Our Session with City of London Police Tactical Firearms Unit

On 26th June this year Mily and I attended a fund raising dinner in aid of the Bowel Disease Research Foundation of the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland. It was held at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, and the event was appropriately named Bowel Action, Midsummer Evening.

Although, it had an undeniably serious theme, it turned out to be a most enjoyable event and with a solid list of corporate sponsors and guests, succeeded in raising a useful sum for the charity (which is very much the poor cousin in relation to Breast Cancers capacity to mobilise support and attract funds).

As is usual in these events there was the usual raffle with some appealing prizes donated by sponsors, as well as an Auction of Promises. One of which was the session with City of London Tactical Firearms Group which we successfully bid for, hence our visit to Bishopsgate Police Station in the City of London this week, where we gained fascinating insights into the world of this dedicated force, who are all that stand between us and the mayhem and destruction of the terrorist menace, ­­­­­­aimed at destroying all that is most dear to us.

Having recently been exposed to the terrorist attacks on Mumbai, one is all too aware, that there is only one way to protect the public against such atrocities, and that is the armed and immediate response, of such highly trained elite units.

While seeing the weapons and tasers was undeniably fascinating, the thing that most struck us all was the very ­fine line these officers have to ­­­ tread between taking decisive action to protect the public, and not causing further loss of life inadvertently, such as in hostage situations and how their training is all about taking instantaneous action in the most extreme, confused and threatening of scenarios.

We would like to pay our respect and express our gratitude to these highly trained, motivated and professional units for the dangerous work they do on our behalf in the City of London and pay tribute to their equivalent forces around the world.

Please click on image for an enlarged view

BELGIAN-CUT DIAMONDS AND POLISHED PROVENANCE

I was interested to see an ad in the Indian Vogue for a high profile Indian jewellery retail chain owned by perhaps the most prominent Antwerp based Sightholder. The ad makes a particular point about their diamonds being Belgian cut, although it is not specific whether it relates to the quality of the cut or the provenance of the cut.

If we are talking provenance here it seems somewhat unlikely, given the reality of the ratio of high quality polished production manufacturing between Indian and Belgian polished, that more than a small minority of the diamonds set in their jewellery brand are actually polished in Belgium.

While one accepts that copywriters often pander to consumer perceptions (or misconceptions) this raises a pertinent question as to whether making claims based on where diamonds are polished is actually a good idea, when transparency in rough to polished diamond auditing is the cornerstone of consumer BPP protection.

If a diamond is polished in Botswana or Canada, does it confer on that diamond some sort of moral ascendancy over its Indian or Israeli counterparts, I don’t think so. Surely the whole point of Forevermark is that it is a guarantor of three things – legitimate provenance, internationally accepted technical parameters and the fact that the diamond has been extracted in its natural state and not created or enhanced in a laboratory.

One can fully understand why Belgian chocolatiers want to differentiate their premium product from Cadbury or Hershey bars or why the French champagne producers successfully prevented sparkling wine producers of foreign denomination describing their product as champagne because they have genuine quality and provenance issues which have to be respected to protect the integrity of their brand provenance.

In the past a diamond’s provenance was indeed quite often indicative of polished diamond quality and finish. That is certainly no longer the case, and while some still talk fondly of the illusion that relates to polished, it is a term I have never cared for, even less so in an industry that now prides itself on its transparency.

What about the New York polishers, who although relatively few in number can certainly claim to be some of the most skilled in the world?

In India the term ‘American diamond’ is a complete misnomer and continues to be used to describe cubic zirconium or other diamond substitutes. (If you don’t believe me, refer to http://www.astroshastra.com/gemstore/diamond.asp )

STERLING CONCENTRATES ON ITS CORE BUSINESS

On my return from India I was catching up on my favourite blogs and trade magazines and saw Rob Bates’s piece on his excellent JCK blog (a must for anybody who is seriously interested in the US industry) commenting on an announcement from Sterling saying that it was withdrawing completely from its rough procuring and manufacturing activity.

A lot has happened since they announced a few years ago that in line with SoC they were going to incorporate rough manufacturing into their corporate activity. In fact I remember at the time there was a good deal of concern amongst Sightholders, given the DTC’s almost obsessive interest in downstream retail activity, that this would have serious implications for themselves given the weighting of the assessment process in favour of marketing rather than technical manufacturing skills.

