The Graduate Gemologist's Notebook

Psychopath on the Strip

2009-10-28T01:39:00.000-07:00

This is a prime example of what is happening in Nevada. The mental health budget for the state was butchered by our Governor Jim Gibbons and the state legislature in Carson City. As a result, people of this ilk are roaming the streets committing acts of random violence upon people, places, and things. I fully expect the situation to get worse as these deranged people are deprived of evaluation, treatment, and medication. As they are arrested, they are incarcerated and NOT treated. This is a total meltdown of social services and it endangers the citizenry. I recant anything good that I said previously about the State of Nevada.

Brother---Can you Spare a Dollar?

2009-09-15T06:48:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted anything here since the ECONOMIC COLLAPSE of September, 2008. Actually, the economy went south here in Las Vegas starting in May 2007, when the real estate market started to "tank" as the pundits like to say. The slide into "recession" here was pronounced and swift. Remember the old song from the depression of the 1930's? It was called "Brother--- can you spare a dime?" Well, now a days in Las Vegas people are actually panhandling for a dollar! That's right. Anything less is NOT good enough. That's what they ask for. It used to be "spare change." When I read about this in the newspaper I knew it would just be a matter of time before I would get solicited. And, of course I did. My response to the mendicant? It was simply, DO I LOOK LIKE A BANKER TO YOU? That usually ENDS the matter as I remove myself rapidly from the area. I think I would rather drop dead than approach people begging for paper money like some of the homeless-by-choice derelicts here.

Global Warming? Forget the Debate!

2007-08-21T10:28:00.000-07:00

While I am not an atmospheric scientist, I am well acquainted with an associated geoscience, namely climatology. It is interesting to note that in Las Vegas we have had a summer with record high temperatures breaking old daily records. From my readings it is apparent that SOMETHING is seriously wrong at the North Pole region of the planet. The melting glaciers are creating ice floes that are previously unheard of. The Inuits of the area are close to the earth and they are very disconcerted at what is happening to their enviornment. It was really pathetic for the oil-interests to politicize the issue of Global Warming. But, that is what is happening; it would have occurred with or without the involvement of former Vice-President Gore. I fear that we lack the political will and foresight to correct our wasteful use of fossil fuels. Did you know that for every unit of gasoline burned, 5 units of carbon dioxide are produced? Multiply that by the countless tons of fuel combusted every day all over the earth and you get some kind of idea how much damage has/is being done to the atmosphere. Time is going running out, in my opinion. It's way past the time where we can endlessly debate whether this is man-made or part of a "natural" cycle. The science indicting fossil fuels is sound, despite what the oil-paid politicians are saying. Personally, I don't want to be cremated alive at a slow rate, do you?

Having A Good Summer Season?

2007-06-07T16:04:00.000-07:00

Well, winter is well over and so is spring in Las Vegas. The blowing dust storms here elicit all kinds of allergic reactions and suffering due to the non-native vegetation introduced here over the years. For instance, mulberry and olive trees produce pollens which many people here are extremely allergic to. I encounter these suffering souls on a daily basis in this valley. You can be sure that the allergists have full waiting rooms through the summer season. As for me? I have what appears to be a "bullet-proof" immune system. I just hope my luck doesn't run out and I start to cough, sneeze, and swell up like all of the vege-victims here!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year?

2006-12-27T23:26:00.000-08:00

Some people in Las Vegas tried to provide a Merry Christmas for the homeless population and abused children. Nobody should have gone hungry unless they wanted to as there were very nice dinners provided at the shelters.
Credit is due the USMCR for their annual "Toys for Tots." They worked without rest to fulfill their mission of making sure that deprived children got toys that their parent/s could not provide.
I witnessed other acts of kindness which should be the order of the day, every day, and everywhere. How soon the true message of Christmas is lost on us as we resume our daily routines. Just think of how great the world would be if everyone JUST TRIED to live by the Golden Rule! Simple but not easy.

Need A Job?

