Posts Tagged diamonds
Leon Mege’s Proposal
*****UPDATE***** The Diamond District took our advice! A little over a month after we wrote this post, we saw an MSNBC article about plans to renovate the Diamond District. Links to the article and the official report by NYC authorities is at the end of the post.
Diamond District Today
New York City’s Diamond District is currently a hub for a $24 billion per year industry. It’s embarrassing to walk every morning and see this famous street that looks akin to a landlord dressed like a super.
A huge chunk of the country’s wealth is gathered here. Yet, no one would know this. Walking down 47th Street, one is encountered with massive trucks, hawkers, scattered flyers, and cracked pavements. The sidewalks are so slanted that one would have to wear hiking boots to stay upright. National upscale brand retailers do not dare to show their faces here.
Even though most stores and exchanges on 47th Street proclaim to be selling to the trade only they are in fact retailers. However shopping here has the allure of visiting a Motor Vehicle Bureau in Kazakhstan.
We have to change this.
Building entrance in the Diamond District
The Glory Days
The “glory days” of 47th Street were in the 80’s. In those days celebrities, politicians, famous athletes, and socialites visited the Diamond District on a regular basis. On any given day one could see a dozen or so stretched limousines waiting for their owners. Along with Times Square and Wall Street, the Diamond District was considered to be among the most prestigious streets in New York City.
Unfortunately forces of economy and the flight of the manufacturing sector to Asia put a choke hold on many businesses on 47th Street. Many businesses were shut down. This has lead to less funds being available for street maintenance. The Diamond District fell into a permanent state of chaos and disrepair.
The Solution
Dying mouse
A simple plan was conceived by Leon Mege while observing a police officer guarding a dying mouse in the middle of the street. The plan will double the sales and rake in tax revenue that could be useful to maintain our congressmen’s fitness, so pictures they tweet will look good.
The best solution would be to close the street to motor traffic. This will be impossible to achieve given regulatory restrictions and politics involved.
Instead, I propose to convert the street from a three lane to two lane traffic. It could be achieved by alternating days the delivery trucks could park on either side.
This will allow us to extend the sidewalks and renovate the pavement. An increase in foot traffic and comfortable browsing will make more people stop, look at the store windows, enter and buy jewelry.
A new diamond tower is being built on 47th Street, which will revitalize the Diamond District. Therefore, we already have some of the groundwork laid out for us. With this additional improvement, New York City could transform this section of Midtown into a retail powerhouse. Nationally recognized jewelry retailers will find it necessary to open outlets on the street. This in turn will make traditional 47th street vendors eager to stay. This street will become one of the greatest tourist attractions not only in New York City, but in the United States. Tourism equals money.
The Benefits:
- Room for information kiosks.
- Plants to make the street lively – diamonds will look better reflecting green foliage rather than yellowish-grey collars of unemployed setters.
- A few benches for those exhausted from deciding between SI1 and SI2 diamonds.
- A few kiosks for water so people will stay on the street and continue shopping.
- Public restrooms.
- Improved security – check points for cars will make any potential getaway impossible.
- Drivers will try to avoid the street, pedestrians will feel safer to cross the street, so both sides are accessible in one stroll
- The area of a several blocks radius from 47th Street will be revitalized, not just one street
- Jumbo screens could be installed at both ends of the street to visually separate the Diamond District from the hectic dynamics of Midtown and bring revenues from advertisement to the district management.
- Only trucks for pick-up and deliveries will be allowed from 9 am to 6 pm. This will ease traffic.
- Sidewalks can be inlaid with a New York City version of the “Hollywood walk of fame” – diamond symbols adorned with names of famous jewelers.
- With increased revenue, buildings will be forced to renovate the dilapidated store fronts into attractive glass and granite edifices.
The Future
People will travel to New York just to see the New Diamond District. Retail sales will soar. Increased tax revenues will create a surplus, the likes of which the city has never seen before. So much money will be generated that the city will run out of options to spend them all. Special crews will be dispatched to dig potholes just so another crew will have something to fill. Fruit vendors will wear cashmere uniforms and hot dog sellers will have their carts gold plated. Cops will be patrolling the streets in the cruisers with headlights set with round brilliant diamonds.