However, the only good thing you can say about recessions is they do tend to give a sharp reality check to some of the more delusional and over ambitious concepts that gain favour in strong markets.

Who remembers, except a few diamond brokers of the late Jurassic period, that Zale were once Sightholders for several years, and so were Tata. Neither of these prestigious and successful companies were able to add value to their core businesses but it did take them a while to discover that diamond manufacturing is an activity best left to diamond manufacturers.

Taj Mahal Palace & Tower Hotel Will Rise Again

Flying back from Mumbai on Sunday 7th Dec, I was pleased to see a full page statement in the Financial Times which I think will be of interest to anybody who has enjoyed the hospitality of this iconic hotel so much part of Bombay’s history.

Click on the image for a larger view.

JODHAA AKBAR

Since the Mumbai terrorist attacks on 26/11 Mily and I stayed on in Mumbai waiting to see if passports and personal effects might be recovered from the room we fled from.

In the meantime, the exceptionally kind and hospitable extended family who had taken us in since 26/11, ever solicitous of our comfort thought we might enjoy to view a DVD of a recent Indian box office blockbuster entitled Jodhaa Akbar, a beautifully realised love story starring Aishwarya Rai as the proud and beautiful Rajput Hindu Princess and Hrithik Roshan portraying the great Mogul Emperor Akbar and also starring stunning diamond jewellery by Tanishq, one of India’s most prominent and creative retail jewellers.

While the film is a romanticised and certainly fictitious version of events, its central theme of the wedding alliance between the Mogul Emperor and the Rajput Princess is true in that its political, military and social ramifications were a significant and deliberate attempt to reconcile Hindus and Muslims in the interests of a greater Hindustan.

Throughout the history of the world the terrorists and their historical antecedents have always targeted centres of prosperity, learning and culture, where men of different religious convictions and traditions respected and accommodated each other.

The beautiful city of Toledo in Spain, for a time a centre of Jewish, Moorish and Christian learning, is well worth visiting. As is the deserted city of Fatepur Sikri near Agra, where Akbar encouraged debate on the basic premise of religion between representatives of all the major religions in his empire, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Jains and Zoroastrians [Parsees] is also a city that should be combined with a visit to the fabulous Taj Mahal.

Having watched the DVD I revisited a book based on Michael Woods, the British historian and broadcaster’s, television documentary series on the history of India and I was fascinated to read his description of Akbar and I quote “he had a very unconventional intellectual capacity, a fantastic memory and a brilliant ability to think (as management-speak puts it today) ‘outside the box’. When we see the disasters brought on by lack of flexible and imaginative thinking today, it’s clear that Akbar’s leadership skills surpassed anything displayed by most modern world leaders. Akbar, of course, had been brought up to survive in the real world.”

Finally, I’d like to end on a note which I think anybody who is a regular visitor to India will attest to, again from the preface of Michael Woods’ book

“I leave the last word to the fourteenth-century Indian poet Amir Khusro: he was a Muslim, he wrote in Persian, and his ancestry was Turkic, but he counted himself the luckiest man alive to have been born in India, and to have India as his motherland.

How exhilarating is the atmosphere of India!
There cannot be a better teacher than the way of life of its people.
If any foreigner comes by, he will have to ask for nothing
Because they treat him as their own,
Play an excellent host and win his heart,
And show him how to smile like a flower.”

DTC Business Review Meetings With Sightholder/ Partners Mon 24th - Wed 26th Nov

So much has happened in Mumbai since the terrible attacks on the city commenced at about 9.30 on Wednesday night, that I really have to concentrate very hard to recall the exact details of what we were doing before that fateful evening, and there is a sort of sinister fire wall in my mind that divides activity before and after 26/11/2008.

However, I do remember that on the morning of Monday, 24th November, bright and early, we got straight into the meetings, with frank and useful exchanges of views between Sightholders and DTC, identifying and discussing the multiple and problematic issues confronting the trade and industry, and what needed to be done to address them effectively.