2007-02-08T17:18:00.000-08:00

I don't think I would enjoy this kind of work. Not only is it NOT for people who don't "enjoy" heights, it's LONELY too! And, what do you do when you have to "use" a restroom? Rumor has it that these "positions" are high paying jobs. Well, WHY NOT? I don't think anyone I know would stand in line for a job interview to get one.
This company is currently posting a T-Mobile ad on the face of the Mandalay Bay Resort tower facing the "strip." Hey, they have a website. What more could you ask for?

Welcome To The Graduate Gemologist's Notebook

2006-01-30T16:33:00.001-08:00

Greetings from the "entertainment capital of the world," Las Vegas, Nevada! I am the "G.G." on the "strip." Around town the locals call it the "boulevard." Well, at least the cabbies do. Oh, incidentally, "G.G." stands for Graduate Gemologist. And, to the best of my knowledge, I am the only Gemological Institute of America G.G. on the strip. Sure, it's lonely, but there is more BLING per acre here than anywhere else on the planet. I studied Diamond Grading and Evaluation, Gem Identification and Grading, and Valuation Science at Santa Ana College and the Gemological Institute of America, thus earning two degrees in the science of Gemology.
I get to deal with all kinds of jewelry and all kinds of characters who wear it in "Sin City." I have an interesting mix of clients, some VERY FAMOUS entertainers whose names I cannot mention here retain me as their personal gemologist. Lots of locals and people from all over the world, also seek my counsel. My task here is mainly educational, I feel that I have an obligation to share what knowledge I have acquired with the jewelry consuming public.

Ruby In The Rough (26.21 Carats)

2006-08-23T18:21:00.000-07:00

As a Graduate Gemologist with a an academic background in mineralogy, I enjoy the analysis of rough crystals. This is a a ruby in the rough. You can see the exterior hexagonal form which reflects the internal pattern in which the atoms are bonded. This particular piece of rough is far from being top grade faceting material. It will more likely be polished into a cabochon which will be dome shaped. This specimen is typical of ruby from Thailand. Historically, the finest rubies both faceted and cut en-cabochon have originated from Burma, especially the Mogok district. If you are considering a trip to Thailand someday, please be advised that the locals are looking for "farang," i.e., generally Americans with American money. And, don't expect to purchase any "bargain" rubies that may be offered to you by the local "dealers." They are most likely inexpensive but beautiful flame-fusion synthetics which have been produced since 1905. They have managed to turn this from an art into a supreme science of scam. Of course, if you are serious about a buying trip you can avoid a lot of grief and disappointment in buying genuine natural rubies and HIRE ME to accompany you. I have numerous contacts in Bangkok that are legitimate and while you won't get any "bargains" you won't get ripped off either. The GIA has a campus in Bangkok where we can have a Identification Report done for you before you leave. That way your stone has a "pedigree," and there is NO DOUBT about whether it is "real" or not. How about that for peace of mind? Oh, and everyone at the GIA in Bangkok speaks real English too!

There they go again! Life IS stranger than fiction.

2006-02-13T17:50:00.000-08:00

One more time, without feeling. It just so happened that an elderly couple came in today with a "diamond ring" that they "purchased" during a recent vacation trip to Italy. Well, they told me they PAID a lot over there, and wanted to know what it is worth here in the good ole USA. Who did they think they were trying to jerk around? The "diamond" was a round brilliant-cut synthetic cubic zirconium set in, are you ready for this---? BRASS! Incidentally, brass is known as a base metal composed of copper and zinc. Nothing wrong with that. But, it's not anywhere near GOLD in value. Of course, the interior of the ring (shank) was stamped "18K ZALES." This stinkin ring wasn't purchased in Italy! I know that they purchased it as a "bargain" from someone desperate for gambling money. One more time, NEVER BUY JEWELRY OFF THE STREET OR OFF SOMEONE IN A CASINO HERE OR ELSEWHERE! I can certify that you are going to be sorry about losing YOUR MONEY, when I get around to telling you the truth. Like most hotel-casino jewelry scam victims this couple had to invent a silly story embellished with bovine fecal matter to allay their embarassment at having been taken for a ride. After 21 years serving the jewelry industry as a Graduate Gemologist I have heard and seen just about everything honest and dishonest going on. Nothing much surprises me anymore, except for the ability of some people to tell me REALLY stupid lies that they ACTUALLY expect a person with my BACKGROUND to believe.