A new conference center will have to be constructed in one of the newer skyscrapers just so jewelry competitions and other jewelry-related programming could be broadcast. Of course new 24-hour TV and YouTube news channel, Diamond News, will need to inform everyone of the breaking diamond news (no pun intended). The city will have to extend the monorail from JFK directly to the futuristic Diamond Center transportation hub to be built right underneath the street. This multimode terminal will no doubt be able to receive cabs, trains, helicopters and even small cruise boats. Eventual direct arrivals of bullet trains from Europe and Japan cannot be ruled out. In the distant future spaceships filled with cut and sorted diamonds will travel to galaxies far-far away spreading the word about 4c’s and bestowing benefits of annual checkups and free cleaning on savage aliens.
The only thing we need to make it all come true is to get rid of one lane on one street. Get me the mayor who would implement this change! I’ll even endure seeing his or her underwear in my Twitter feed.
Go to these links (Thankfully they listened!)
http://dld.bz/Diamond_District_MSNBC
http://prattcenter.net/reports
Gold, Silver & Platinum Prices Forecast and Analysis
You hear it all the time: “Gold and silver are at an all-time high!”
Some important questions arise from this fact that we would like to address:
Why are gold and silver prices so high? What is the forecast for metal prices?What impact will this price increase have on jewelry?
Word on the street is that the main reason for gold and silver prices increases has nothing to do with inflation, currency, or the economy’s status quo. In reality, predatory billionaires with schools of brokers, traders, and speculators surrounding them are driving commodity prices up for their own selfish gain.
This is not sustainable given our current economic climate. We believe that prices would significantly decrease if they were disconnected from those traders. Unfortunately, we live in the real world. Such a situation is impossible. Given the insatiable appetite of rapacious billionaires who are willing to suck all of the blood out of the proletariat (along with their money), we continue to see prices creeping up slowly. Unless there’s a catastrophe, no sudden price jump is forecasted.
You might have noticed that thus far we’re only addressed gold and silver. What about platinum?
Platinum will in all likelihood increase in price within a year or two to unprecedented levels. The rule of thumb is that when price of platinum falls to under 10% more than the price of gold, it becomes strongly undervalued. Currently, it is only about 15% more than gold.A realistic platinum price would be about 80% more than gold.
Today, platinum prices are unbelievably low. So why exactly are platinum prices so low?
1) Due to platinum’s rarity the sheer volume of platinum doesn’t allow vicious traders to put massive bets on the metal.
2) With the auto industry in the latrine (where most platinum is consumed –unlike popular belief that it’s used mainly in jewelry), platinum prices are artificially depressed.
Therefore, we advise a “strong buy” for this metal.
Effect current metal prices will have on jewelry:
When prices adjust accordingly with real world supply/demand value, people will be stunned to realize how “inexpensive” gold jewelry really is compared to platinum. People will see a flood of poorly made, low cost, imported gold jewelry on the market which will push the trend for jewelry that has few diamonds or gemstones. Given this, we forecast a shift to a growing popularity of flowery styles, and bold geometric shapes designs. Stone Jewelry (high-end jewelry with diamonds/gems and very little metal) will once again be relegated to the higher and finer spectrum of the market.
Wearing platinum engagement rings will be a luxury reserved for a few lucky people –just as it was 20 years ago.
Leon Megé in Show Biz -May Attractions: La Petite Collection
Leon Megé is soon joining Hollywood. Having now mastered ultimate heights of jewelry craftsmanship and design, Leon Megé decided to take his career to a new level and enter show business. Check out our latest feature movie release:
Leon Mege La Petite Collection Crash Course
As we prepare for our Le Petite Collection launch, some of you might wonder: “why did they do this?” “who would wear these?” “are they for real?”
Why we did this: Oh so many reasons. If you don’t quite get why see a list of their uses: http://tinyrings.com/(for those of you that can’t find it the “List of Uses” button is at the bottom of the page.
La Petite Collection by Leon Mege (Yes those are candies with the rings)
Who would wear these? Women.
Are we for real? As real as these rings.
All of you love ‘em. Some are confused. “Well, love ‘em or leave ‘em.”
If you’re wondering about the prices, the range is approximately between $999 and $2299. To find out individual prices of each ring, you’ll just have to wait until tomorrow May 10th, 9:00 AM EST.
Other Answers to common questions:
You buy them at www.micropave.com. They’re available May 10, 2011 at starting 9:00 am.
Yes, these are worn as a pendant or charm. They’re 10mm (less than ½ inch for those who don’t know the metric system).
No, they won’t fit your pinky even if you’re the tiniest human woman.
Please keep out of reach of children and don’t try to put it on them.
