake, Va. asked me to accompany him on this year’s buying trip because he now wants to start going to Antwerp, Belgium Twice a year, a Spring Buying Trip in April and then the Annual Fall Trip in October. He wants me to do the Spring Trip Solo and then he will do the annual fall trip by himself or I might go if we have a large order of diamonds to buy during the fall. This was his 12th or 13th time going to Antwerp with the I.J.O. Buyers (Independent Jewelers Organization). They (The I.J.O. Group along with a large number of Jewelry Store Owners Promote this Event Heavily and they have done very well using this promotional method to separate themselves from their local and even regional competition. This was my first Overseas Diamond Buying Trip and so I quizzed Steve about everything so that I could get a better understanding as to how things operate over there. Believe me, it is totally different than buying and ordering diamonds here in the U.S. #1. You are out of your comfort Zone You are in a foreign country with a limited amount of equipment. #2. Unfamiliar Workplace Environment – This is definitely not your lab!!! #3. Time Constraints – Time is Money #4. Busy and Noisy Workplace Environment – because there are 4 to 5 people per table. People are talking and asking questions and telling stories and everything else. You have to concentrate and try to tune everything out and not get distracted DO YOUR JOB FIRST / Talk Later #5. Small Workspace Area (About the size if you are at a dinner table (place setting Size) (18 to 20-Inches x 12 to 15-inches)


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The TRUE and CORRECT name of Antwerp is Antwerpen ;/

As you can see Belgium is not that big. We flew into Brussels Early Sunday Morning and then took the train to Antwerpen The train trip takes about 45-minutes and there are about 4-stops before coming to Antwerpen/Central


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This is a small city map of Antwerpen. See the ZOO in Green? Right behind the Central Train Station. The Antwerp Diamond District is only 1 ½ to 2 blocks away from the Central Station. You can easily walk across the town in less than an hour at a leisurely pace. It is said, that Over a third 1/3 of all diamonds mined go through the Antwerp Diamond Bourses.


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My Boss Steven Long of Long Jewelers of Chesapeake, Virginia. Early, Early train ride from Brussels into Antwerpen Central Station

Me I personally hate being in front of the camera ;/


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Inside Antwerpen Central Train Station This is one of Belgium’s most beautiful train stations and some claim Antwerpen/Central is one of the top Five (5) Train Stations in all of Europe. Truly a magnificent building, There are four (4) Lower levels to catch various trains going in all different directions. The train station also has dozens of small shops and stores to shop at. YES!!! They even have a Starbucks there inside the station.


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We stayed at the Hotel Astoria and then looking down toward the end of the block is the beginning of the Antwerp Diamond District, just a half-block away. This is one of the many bicycle parking areas for the Diamond District’s employees to park and lock their bikes up.

My hotel room – over there they don’t know what a Queen Size or King Size Bed is ;/ These are two (2) Twin Beds Pushed together. Remember, This is Europe not Las Vegas ;/


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Sunday Morning and Afternoon at the Antwerp Open Air Market They sell it all here. Just about 5-blocks away from the hotel.

Jet Lag is about to set in, been up for well over 22-hours straight. I DO NOT SLEEP ON AIRPLANES!!!! Especially when someone other than me is flying it!! ;/


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We then crashed for about 2-hours and then got up to go meet the rest of the IJO Group of Buyers and then went to the Café Imperial for Supper. It was said that this place was at one time part of an Imperial Palace and Napoleon Bonaparte once stood in this very room where we were dinning. That is pretty cool to be surrounded by such history and stories. Yes, I know some people call it Dinner. Remember I’m from the Mid-West and I’m right. Breakfast, Dinner and Supper or Breakfast, Lunch and Supper ;/

This is a small picture of Napoleon because he was a short little dude ;/

The Food and Company was good With one exception, my steak If anyone would have served this steak in the Mid-West they would have been tarred and feather and run out of town and then hung. My Nike shoe would have been a better choice.