New Year's Eve On The Strip

2007-01-01T16:48:00.000-08:00

How Big Is Bling? Try 628 Carats On For Size

2006-12-31T00:12:00.000-08:00

This is a 628 carat Mystic Topaz gemstone set in a 14k yellow gold basket mounting. It will take up a lot of skin as a pendant on the chest of your wife/mistress/girlfriend. Somehow it got left over from the Christmas selling season. Actually, the vendor shopped it around town and nobody else seemed to know what "Mystic Topaz" is and how it is produced. I guess they don't watch "Jewelry T.V." on cable at 3:00 A.M. in the morning. Being a Graduate Gemologist always gives me an edge over the sorry pawnshop guys here. Good news today regarding this masterpiece of the lapidary art. I have a qualified buyer for it. They were regretful that they didn't get a chance to purchase it for a Christmas gift. I never expected this item to sell AFTER Christmas but like I have said in an earlier entry here, expect the unexpected when in Las Vegas!

Any BODY For A 3rd Degree Sunburn For A Fee?

2006-09-19T18:24:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite local businesses in terms of entertainment value. Sin City Tanning offers to provide you a genuine sunburn (er,"tan") in the middle of the Mojave Desert for just a very few dollars. Of course, I really don't understand why.
I mean, would YOU open an a umbrella shop in a city that is lucky to get an average of around 5 inches (or less) a year in rain? We are NOT in Seattle, here. Of course, some people don't have the time to lay around a beautiful pool and soak up the Ultraviolet B rays which damage your skin resulting in a "tan" as a defensive reaction. Then again, some people have the time and money to go to a salon here and get artificially burned. As they say, "different rays for diffierent people,'' or is that "different strokes for different people?" WAIT! That's another risque story for another time here! HOLD IT! I have to keep this a family type blogsite. Oh, well, somebody has to be Mr. Goody Two-Shoes here in Las Vegas! Might as well be me, instead of Wayne Newton.

Who Says Las Vegas Doesn't Have Cultural Attractions?

2006-12-30T23:35:00.000-08:00

The Titanic artifact exhibition has been held over at the nearby Tropicana Resort and Casino. There are over 300 items on display and their authenticity is beyond doubt. We should have known that when Ballard first located the wreck in 1985 there would be a salvaging operation. There are some who say that this was a desecration of the dead who are still entombed below deck. I will leave it to you to decide on the ethicality of marine archeology. Incidentally, while there is a NO PHOTOGRAPHY sign prominently displayed at the entrance, I noticed a slew of people trying to take close-up pictures with their cellphone cameras, striving to be discreet. I pointed this out to one of the docents and they played dumb with me. What people? What cameras? This is going on obviously all the time and they care little about enforcing the rule. Of course, when you pay $24 to enter, you can figure that people think that they have a RIGHT (?) to do as they please. I had brought along my digital camera and played by the rule. HOORAY for me!

One Of A Kind? Of Course!

2006-09-05T15:03:00.000-07:00

This is a custom-designed and produced Lady's Cameo Bracelet accentuated with genuine round rubies cast in 14kt yellow gold. People sometimes ask, why does jewelry cost so much? Well, this isn't an ordinary piece of jewelry. It was custom-designed and is NOT an "ordinary" production item. Even though the elements of the bracelet were cast by the "Lost Wax" method, the final assembly is painstakingly done by the hands of a master bench jeweler. So, aside from the cost of the gold and rubies, we also consider the cost of the design and execution, and all of the LABOR involved. Sorry, the "fast-food" mentality mindset doesn't work here. Good craftmanship leads to durability, not just beauty to the eye. I fully expect this piece to become an heirloom to someone not yet born.

