deep-thoughts

As the world watches the engaging achievements of NASA and SpaceX – and Boeing sits in the wings hungry to make their own space-shots – let’s take a fanciful look at the landscape ahead for diamond and jewelry enthusiasts.

They had been smacking their lips at the Argyle diamond mine. They were hungry to receive the $10 million that beautiful, rare rough pink diamond would bring them. Alas, evil fate!

Are close-ups of gemological inclusions actually works of art, painted by Mother Nature in anticipation of our creative human inspirations? When exploring the mysterious spaces of crystals we must sometimes ask ourselves whether we’ve stepped into another area, the field of real art.

“A diamond is forever,” but the makers of that slogan considered it a two-way street, connecting a diamond’s billion-year past with an infinite-future. They never imagined someone proposing with a “forever” diamond that’s younger than the bride.

The oldest earth-born object known to man, this tiny item is a part of our planet’s crust which crystallized an astounding 4.4-billion-years ago. Older than our planet’s diamonds. Older, even, than extraterrestrial iron and crystal that fell to earth from the sky.

Living in our world’s new normal, is there a chance the thieves who shattered the Green Vault and plundered Dresden Castle would turn to e-Fencing or even outright anonymous sale?

It’s a fair question. Health, safety and shelter must be our priorities right now. So why are people continuing to discuss, debate, and obsess over jewelry? Katherine, an active enthusiast in an online jewelry community, provided a response for the ages. Literally.

The new normal is here. We are quarantined and the future is unclear. IGI is not involved in health or government. However, as the world’s largest organization of our kind we can speak with authority about the current situation.

I was visiting with my esteemed colleague Luigi Costantini in Italy – practicing safe social email-distancing of course – and the topic of expressions came up. Namely, how the internet has influenced symbology.

Dispersion is a physical constant. Fire is a variable aesthetic. Fortunately, the fact that these terms have been co-mingled and transposed over time creates an opportunity to revisit them and sharpen our skills as communicators.

Thousands of years ago in southwest Africa a party of Nama People discovered a field of odd iron fragments to use in tools and weapons. Imagine their shock if they were told those fragments had come from the very stars they worshipped.

Whether we like it or not, human beings just can’t resist a little gossip. So why not make the best of it? As a professional, mixing just the right amount into a sales presentation can add flavor.