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Tools & Assorted Items to bring with you:

#1. Tweezers both Stainless Steel and Anodized Black #2. Loupe #3. Digital Calipers #4. Color Master Comparison Stones #5. Cut / Proportion Analyzer #6. Optional, Bottom Illuminated, battery powered, Light Source for my AGS/ASET Unit


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Special Note & Comments about the Tools & Assorted Items to bring with you: Tweezers: - (DO NOT Put them into your carry-on bags!!!) Also be respectful and ask first if you can use your Black Anodized Tweezers Some diamond deals don’t like black tweezers because the black rubs off onto the diamond girdle and in some cases the diamonds have to be cleaned to remove the black flakes. If you lose your tweezers you can buy some new ones there in the Diamond District. (My NEW Personal Favorites (Swiss Axe) LOVE’EM!!! Loupes: Two (2) good loupes packed in separately in different bags (I personally favor the larger 20mm size loupes) Portable Proportion Scope / Loupe: There are basically Three (3) Types Proportion Loupe, Hand-held AGS/ASET, Hearts-On-Fire Style Cut Analyzer with black base: The Proportion loupe is only made by Zeiss and they may not make them anymore. The AGS/ASET can only be used and view diamonds from the Top/Face-Up Position I also like to use a small portable Illuminated Lighted Base when I use the AGS/ASET Hand-Held Device. The Hearts-On-Fire Style Units can view from the Face-Up position and also the Pavilion up position and uses ambient room lighting

AGS/ASET Hand-held Unit View Hearts-On-Fire Type Cut Analyzer These are very helpful and quick, as you can quickly assign a Cut Grade to the diamonds as; Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair or Poor.


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C.Z. Color Master Sets: Diamond Color Grading Loose Diamonds - Diamond Color Master Comparison Stones (C.Z.'s are by far the safest to carry overseas) as they will at least get you in the ball-park. However, YOU MUST first Double-Check and Grade your C.Z. Masters against a TRUE MASTER SET of GIA or AGS Diamond Color Masters First, because most C.Z. Master Sets ARE NOT that Accurate!!! Believe me everyone in Antwerp is screaming about some of the sets being issued as some are as far as 3-5 Color Grades Off and some are making the comments that they were graded by the same seeing-eye dogs at EGL Diamond Labs ;/ lol heheheh

Top Row is C.Z. Master and Bottom Row is AGS Diamond Color Masters This is photographic evidence and a Perfect, Classic Example of why I REFUSE to use or recognize C.Z. Color Master Sets. They are basically worthless for all intents and purposes. This is a brand new set and it is absolutely horrible!!!!! This photo doesn’t really show the extreme grade differences. You truly have to see it in person against a REAL MASTER SET.


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Monday Morning – Time to Go Look at a Bunch of Diamonds

Both street entrances are blocked with High Security Vehicle Barriers. In the center of the barrier is an underground camera system that scans the underside of each car or truck once inside the trap. Heavily armed guards also check each vehicle coming and going.

This is how diamonds come into the diamond district by a special armored truck. I nearly got arrested for taking these photos. I was taken into the guard house and I had to hand over my passport and all of my other Identification and they ran my name through Interpol data base.

They photographed me and scanned all of my documents and then chewed me out for taking pictures because they thought I was casing the place for the next BIG Diamond Heist. ;/ MAYBE ;/ I was never here and it’s wasn’t me and I know absolutely nothing ;/


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Security is pretty tight but even more so, once inside each separate building. Most require you to surrender your passport in exchange for a Temporary Security Pass within the building. Believe me they run every passport and I.D. Card. One building had a sign posted, Lose your security pass and the fine is $100,000.00 payable before you get your passport or legal identification cards back. OUCH!!! Absolutely NO PICTURES or Video of the interior of the buildings!!!! Each hallway has cameras, several cameras pointing in each direction and some are able to pan and zoom as others are fixed position. EVERY SQURE INCH inside each hallway stairwell landing and each elevator car is totally and completely under video surveillance. Each office has a mantrap, a double-lock door system. You have to be buzzed into a sealed entry room in each office and then the first outside hallway door has to be closed and locked before the second inner door can be buzzed open. Security is very tight and I really can’t say any more than you are under complete video surveillance every square inch inside each office as well.