I Am Proudly One Of The "24%'s Here! Kind Of Like 24kt Gold

2006-09-14T16:28:00.000-07:00

While Las Vegas and the State of Nevada are known for their beautiful resort destinations, there is an undercurrent of shame here. And, it is all about education. While growth in the Clark County School District has been tremendous in terms of student load, there is a perpetual lack of qualified teachers. Why? Could it be the LOW starting salary? And, then again it could be the WEAK teacher's union? And, then finally could it be that the prospective applicants KNOW all about how the student test scores are abysmally low? There is absolutely no prestige in teaching in a school district marked by low student test scores. Maybe it is because most of the parents here were LUCKY to graduate from High School and put little value in ANY kind of education.
According to the latest statistics, ONLY 24% of the adult population here hold college degrees. This is my B.A. from California State University, Fullerton where I went to school with Kevin Costner. I was a senior when he was a freshman. I befriended this younger student because we were both interested in film history. Neither of us knew at the time that he would become a world-famous actor, director, and producer. "Dances with Wolves" was truly a masterpiece. Some of his other films are so-so, and he knows it. I liked his work in "JFK" very much. Expect more blockbusters from him in the years ahead. This guy has talent that even he doesn't yet realize. Oh, and he actually graduated with a B.A. in business too. That wasn't "show business," either.

Kathy Augustine Was Murdered!

2006-10-02T20:36:00.000-07:00

It is with profound regret that I have to relate that our late State Controller Kathy Augustine has been found to be a murder victim. The drug succinylcholine was used to kill her. Her widower Chaz Higgs was arrested in Hampton, Va this past Setpetmber 29th for the homicide. Higgs, 42, was a critical care nurse at the Carson-Tahoe Regional Medical Center. His assertions to the press that she died of "stress" leading to a heart attack, weren't very well recieved last July when she failed to emerge from the drug-induced coma.
For anyone wishing to follow the case in the future days try www.lvrj.com

This Business Eats Money 24/7, No Dieting Here!

2006-09-15T15:31:00.000-07:00

Las Vegas is "truly paradise" to the afflicted compulsive gamblers. Well, not really. It's more like 3 feet north of hell, especially in the summertime here. Where else can you LOSE money on a 24 hour basis playing "Bingo?" If that isn't sufficient, you can also indulge your disease with "Live Poker," and "Live Keno." That, I guess; is opposed to "Dead Poker and "Dead Keno." In any event, you can be sure that you have to BEG for a "cocktail" especially if you are WINNING anything. If you are losing, which is usually the case, you can FORGET about drinking for "free." When you run out of money to gamble with, you have to BUY your own beer to cry over. Que Sera, sera.

A "Museum" for the "Mafia?"

2006-09-15T15:42:00.000-07:00

This is the old United States Federal Building in downtown Las Vegas. It was also the site of the ONLY and ORIGINAL Post Office in the city. Our esteemed mayor (and former "mob" attorney) Oscar Goodman wants to convert this historic building into a museum dedicated to the criminal "contributions" of La Cosa Nostra to the great enterprise we call the USA. You have to forgive poor Oscar for this brainless concept. Rumor has it that he regularly guzzles gallons of Bombay Gin, just for fun and stress relief, of course. It can't be easy running a complex system of marvelous things for the tax-paying citizens of our fair city.

You Need An Expert to Tell You The Difference

2006-02-08T02:10:00.000-08:00

This is a suite of six princess-cut EXPENSIVE AND RARE pink diamonds. Right? WRONG! What is actually depicted is a vivid suite of pink laboratory-created cubic zirconia worth just a few dollars, not to be confused with zircons or diamonds, which are natural gemstones. This is one reason why I tell people NEVER to buy any gemstone/s from ANYONE until they submit the stone to a gemological examination to confirm identity. There are compulsive gamblers here who will try to sell anything in the casinos that looks expensive just to get money to feed their addiction. Caveat Emptor! That is Latin for "buyer beware," in case you didn't study the language for 3 years at Foothill High School in Tustin, California like I did.

Is This Typical Of Las Vegas?

