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Antwerpen, Belgium Diamond Buying Trip & Working Vacation

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Antwerpen, Belgium Diamond Buying Trip & Working Vacation La Shawn Bauer, GG & High Sierra Gem Lab Email: [email protected] VR3.1x © December 2013 [email protected] Page 1 of 48 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 You can also checkout my website for other resource information at: http://www.gemologyonline.com/LaShawn/appraisal.html La Shawn Bauer, GG & High Sierra Gem Lab Email: [email protected] VR3.1x © December 2013 [email protected] Page 2 of 48 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) You can also checkout my website for other resource information at: http://www.gemologyonline.com/LaShawn/appraisal.html La Shawn Bauer, GG & High Sierra Gem Lab Email: [email protected] VR3.1x © December 2013 [email protected] Page 3 of 48 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 You can also checkout my website for other resource information at: http://www.gemologyonline.com/LaShawn/appraisal.html La Shawn Bauer, GG & High Sierra Gem Lab Email: [email protected] VR3.1x © December 2013 [email protected] Page 4 of 48 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. You can also checkout my website for other resource information at: http://www.gemologyonline.com/LaShawn/appraisal.html La Shawn Bauer, GG & High Sierra Gem Lab Email: [email protected] VR3.1x © December 2013 [email protected] Page 5 of 48 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 ;/ You can also checkout my website for other resource information at: http://www.gemologyonline.com/LaShawn/appraisal.html La Shawn Bauer, GG & High Sierra Gem Lab Email: [email protected] VR3.1x © December 2013 [email protected] Page 6 of 48 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. You can also checkout my website for other resource information at: http://www.gemologyonline.com/LaShawn/appraisal.html La Shawn Bauer, GG & High Sierra Gem Lab Email: [email protected] VR3.1x © December 2013 [email protected] Page 7 of 48 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 ;/ You can also checkout my website for other resource information at: http://www.gemologyonline.com/LaShawn/appraisal.html La Shawn Bauer, GG & High Sierra Gem Lab Email: [email protected] VR3.1x © December 2013 [email protected] Page 8 of 48 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!! ;/ You can also checkout my website for other resource information at: http://www.gemologyonline.com/LaShawn/appraisal.html La Shawn Bauer, GG & High Sierra Gem Lab Email: [email protected] VR3.1x © December 2013 [email protected] Page 9 of 48 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. You can also checkout my website for other resource information at: http://www.gemologyonline.com/LaShawn/appraisal.html La Shawn Bauer, GG & High Sierra Gem Lab Email: [email protected] VR3.1x © December 2013 [email protected] Page 10 of 48 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 You can also checkout my website for other resource information at: http://www.gemologyonline.com/LaShawn/appraisal.html La Shawn Bauer, GG & High Sierra Gem Lab Email: [email protected] VR3.1x © December 2013 [email protected] Page 11 of 48 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. You can also checkout my website for other resource information at: http://www.gemologyonline.com/LaShawn/appraisal.html La Shawn Bauer, GG & High Sierra Gem Lab Email: [email protected] VR3.1x © December 2013 [email protected] Page 12 of 48 C.Z.
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