Scenes from JCK 2006

[JohnQuixote]

Another view.

 

[JohnQuixote]

Reflectors have been around a long time. Thanks in part to the internet they are gaining momentum as a recognized method of analyzing diamonds. DPM makes a set similar to the new ASET, except that it’s mono-colored, like ideal-scope.

 

[JohnQuixote]

It incorporates a very small H&A viewer and loupe configured so that you can se 10X view without tweezers.

 

[klavigne]

John,
I loved the clock that you photoshopped into that one photo around Johns neck. I spit my coffee all over my monitor, Thanks!!

 

[JohnQuixote]

Ever-present girls passing out literature for different companies. Bags fill up quickly.

 

[JohnQuixote]

…and these are some of the tame outfits.

Ask Wink about the girl in chains. He could give the best overview on all of this, since he has expertise in synthetics.

 

[JohnQuixote]

Wink already mentioned he did not fall victim to the painted lady. Good thing… I saw her husband and he looks MAD.

 

[JohnQuixote]

I am pretty sure that qualifies as over-painted.

 

[JohnQuixote]

Brian and Lesley arrived Sunday and were delighted to finally meet Wink in person - they have known each other for a long time.

 

[JohnQuixote]

Brian and I met with Michael Clary from GIA on Monday. As with Barak and Phil, Michael’s awareness of concerns with the new system and desire to get input regarding our admittedly detail-obsessed market (yes, that’s you PS) was very positive. More to come.

 

[JohnQuixote]

GIA products of interest.

 

[JohnQuixote]

I wish I could call this photo ‘dancing cutters,’ but I just caught Paul and Brian as they executed a (very manly) hug.

 

[JohnQuixote]

...

 

[JohnQuixote]

I'm honored to keep company with cutters.

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 6/6/2006 2:56:29 PM
Author: decodelighted

Date: 6/6/2006 2:40:29 PM

Author: mrssalvo

Date: 6/5/2006 8:32:27 PM

Author: kaleigh

Loved hearing about the asschers and their cushions.

me too. His reaction to the stones are what I expected to be the norm on DK cut asschers and cushions and was surprised when Jonathan said otherwise.

Huh? WhaddidImiss? Which Jonathan said Daniel K stones were less than glorious & where? Was it in *this* thread & I missed it?


I will fantasize about Daniel K (''s asschers & cushions) 4-EVAR!!


I also always wonder if he''s related to a gal I used to work with at VOGUE (an ex-Ad Director -- married name: Korren)

this thread

Jonathan aka Rhino says this:

We find that Asschers are a mixed bag when it comes to cut quality from most manufacturers including them. We generally don''t call in stuff from DK becuase they mount most of it and it can not be assessed loose for a critical exam and they refuse to unmount it for inspection

maybe we should start a new thread??


thanks for all the great photos John Q

 

[WinkHPD]

Date: 6/6/2006 3:02:31 PM
Author: JohnQuixote
…and these are some of the tame outfits.

Ask Wink about the girl in chains. He could give the best overview on all of this, since he has expertise in synthetics.

LOL! I wish I had thought to take a picture. I was talking to a friend of mine when two ladies walked by, one of them clad in a tiny bra of dangling gold chains and a belt with gold chains and coins dangling down and not covering her bare derrier. She was wearing a flesh colored thong that was almost invisible and as she walked the chains swished from side to side exposing her bare cheeks.

Not sure where the comment from John comes from as from what I could see the cheeks did not appear to be fracture filled or enhanced...

The best part was watching the watchers. whole booths emptied out with the men rushing into the aisle to stare or if they could not get out they draped themselves over their counters to stare and the ladies in the booths were either laughing at the guys or looking highly indignent. I saw her again the next day, but she had some much larger and not quite flesh colored panties on under the belt so it was much less provocative.

She still got some looks and stares, but not the booth emptying affect that she got the day before...

Probably just as well I did not think to take a photo on day one, I don''t think it would have been congruent to post it here with all of the beautiful gems that John has shared with us earlier in this thread!

Wink

 

[WinkHPD]

Date: 6/6/2006 3:14:06 PM
Author: mrssalvo

this thread

Jonathan aka Rhino says this:

We find that Asschers are a mixed bag when it comes to cut quality from most manufacturers including them. We generally don''t call in stuff from DK becuase they mount most of it and it can not be assessed loose for a critical exam and they refuse to unmount it for inspection

maybe we should start a new thread??


thanks for all the great photos John Q

Hmm, I looked at about a dozen Asscher cuts in a single tray, and there were many trays. I saw a very consistent looking stone, all of which I would have been pleased to offer to a client. I took four of them out of their containers, one at a time, and inspected them very carefully with a loupe. Excellent polish and incredibly beautiful.