2006-09-06T16:29:00.000-07:00

This is an example once again of IMPROVISED ROADSIDE GARBAGE (IRG). Because I am a public-spirited citizen I removed the debris from the expressway off-ramp at Decatur Blvd. I guess there aren't many concerned citizens who are willing to roll up their sleeves, although EVERYBODY seems to complain about the visual blight, gang grafitti, and construction nails destroying tires. Let's see. I can recycle the tire and the plastic. The broken glass shards are definitely dangerous without thicker gloves. All in all, this is beginning to be really TIRESOME.

We Shall Never Forget. After 9/11/01

2006-09-06T13:37:00.000-07:00

This is the current and REVISED seal of the city of Las Vegas on the official Sheriff's badge for Clark County. I want to extend my appreciation to Jerry Airola for using the Sheriff's badge on his campaign posters for this depiction. ( I don't know if the current retiring Sheriff Young granted permission, knowing Jerry he probably didn't ask, but that's another story.) Note how the JET AIRCRAFT flying into the highest tower HAS BEEN REMOVED AFTER 9/11. How is this about an expression of guilt and or remorse over what happened in New York City on that dreadful day? Only this kind of thing could HAPPEN in Las Vegas where you can ALWAYS expect the UNEXPECTED!

Condition Red: IRG!

2006-09-06T12:22:00.000-07:00

I am sure that you are familiar with IED's at this point in the "war on terrorism." That is to say watch out for the roadside "Improvised Explosive Devices." In Las Vegas, we have IRG. That is to say: IMPROVISED ROADSIDE GARBAGE. A particularly dangerous area is ANY exit ramp from an expressway here. The roadside depicted is the exit ramp southbound of the Oran Gragson Expressway onto Decatur Blvd. going North. Make no mistake about it. You are going to have to drive around (?) empty intact and broken beer bottles with an occasional empty champagne bottle thrown aside for a little bit more adventure in driving. Of course, there is absolutely NOTHING you can do about all of the stray construction and housing NAILS that litter the streets here. The tire dealers here LOVE IT! It is no surprise to me that so many drivers are taking prescribed "medication" for driving anxiety.

Election Loathing In Las Vegas

2006-09-06T13:16:00.000-07:00

Well, the election is over. Now the LOSING and WINNING candidates have to pick up their roadside signs which have been well vandalized at this point. The WINNERS really ought to get creative and save money and buy good "speaking points." They ought to HIRE THE HOMELESS people to clean everything up. With an estimated 15,000 homeless people on the streets here there is NO REASON for all of the visual blight generated by all of the dirty politics that went down. Just think about the potential. A veritable army of homeless people cleaning Las Vegas! Wow! Wait! Does that mean that the politicians and wannabe "leaders" have to pay them out of their own campaign funds? Afraid so. Well, that will have to happen when it snows here in August. In other words, don't count on it!

Lest We Forget. Before 9/11/01

2006-09-06T13:26:00.000-07:00

I photographed this last night. It is at the entrance of the Las Vegas Municipal Golf Course on Decatur Blvd. This is the OLD ( pre 9/11)official seal of the city of Las Vegas. Please carefully note the JET AIRCRAFT with contrail flying through the highest tower. I know that it is difficult to see. It is a well-known historical fact now that Mohammed Atta spent a few weeks here planning the World Trade Tower attacks in New York City that culminated with the darkest hour for our nation since December 7th, 1941. Was this seal involved in firing his sick and fevered imagination?

Jewels Of Faith

2006-02-14T01:58:00.000-08:00

I see a great deal of religious jewelry worn these days wherever I travel. Is it my perception that people are grasping for spirituality in a world seemingly gone mad? Or, is it the case that people like to be recognized on a just-like-me basis? You can decide for yourself, I have to give it more consideration before I draw a final conclusion, if indeed there is one.
The religious pendants here are quite attractive in my estimation. The style presented is simply stated in French enamel accented with diamonds. The central pendant is a Chai, which relates to the Hebrew letters (het) and (yod) meaning "life." There is also a kabbalistic connection to the number 18 embodied in the symbol.