View from a Third Floor Diamond Office This is the center of the Diamond District below


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At the table grading diamonds at one of the Diamond Bourses in Antwerp

I moved the Dazor Over-head light out of the way for the photograph ;/ ***Don’t worry!!! The bright shiny light off my bald spot DOES NOT interfere with my diamond grading abilities ;/ Not yet at least ;/ In most cases you only have a Dazor Overhead Light, a large clean white Diamond Grading Sheet on the table, a Digital scale, bring your own tweezers and loupe. There are no microscopes over there in any of the diamond offices (that I Visited) and most U.S. Based Gemologists and Gemological Appraisers will instantly find themselves on very unfamiliar ground as they have relaxed and even forgotten how to properly and accurately grade diamonds with just a 10x Fully Corrected Loupe and a pair of good diamond tweezers. This alone would make for a good refresher course and that is to have at one of the NAJA Appraisal Workshops Seminars have and put on a 10x Loupe Only Diamond Grading Refresher Course. ;/


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Remember as an Overseas Diamond Buyer you are under-the-gun in many ways, time, a limited amount of tools and equipment and being overwhelmed by having to look at so many stones in such a short amount of time before you have to make a purchasing decision. It is totally different than getting on the phone in the US and ordering diamonds on memo from one of your suppliers and then having a Diamond Grading Lab report you can fall back on for the lazy people in the business. ;/

Me and My Boss Steve Long of Long Jewelers in Chesapeake, Virginia. This is the process that I use. #1: Check what the Price Per Carat they are asking on the Diamond Paper or the back of the plastic Display box first to see if it is even in the ball park as to the Cost + Mark-Up = Retail Price for the Client I am shopping for. There is no sense wasting my time looking at goods (diamonds) that are above the Client’s Budget.


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#2: If it is a Parcel or a Single Diamond I then put it in the White Folded Cardboard Diamond Tray face-down like I’m going to Color Grade it and then pick one color grade lower than what the client needs and then lay it face-down on the card with the single diamond or the parcel of diamonds in the paper-tray to see if any of the stone even make the grade as to the lowest color that is needed ***Remember***** Straight Graded Diamond Masters are at the Top of their Color Grade Notation. Therefore if you want a “G” Color use an “H” if the ungraded stone is better or higher than an “H” Master then you are looking at a “G” Color or Better. I then use my loupe to take a closer look at them under the Dazor Over-Head Light to judge the color once again at a closer range and at the same time I also view each of the possible diamonds girdles. (I personally noticed a lot of diamonds with slightly to very thick girdles) Think about this for a few moments; An Extra 2% to 5% girdle thickness is nothing more than pure profit for the diamond cutter and in some cases may cause problems if the stone has to match another stone and are set next to other stones. ALWAYS CHECK GIRDLE THICKNESS!!!! NOT TO BE OVERLOOKED NOR IGNORED!!! #3. I then start picking out the diamonds that are within the preferred color range and preferred girdle thickness and start loupeing them for Clarity Grading. I personally start with the diamond Pavilion Up / Face Down as it is easier and quicker to see inclusion from the pavilion instead of the Face-Up position. Within 10-seconds I will decide to turn it over and keep grading or throw the stone off into the reject pile and move on to the next stone in the parcel or if it is a single diamond in the paper I then put it back in the paper and fold it closed and put the paper in the reject pile and start all over again. #4. Does the Diamond Fluoresce? Most dealers have a small U.V. Box on the table or at the main desk you can use to check. In most cases that information is marked on the paper or box or it is listed using their special notation so ask and save yourself the trouble. #4. Once I have neared my selection down I then start taking notes and filling in my worksheets by recording and filling in all the blanks once the subject diamond meets nearly all of my criteria. I then ask if any of the single diamonds have Lab Reports and then if they do I then add that information to my notes for that stone. The reason I do that last is so I can compare my TRUE Honest Grading compared to the Lab Report Grades. However we all know there are some good labs and also some bad labs. Special Note on Lab Diamond Grading Reports: Another thing most people in the US Jewelry and Diamond Industry hasn't really contemplated is that there are more than the TWO (2) Main GIA Diamond Grading Labs in the USA and GIA DOES NOT denote or list what labs the Diamond Grading Report Comes from and as with any Diamond Grading Report, in the end, it is nothing more than a piece of paper that carries NO Recourse and No Guarantee as to the validity of the report, as diamond graders have bad days too just like everyone else in the world.