I also delighted in the look of their cushions, all with small to medium open culets, just as the older cushions would have had.

They also had some very nice larger 2-5 carats that I looked at H&A rounds, but I did not have my portable ASET with me so I can not say how they looked under a scope, but they looked WONDERFUL to the eye.

For what it is worth, if I had spent the money to have a stone mounted I would not unmount it either unless the person wanting to inspect it was willing to pay for the setting. (ie, a VERY serious looker.)

Wink

 

[JohnQuixote]

Date: 6/6/2006 3:16:51 PM
Author: Wink

...I saw her again the next day, but she had some much larger and not quite flesh colored panties on under the belt so it was much less provocative.

She still got some looks and stares, but not the booth emptying affect that she got the day before...

Probably just as well I did not think to take a photo on day one, I don''t think it would have been congruent to post it here with all of the beautiful gems that John has shared with us earlier in this thread!

Someone from JCK probably interceded to keep it a family show. As for photos, I suspect you can find her pics on the ''net somewhere - but you might need to disengage your good-taste filters.

 

[WinkHPD]

It occurs to me also that I am quite remiss in not mentioning the princess of the Infinity company, Lieve. She is a charming lady with a wry wit about her and a lot of fun to be around. It is much too late to go back and edit her into my highlights post, so I shall have to claim critical tiredness yesterday and plead her forgiveness for not mentioning her. Paul is the face of the company, but I really do not believe that he could be doing what he does without her. She is a cutter in her own right and she oversees and coordinates the cutting parameters for each individual stone and goes over them with a wicked fine tooth comb for quality control.

I hope she will forgive me!

Wink

 

[JohnQuixote]

Martin Rapaport is highly considered in the trade. His Rapaport Group is a network of companies that support the development of free, fair and competitive global diamond markets. They provide a number of high profile services, including the well-known ‘Rap’ sheet. The Monday morning Rapaport breakfast is considered a trade overview.

 

[klavigne]

Okay John,
You stumped me with this one. It's really hard to tell in the photo if that is a file or a rasp, I'm leaning towards a file. Also the shank-bending pliers look like regualr old pliers, is that correct? I've also never seen a set of head and shank tweezers that weren't pliers, very cool, how old are they? They must not keep the heat away from the fingers to well!

 

[JohnQuixote]

Martin''s address lasted 90 minutes. About 1/3 of the presentation was an overview on the American dollar and global economics, including the diamond market, that was quite good. The remaining time was dedicated to ethical issues, including HPHT and treatments.

 

[JohnQuixote]

Much of the lecture revolved around the plight of artisanal diamond miners, conditions that still exist in the poorest areas of Africa, and what more the trade can do; using economic purchasing power to create market forces to drive out exploitation and poverty.

 

[JohnQuixote]

After the meeting Brian and Martin discussed the African situation for a camera team from the Discovery Channel. As a native South African, Brian is acutely concerned. The political obstacles to creating free, fair and competitive markets in these countries are historically considerable.

 

[JohnQuixote]

Consensus: The information age presents opportunity. Martin proposes, beyond the work KP and the Council for Responsible Jewelry Practices are doing, to employ a labeling organization for ‘fair trade jewelry’ ensuring monies these countries receive is put directly back into humanitarian solutions.

These issues will continue to be discussed on PS and within the trade. Garry and I both took notes from the address. More to come.

 

[JohnQuixote]

Date: 6/6/2006 3:14:06 PM
Author: mrssalvo
thanks for all the great photos John Q

No problem MrsSalvo

KPL, let's see if any others want to chime in

 

[JohnQuixote]

I love discussing cut, both theoretical and practical. It was thrilling to be in on Peter and Brian''s meeting: A downstream/upstream discussion of the latest lab studies and how they are correlating to manufacture.

 

[JohnQuixote]

...

 

[JohnQuixote]

Bill Scherlag from Ice Mine (Capitol Bill) and Paul’s associate, 'Princess Lieve.'

A year ago Bill was a lurker. Since that time he’s contributed many valuable posts and is a great value-add to the Pricescope community. In person he's a class act, a gentleman and fun to be around.

What can I say about Lieve? She is a talented diamond cutter and a lady of great taste and class. Sometimes people compare her to Annie Lennox...but maybe they should be comparing Annie to her!

 

[JohnQuixote]

Gary Dutton of Dutton’s Diamonds (DiamondExpert). It''s been a pleasure getting to know Garry and benefit from his experience as another one of the ''good guys'' in the trade.