On Tuesday, the 25th, even earlier, and rather less bright, we took the 06.25 AM departing Shatabdi Express to Surat to attend a further six DTC Sightholder meetings scheduled for that day.

I wrote in my Blog of 5th June 2008, that Mahiar Borhanjoo had, in my view, the skills and potential to make a very remarkable Sales Director, and the fact that that he did not come to us from the usual diamond trade route, could be a distinct advantage, if he brought to the industry a much needed clear perspective and the energy required to make a real difference.

I am pleased to report that the meetings in Surat left the clients impressed with Mahiar's excellent communication skills, eloquence, quick intelligence and the genuine warmth, respect and empathy which transforms a routine meeting into an inspirational and positive one.

Surat clients were heartened to meet from DTC, a senior executive who seems to acknowledge and recognise the importance of Surat to our industry, rather than simply taking it for granted.
Lastly it would be quite wrong for me not to mention the dedication of the KAM's, who I think like us brokers, have really struggled particularly with some of the more esoteric and absurd aspects of SoC while trying to promote the positive ones.

There have fortunately been very few bad pennies amongst the KAMs, and those that were, have all been moved or have moved on, as well as several good ones who left of their own accord.
Generally speaking, the KAMs are personable, hard working, dedicated and have an appropriate level of experience and I must say my colleagues and I enjoy working with them, almost as much as we enjoy working with our own clients.

New York - Mumbai, the aftermath

In December 2001, 3 months after 9/11, I took my wife, Mili, & our 3 daughters, Jessica, Rebecca & Rachel, to New York for our Christmas-New Year Holiday.
Why? Because like all normal families the world over, we find the attractions of New York very difficult to resist. The architecture, the museums, the restaurants, Central Park and of course, its renowned shopping as well as irrepressible energy of the city (just like Mumbai).

But there was another deeper reason - we needed to be there. We needed to express our solidarity with its people who share so much of our history and values and who needed our support, both moral and financial.

Just like Mumbaikars today, New Yorkers were shaken, bloodied, angry, disorientated and worried about the future of this great city and fearful of the next attack. Its administration and police on the highest state of alert, anticipating further outrages during the New Year celebrations.

We stayed in a rather nice little boutique hotel, the Muse, just off Broadway, opposite Times Square. Never have we been made to feel more welcome in New York than we were then in Times Square watching the celebrations and Mayor Giuliani hand over to Mayor Bloomberg among some of the tightest security New York has ever witnessed. In fact, the security cordons were so tight that we found ourselves unable to return until we were rescued by one of "New York's finest", who escorted us personally back through the police cordons to the Muse and refused my offer of a celebratory drink as he was still on duty.

PLEASE CLICK ON IMAGE FOR ENLARGED VIEW

Sharookh, Vinod Kuriyan, Mily and I went to the Four Seasons in Mumbai yesterday for the firsttime to check it out in view of the fact that those favourite hotels of so many, the Taj and the Oberoi will definitely not be receiving any guests for a few months at least. We can report to you that there was rigorous security at the hotel and in fact, no one was admitted without careful security checks. There were a lot of TV reporters and camera crews in evidence and the only other people in the restaurant was Nik Gowing, main presenter of BBC World News, who was grabbing a quick lunch. We took the opportunity to congratulate him on the BBC World coverage and indeed watched the reports that went out last night. However, I must say I was shocked to hear the terrorists who attacked the hotels described as 'militants'. If these were militants, then I just pray to God, I never meet a terrorist. How sad that the BBC that is respected throughout the world, should resort to such lame , political correctness.

For those of you who are worried that there is no suitable alternative accommodation in Mumbai while the Taj and Oberoi are closed for renovation that, of course, is not the case at all. There are a number of excellent 4 and 5 star hotels and the following are all easily accessible (less than half an hour from the Opera House diamond area). Here are the links to a few of the leading Hotels.

Four Seasons
Intercontinental
Taj President
Marine Plaza
Holiday Inn
Taj Lands End
Searock Sheraton

Mumbai has supported you and your business in the past and never has it needed your support more than today. If you are still worried about traveling, several of the leading Indian diamond companies now have completely interactive B2B websites and can provide you with all the diamonds and jewellery you need.