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Another thing about Diamond Grading Reports is that they come with a premium for the diamond that they accompany. Is it really worth it? Does your client require and demand a Diamond Grading report from GIA? If so, then save yourself the trouble and hassle and just stay home and phone it in and move on to the next project. However there are other options, HRD is one of the most common Diamond Grading Reports there in Antwerp. They even have an office right there in the Diamond District. Another Marketing Method that some companies are starting to Brand their Diamonds as “Antwerp Diamonds, Diamonds of Antwerp” and other means to Brand Antwerp Diamonds and the Antwerp Diamond District. #5. Once I have looked at the various diamonds in different papers and boxes I then review my notes and then chose one or two of the stones for the Diamond Bourse to put on hold for me. Once I have looked at all of the stones to fulfill my master list and have made my choices as to the stones I want them to hold I then head over to the next diamond dealer and start the whole process over again. This trip we went to Five (5) Different Dealers and so at the end of the day I had all of my notes taken and all the stones I was interested in putting on hold at each diamond dealer and I then went back to the Hotel Room and reviewed my notes and did some number crunching to see what stone I would decide on the following day. I reviewed the Rap Sheet, The Guide and I also double check to see what Blue Nile is selling and asking for along with a few other web based Retail Diamond Sites. On Each Client’s Diamond worksheet I then Ranked and Rated which of the different diamond best fulfill their needs first and then decided which stone is more profitable for me (The Store I work for). Remember, PROFIT is not a dirty word!!!! #6. Let’s Make a Deal Time: The Next Day (Day 2) It was time to negotiate prices on the diamonds with the diamond dealers Some dealers are set firm and will not negotiate while others may be flexible on their prices. You can negotiate single stones and in some cases you can try to negotiate a “Lot” deal of taking 3 or more diamonds from them to see if you can get a quantity discount. Once again some dealers are set firm and won’t budge while others can offer a discount. #7. Giving the Bad News to the Other Dealers Some people are jerks and never contact the Diamond Dealers on the stones they put on hold and then leave the dealers hanging. That is not the way to do business!!!! I simply tell them I found better deals or I say, Sorry I’ll have to pass on the ones I had you hold, but thanks for trying to fulfill my needs. Just be up front and honest with them. Remember you have to come back and deal with them again in either 6-months or next year, so be respectful, polite and courteous. You pay right then and there with a company check or a bank wire transfer.


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All diamonds have to go through the Antwerp Export office before they are shipped over-seas back to the states to go through U.S. Customs and then to your store. This process can take a week to 10-days in most cases. On the Following pages I have copies of the Main Master Client Diamond Buying List And to save time and pages I have only included One (1) Worksheet for Round Brilliant Cut Diamonds to give you an idea of how I designed my worksheets to help me in my selection process. I have worksheets for Round, Ovals, Pear, Princess Cut, Marquises and Hearts. They are basically the same other than the Diamond Plot Diagram Outline. ***Interesting Note*** Some of the Diamond Buyers pick several diamond out for One Client and have them put on hold and then later on in the day they will phone home and personally talk and consult with their client and tell them about each stone they have picked out and discuss the particulars of each stone and then let the Client decide which stone they want. This way it keeps the client in the loupe and they kind of like telling their friends that my jeweler called me from overseas from Antwerp Belgium and we talked about the different diamond he found for me and I decided to take this one over the other. It give them a since of power as to the final decision since after all it is their money.


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Clients Name:___________________________ Phone #:________________ Budget:______________

Shape:________ Cut:_______ Color:_______ Clarity:__________ Carat Weight:__________

Measurements:_________________________ Notes:_________________________________________________ Diamond Bourse: _____________________ Paper #:__________ Weight:________ Shape:_____ Measurements:________________ Cut:_____ Color:_____ Clarity:_______

______________________ ______________________

______________________ $/Per Ct. :________ Stone Price $”___________

Diamond Bourse: _____________________ Paper #:__________ Weight:________ Shape:_____ Measurements:________________ Cut:_____ Color:_____ Clarity:_______

______________________ ______________________



______________________ ______________________



______________________ ______________________



______________________ ______________________



______________________ ______________________



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Monday Night - Gran Duca Restaurant Balcony

overlooking Antwerp Central Station Some of My New Friends Awesome Food at this place ;/

Dessert – Yummmm ;/


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Truly an Awesome Night-time Scene of Antwerp Central Station from the balcony of the restaurant

At street level is dozens of open air restaurant seating under awnings with heat-lamps And Beer Flows continuously at these places ALL NIGHT LONG!!! ;/


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Tuesday Night - Estro Armonico (The Cave) a 14th Century Basement We walked to the North end of Antwerpen and then we turned a corner and then BOOM!!! This is what you see all lit up. Totally Awesome!!!