These rings are collectible and come in a special collector’s box upon request. When Leon Megé croaks you will be able to sell them for an exponentially higher price than at which you bought them. They come with a certificate of authenticity and an edition number.
No, they don’t undermine a traditional engagement. That’s why they’re petite.
Any other questions? Feel free to contact us at 212-768-3868 or via email at info@artofplatinum.com
-Leon Megé Inc. Team
Top 10 Reasons to Get Engaged With a Loose Stone
1.78 carat G VS2 color & clarity: antique cushion cut
What? You never thought of proposing with a lone diamond or other gemstone? You didn’t think of letting her choose the setting? Well, here’s why you should:
1) The element of surprise is a myth. Women are very intuitive, so chances are she already suspects you’ll be proposing soon.
2) You will never know with absolute certainty that she’ll like the same style/setting that you do.
3) To not do so would rob her of the thrilling experience of choosing her own setting, of the process of employing her imagination, of the satisfaction that she received the exact ring she’s dreamed about since she was six years old.
4) It is next to impossible to measure her finger size with complete accuracy without her knowledge.
5) Women usually know more about jewelry than men.
6) If she’s disappointed with the size of the stone, you can always say “It’ll look bigger once it’s set” (it always does).
7) You shift the responsibility of a mistaken design onto her and your future mother-in-law. Thereby, you will spare yourself many sleepless nights.
1.37 carat G VS2 color & clarity: antique cushion cut diamond
8) She will appreciate the creativity and innovation on your part (don’t worry we won’t take credit for the idea). Besides, it will be a great engagement story which she’ll be sure to rave to everyone she knows about!
9) You don’t have to wait 1-2 months to propose until your custom made ring is ready (or until you sift through countless designs of stocked rings, with the hope –not certainty- that she’ll like it.)
10) She can easily appraise the stone instantly (as we’re sure your future in-laws will insist on).
There are so many advantages to proposing with a loose stone! We’d like to share a few true stories about how customers solved their engagement ring headaches with this method of proposal:
Case 1: Customer X [name deleted for protection] purchased an antique cushion cut diamond from our Diamond Concierge®. Sealed in an exquisite box, the stone was suspended between two invisible layers of film. He proposed. She said, “Yes!” (which we guarantee she will when you get your ring designed by Leon Megé. *See fine print).
When they came in to see us the next week to choose the setting, he was in complete shock that his fiancé chose to go with a halo ring over the non-halo. It turns out that when they were looking at rings in the week prior, she passed on all the halos she saw because they looked like cocktail rings, rather than elegant engagement ring designs.
Case 2: Customer Y [name deleted for protection] spent months in despair searching for a ring for his one and only. He’s been to so many jewelry companies that he didn’t see the forest behind the tree. He didn’t realize that any stone looks only as good as the piece of jewelry which holds it. Eventually, he found our company. Alas, he didn’t have any more time to wait for the custom setting to be completed. Reluctantly, he proposed with a loose stone. He was worried that his Chinese ancestry wouldn’t approve of such boldness. After a conversation with our diamond specialist, Mr. Perry Chen (who is also a specialist in Chinese customs and traditions), he was assured that such an action would be acceptable.
When Customer Y, his fiancé, and her mom came in to choose a setting, his fiancé was beaming with happiness. She was ecstatic that she had the opportunity to choose her own ring. As per her mother’s suggestion, she chose a classic three-stone design. Her mother also assured us that it was a perfectly acceptable custom to get engaged with a loose stone.
Smokin hot loose stones
*Fine print: She must stand on one leg with her left hand to her nose, right leg on her head in order for the guarantee to be valid. Otherwise, we are not responsible.
China’s Diamond and Gemstone Shopping Spree
China: an affluent and rapidly developing influence in our world will have an impact on just about every industry. Jewelry is no exception. Currently, China’s buying rate of diamonds and gems is growing exponentially; as Asia is growing richer, she is going on a shopping spree.
What does this mean for you? Well, although the US is still a major market for jewelry, the center is shifting toward Asia. This means that with the increasing affluence of Asians, the diamond/jewelry market is getting hot and demand is increasing. However, the supply remains static. Therefore, the price will be increasing for quality gemstones. These will be natural unenhanced quality larger stones such as sapphires, rubies, and emeralds. They will become so scarce that in certain price groups these stones will be simply unavailable.
Diamond prices will certainly also increase due to the high demand from Asia. After all, 1 billion people in China are certainly an elephant on the market that cannot be ignored.
So, dear readers, get the stones while supplies last and you can still afford them.
