A gem dealer's journal — Lapidary

Hey Loungers,  Today we interview one of our favorite people in the trade, the charming and quiet Mikola Kukharuk from the legendary Nomad's gem company!  Today, hopefully, we'll learn about how he got to start in the trade, why, and how he began Nomad's! I don't know about you, but I'm excited to learn more about the birth of this pioneering company and Mikola himself! Mikola, the floor is yours!     Here is Nomad's Mikola Kukharuk staring happily at the camera while holding a fine cobalt blue spinel - Photo Credit: Nomad's Ltd   AsiaLounges: First of all, thank you...

Hey Loungers, Today we interview our friend Zoe Michelou from Imperial Colors and we’ll be discussing about her path in the gem trade. Daughter of a prominent coloured-gems sourcing entrepreneur and emerald specialist, Zoe has made a name for herself in the fine quality gem segment. Discover with us today how she got involved in the trade and what pushed her to pursue the mine to market path she is now on. Without any further delay, we give you Zoe Michelou!   Here is Zoe Michelou looking at some fine emeralds in Colombia - Photo Credits: Zoe Michelou   AsiaLounges: First...

Hey Loungers,

As you may have noticed, we have had a fair few gem cutters coming through our columns recently. Today, we interview the newly appointed president of the South Australian division of the G.A.A. (Gemmological Association of Australia), Madame the President Laura Phillis!

Laura is a famed lapidary artist, whom is more widely known by her company name on Instagram: Tatum Gems, who’s made a name for herself for coming up with brand new gem designs as well as for being a gemmological teacher in her native Australia.

We had the opportunity of meeting her recently during the 2020 edition of the Tucson show where she agreed to answer to our questions.

Hey Loungers, In this interview, done during Tucson 2020, we will be having a three way discussion about western style gem cutting, the differences between hobby cutters and professional ones as well as to discussing about the main differences that one may encounter as they are looking at competition cutters VS commercial cutters. In this interview you will find Laura Phillis from Tatum Gems Australia, Marie Alice Bellard from Amaterra Gems USA and lastly, our pal Justin K Prim from Magus Gems Bangkok and your favourite question slinger of course: Myself! Hope you'll like it and see you soon in...

Hey Loungers, This week we welcome as our guest Ms. Victoria Raynaud, the young French gemologist who has quite the track record albeit her age and is one of the last people to have learned the traditional Swiss cutting technique! She has worked diligently under our pal Vincent Pardieu both at GIA Bangkok and at DANAT Bahrain and is now setting her own activity as a gem cutting expert in Bangkok, Thailand! But whom better than herself could tell us more about herself? Victoria the floor is yours!     Victoria learning to cut on a traditional Burmese faceting handpiece during...