This Church is Huge!!!! It took 200-years to build!!!!


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We then go through several small narrow streets and then through several walkways and then we come to the Cave.

This is inside a group of buildings surrounding the open air courtyard These steps are insanely steep!!!!


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Family Seating and this was a Private Party We had the whole basement to ourselves. The entire meal was cooked in the fireplace Chicken, Beef or Lamb I had the Lamb of course ;/ Yummy for sure ;/

This was by far the BEST Meal of the entire trip!!


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Damn Monkey stole my hat and had to chase him all over the place ;/ The Dessert was Insanely Delicious

Peeled Baked Apple with sugar and cinnamon . Then it was served with a jigger of Brandy poured over the apple and then two small scoops of ice cream was put on top of the baked apple. SO DAMN GOOD!!! ;/


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Wednesday – Was an Open Free Day since I got all my work done Tuesday.

However some were still looking and working. Some of us took a One (1) Hour Tour Bus Trip around Antwerpen to scope out some of the more famous and notable places. The tour used a digital prerecorded narration that was GPS Cued up to tell us to look straight ahead or left or right and the fun part was that each seat had a control knob not only for volume but also a selector switch for 7-Different Languages. The tour bus was a Double Decker bus and we all went up to the top deck and the top could be rolled back so we could stand up and take clear shots and it was partly cloudy and getting worse. After the tour we got off and in less than 10 minutes it rained so hard it was pouring buckets. The rain drops were the size of nickels. HUGE!!! And then add the wind gusts so the rain was shooting nearly sideways and everyone of drenched. RULE #1. In Antwerp ALWAYS wear a water-proof or water-repellant jacket and ALWAYS carry a small collapsible umbrella. However, lucky for me, since I’m a Kayaker, I’m Wash & Wear.

Near Antwerp-Central, This is one of the many bicycle rental racks. If you step or walk on the bike paths you take your own life in your hands. The bicyclists are worse than car and truck drives. It’s fun to hear them cuss in Dutch ;/


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It is also a mix of Old and New Architectural buildings all throughout Antwerp

Scenes from around Antwerp


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Thursday – Full Free Travel Exploring Day Six (6) of us went to Aachen, Germany. Aachen, Germany is Famous because it is the place where Charlemagne ruled. He was the First Holy Roman King of the unified northern Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire in 700 A.D. The Middle Ages. This was the beginning of the Kings and Queen, Dukes and Duchess and Coats of Arms and Knights in shining armor and Dragon Slaying.

One of the many bakeries of Fresh Bread and Cookies along the many small narrow streets in the town The aroma of freshly baked bread and cookies it a treat for the senses. It is sad that Specialty breads are hard to come by here in the US because most of the grist-mills are no longer in operation. We are born and raised on Crappy bleached white bread. Daily Fresh Baked Bread is the only way to go but then again I was spoiled as a kid growing up. My grandma starting baking 12-loaves of bread every morning and 6 to 8 pies everyday to feed all the farm-hands on their family farm at the age of 9 starting at 5:30am.


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32-Corinations have taken place within this very church behind us. Talk about some History!!


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A very famous area in Aachen near the Castle and Church of Charlemagne We were sitting there under the Roman Arches and it struck me that on this very same ground Roman Legion Solders and Roman Senators sat here drinking beer the same as us 1,400 years ago. The very same place Knights, Dukes and Duchesses also sat here drinking beer. Can you imagine how many people met here over the ages, plotting and planning various acts of deceit possibly planning a plot to poison, kill or murder a Roman Senator or maybe a Duke or Duchess or even planning to overthrow the Throne and the current reigning King & Queen. We just enjoyed our beer and took in the sights and sounds of this cool historical town.


