Gem Business

I got my AG degree form AIGS (Asia Institute of Gemological Sciences), and diamond, colour stones and designer diploma from GIA ( Gemology Institute of America). I totally fall in love with Gems and Jewellery. Beside my BSc and my French Diploma this is the one that I feel, it is me!

Most of my classmates are now in jewellery business. We had 1 Franch, 3 Singaporeans, 2 Iranian, 2 Burmese, some Americans and some Indians. We had such a good time together and also such a painful time to learn Chemistry with my late 30 age.

Today I had lunch with Cary and Tong... Cary is from Hawaii and Tong is from Thailand. His father is the CEO of International Gem and Jewellery Trade Show in Thailand. Tong become part time teacher of Gem Institute and Cary went into serious business. Tong is the best in our class, he was born in Gem Family. His father owns gem shop with a factory.

I mostly take order or show in my house or buy and sell. Gem Business is like this...... To sell a one million baht Ruby, it take me may be 15 minutes talk and done with it. But sometime for me to sell 3000 Baht, I have to talk 3 days because picky and difficult customers. My best customers are Taiwanese, they know what they want and have some knowledge of gems.

Anyway back to Lunch. We had a long talking lunch though! Cary told us one of his bad experiences which I thought What a real bad customer that he had!!

2 Years ago, Cary sold a pair of earring to a lady from Washington DC State . After 8 months she called up Cary and told him that she never wear the earring and she doesn't like them any more. She said, she wanted to change another kind of earring. Here Cary, out of his good heart, he did changed for her. Then nearly a year later she called up Cary again and said, she did not want the earring any more. She did gave it back to Cary with another deal. She wants Cary to buy a gold bracelet from Bangkok. Again Cary did ! Cary sold it to her with prize tag at 600US$.

After a little over 2 years, one morning in Thailand, Cary got a called from the woman with very upset and angry voice. she said that "I am in Bangkok and I want back my money 600US$ because I just found out that my bracelet was value only 300US$. You have to come and see me at the hotel with 600 US$ right now."

Tong and I laughed so much when Cary told us his problem with the woman. Of course Cary was so pissed! Cary's customer need to go back to school too. When we were school, We learned that Gem from Bangkok to New York is 300% up due to many reasons. The woman forgot that she has to spend air ticket, hotel fee, her food and her times to get the bracelet if she wanted to buy by herself in Bangkok all the way from Washington DC State! She needs to do some calculation.

This is the one story of many stories! I had a Burmese friend who got cheated. His Burmese Ruby is 6 carets, unheated. A beautiful rare natural Burmese Ruby! He wanted to sell at 60,000 us$. Ok this is another long story.

Anyway good to see my friends.