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Impressive to say the least

Inside the Church where Charlemagne use to go


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This is the Famous Gold Bust of Charlemagne in the Vault Room.

Now how many of you would like to Appraise this!?!?!


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In closing I would say that this was a FUN & Educational Trip and I would encourage everyone to do and make a Diamond Buying Trip at least once in their life. However, for some of you, you could turn that into an Annual or even Semi-Annual Trip that would both be Fun and Very Profitable by becoming a Diamond Broker or Personal Shopper for your Jewelry Store Clients or Appraisal Clients. It is something to seriously think about. Another Idea is to do the same thing but to go to Canada since they are starting to Cut, Polish and Market Branded Canadian Mined Diamonds. If you work for a Jewelry Store you might suggest to the owners about joining I.J.O. and doing what I got to do. If you are an Independent Appraiser you could do this yourself as well with and for your appraisal clients as well, once or twice a year. Every Diamond has a Unique Story to Tell: Marketing – Ideas and Suggestions: Everybody and I mean EVERYBODY LOVES TO TELL and/or HEAR A GOOD STORY!!! When asked where did you get that beautiful Diamond? What story sounds better and more intriguing? My fiancée/Husband got it off the Internet, He got it at a Big Box/Chain Store, He got it at XYZ Jewelry Store. Or……….My Fiancée/Husband knows a Diamond Expert and (s)he traveled nearly halfway around the globe to one of the Oldest Diamond Cutting Centers in the world, Antwerp, Belgium and personally hand-selected this very diamond from dozens and dozens of diamonds and he picked out Five of what he thought was the Best and then he personally called my Fiancée/Husband from the Diamond Offices in Antwerp, Belgium and told him what he had found and then the Love of My Life told him what one he liked best and so it was flown directly from Antwerp, Belgium to our expert’s office and now here it is on my finger. And what’s even cooler is we even have a picture of our expert at the diamond office holding MY DIAMOND in his Tweezers, now how cool is that!?!?!?! A long time ago a VERY Wise man once told me, Never Sell a Streak, Every Restaurant has Steaks for sell. Sell the Sizzle not the Steak. Selling the overall unique dining experience instantly separates you from all the others. Be unique and different from all the others. This can even be applied to Your Appraisal Business. Be Unique and Different from all the others in your area.


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If you are an Appraiser that works full-time for one store or a chain of stores owned by the same person or company you might want to approach the owner(s) to see about starting to do an Annual Trip to Antwerp to buy pre-sold diamond for your clients/customers. You will also want them to send you or at least take you along to help guide them in the process of picking out diamonds. If you are an Independent Appraiser you can also think about doing the same thing for your appraisal clients as a Diamond Broker for them but you will also need to weigh the risks if a major portion of your appraisal business comes from Retail Jewelry Stores as they will perceive that as a Direct-Threat to their business. However, there’s always more than one way to skin a cat. Therefore, approach the one jewelry store that supplies you with the most clients and then offer them your professional services and expertise and do a joint venture of having them send you alone or they can come with you and purchase diamonds for their clients. They pay your way fully and also gives you a percentage of the diamond sales profits. There are many ways to approach them so that it becomes a Win/Win Situation for all involved. Their Money and Your Brains and Reputation. The various possibilities are Endless, you just need to think things through first and then put on a presentation and proposal to them. You also need to thick ahead of time as to how to answer various questions and concerns and it would also be a good idea to have several different alternatives or slight variations, This way, you will have a better chance of making a favorable deal that benefits everybody. You are only limited to what your imagination can dream up. If there is enough interest I might think about heading up a group trip over to Antwerp but I would need nearly a year to get everything in place to do such a group trip. Airfare, Hotel and such is around $2,500.00 to $3,000.00 per person for such an adventure. Just a thought.


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Another Ground Breaking Project I’m working on: I’m also working on a massive project and that is to get Consumer Reports to do an Annual Diamond, Precious Gems, Jewelry, Insurance, Appraisers and Appraisal Reports, Annual Review. The Review and Report to be issued or published November of each year and it would be a Dedicated 70 to 90 Page Magazine. Covering Diamond Grading Reports and then Independently, Anonymously, Testing each of the Main Labs using the exact same group of test diamonds and then giving a break-down as to accuracy and consistency. It would then Independently Grade and Rate Each Lab Annually, separately and then together as a group. The Annual Consumer Report would also give detailed and in-depth information on various topics and subjects from appraisal reports to appraiser’s credentials, education and the reports they generate. The Seven Most Important Questions to ask an Appraiser before hiring them. Appraisals and Insurance and other helpful information on insurance coverage and what questions need to be asked and answered before signing on the dotted line. If any of you are interested in seeing Consumer Reports do something like this then, You then need to email Consumer Reports and tell them who you are and you would like them to do this annual report so that Consumers can become more aware, informed and educated so they can make an educated and informed purchasing decisions. I’m looking to do a couple of Polls and need everyone’s help: Give me your honest feedback on this article as to what you liked and didn’t like. I’m always open to ideas and suggestions and also constructive criticism. And if you personally don’t like me you can add that as well because I do have thick skin. How many of you are working solely for a jewelry store full-time? How many of you travel and work at more than one jewelry store as a traveling appraiser? How many of you have your own Private Store Front Appraisal Office? How many of you Independent Appraisers Contract Out and do work for more than one jewelry store in that they send all of their clients to you to appraise their jewelry at your office once they sell an item to their clients? How many of you work totally independent and only take clients off the street and DO NOT do contract work for various jewelry stores? How many of you are interested in doing an overseas trip as a group? #1. To the Antwerp Diamond District #2. To an Overseas Appraisal Conference Workshop?


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How many of you are interested in helping get Consumer Reports to do a Full Annual Report 70 to 90 pages in length as a separate magazine dealing only with Diamonds, Precious Gems and Jewelry, Diamond Grading Reports, Colored Stone Grading Reports, Jewelry Appraisers, Appraisal Organizations, Appraisal Reports, Jewelry Insurance and other related industries to help educate the consumer with True and Accurate Information and guidance? How many of you would like to be personally contacted and interviewed by the staff writers at Consumer Reports to get personal quotes along with your name and business printed in the report along with giving them additional information and also verify and validating the information they have been told is factually correct from other sources when asked to verify and validate such information. It might also be a good idea for all of you who are not yet Fully Accredited / Certified Appraisers by one of the Nationally or International known and Respected Appraisal Societies and/or Organizations to act now and be ahead of the curve so to speak. It would also be beneficial to you to get and have a Fully Certified Gemological Laboratory as well. Personally, you aren’t truly a jewelry store unless you have a fully certified and full equipped Gemological Laboratory and a highly trained gemologist who is constantly updating and upgrading their knowledge base within the fields of science and gemological studies. Currently there are only Three (3) Organizations that Certify Gemological Laboratories, AGA, AGS, IJO. Accredited Gemologist Association, American Gem Society and Independent Jewelers Organization. Contact me at: [email protected] Contact Consumer Reports at: Letters to the Editor: To submit ideas and suggestions for articles and comments http://web.consumerreports.org/customerservice/customer-service.html If you need to contact anyone in External Relations, please call 914-378-2759 or e-mail [email protected].

mailto:[email protected]

http://web.consumerreports.org/customerservice/customer-service.html

mailto:[email protected]


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__________________________ _____________________________ ___________________________

$/Per Ct. :________ Stone Price $”___________


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$/Per Ct. :________ Stone Price $”___________ Diamond Bourse: _____________________ Paper #:__________ Weight:________ Shape:_____ Measurements:________________ Cut:_____ Color:_____ Clarity:_______

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Measurements:_________________________ Notes:_________________________________________________ Diamond Bourse: _____________________ Paper #:__________ Weight:________ Shape:_____ Measurements:________________ Cut:_____ Color:_____ Clarity:_______ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ $/Per Ct. :________ Stone Price $”___________

Diamond Bourse: _____________________ Paper #:__________ Weight:________ Shape:_____ Measurements:________________ Cut:_____ Color:_____ Clarity:_______ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ $/Per Ct. :________ Stone Price $”___________






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Measurements:_________________________ Notes:_________________________________________________

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MY Overseas Antwerpen, Belgium Diamond Buying Trip Working ... · MY Overseas – Antwerpen, Belgium Diamond Buying Trip & Working Vacation / Adventure With ... Chesapeake, Virginia