Talk on diamonds – nature and value

Hi All

I met a certified gemologist at a friend’s place, who shared information of how to tell a real diamond from a fake, its quality and valuation. He’s willing to give a free talk.

Details as follows:

Talk 1 : Diamonds – story and evaluation

  • Date: Thu 26 November
  • Time: 2.30 – 4 pm
  • Venue: Coronation Shopping Plaza (same building as NTUC Fairprice), along Bt Timah Rd, #03-42, Bukit Timah Rd

This will be a 1 hr talk with hands on session to differentiate real and imitation diamonds.

Talk 2: Diamonds – certification (a continuation of the 1st talk for participants,if keen)

  • Date: Sat 28 Nov
  • Time: 2.30 – 4 pm
  • Venue: as above

Both talks are free. Max = 15 people (due to air-con classroom seating space)

Regards
Joan

Interested members please register here –

Talk 1.

  1. Joan (Event Coordinator)
  2. Lisa Ong – Not sure will attend
  3. Ivan Lim
  4. Constance Wong – Will attend once venue/date is confirmed
  5. Terence Seah
  6. Steven Chan
  7. Anna Seet
  8. Sam Goh
  9. Mary Ng (non member)
  10. Steven Chan
  11. Lily Ho
  12. Eyvonne Chew

Talk 2.
     1. Lisa Ong ?
     2. Susan Tan
     3. James Tan

43 thoughts on “Talk on diamonds – nature and value”

  1. Hi Joan,

    Depending on the date you’ll be arranging. If it doesn’t clash with any of my schedule, I’ll like to attend.

    If you let me know the date and duration required for this talk, I can discuss with my boss to allow us to use the air-con canteen at Ghim Moh, S’pore centre for Chinese Language. Food & drinks over there is also not a problem as we can order directly from the stalls over there. Nearest MRT is Buono Vista and I think there’s 3 buses 100, 111 etc. Lots of parking spaces available since the official opening on the 17 Nov ’09. You may call me at: lisa.ong@tmesystems.net

    Rgds, Lisa

  2. Hi Lisa & All

    Thanks Lisa for suggesting the venue at Ghim Moh. The fact that it’s central, air-con and available food & drinks are certainly great.

    The talk is 1 hr followed by a 15 min hands-on session on how to tell a genuine diamond from imitation. The speaker will be away from 6 Dec onwards. He is available from now till 5 Dec.

    Two alternative dates were suggested by him: Wed 25 Nov or Sat 5 Dec. The talk can begin either 2pm or 2.30 pm, after lunch. If these 2 dates are unavailable, other dates within the time frame are OK. Let me know. My email joanwong2002@hotmail.com

    Regards
    Joan

  3. Wow! Joan n Lisa,
    A talk on the Lady’s best friend (i.e. Diamond) is great. Will like to attend for self-awareness interests. Read in today’s Straits Times Newspapers about the Coloured Diamonds Auctions – the Green, the blue and also some notes about the Rubies.
    Do keep us posted once the Date/Time/Place are firmed.
    Regards,
    Ivan

  4. Hi Joan,
    Is your certified gemologist friend who is giving the talk happens to be a Mr C G Zhang or a Mr Eric Wong? Just asking for info only. Thanks.

  5. Hi Joan,

    Some 15 years ago, I paid $20 for 5 pieces of diamonds while resting on the beaches of Pattaya. They looked big and beautiful, and seeing that they were so cheap, I decided to buy them, although I was told they are artificial diammonds. The young guy explained that these diamonds were produced in a special oaven, using high temperatures under high pressure. He even convinced me that in the movie Superman, the hero could not escape from a cave made of this material. He said they were Xircons.

    Later I found out they were some good quality glass crystals.

    Yes Joan, I like to attend the class when you have firmed the date and time.

    Terence Seah

  6. Terence, you were told that they were diammonds produced in oaven so the $20 you paid was really value for money.

    For the uninitiated, diammonds are worn by demons and an oaven is like the ovary….and the gestation period is the same so $20 for 5 diammonds which took 9 months to produce is like the robinson sale…..worth the wait, and weight whichever BMI you use…………..

  7. Hi Terence #6,
    I believe the correct terms for artifical diamonds are LAB Diamonds (where you use it for jewellery related accessories) and Industrial Diamonds (where you use it for industrial applications such as coring machines, cutters etc).
    Hi Tim #7,
    Lea-Kong-C-Mee?? Wai-Lia-Bo-Q?? I am always amazed and amused with your talking outside the box …. most of the time, have to re-read it – pop my brains with elixir plus panadols (same time) to see your point of view(s) …. but still Lia-Bo-Q …. veri chime. ;)

  8. Hi IvanL,

    I don’t claim to know TimL well personally. I tend to agree with you that when Tim writes, he tends to start with “Long long ago, there was this little boy and little girl who were lost in the forest, … and finally landed up in their grandmother’s house after tossing bread crumbs along the way and … and were finally, finally swallowed by the big bad wolf when they put their heads into their grandmother’s mouth.”.

    I do find his language rather chime too, so I use this online Cantonese translator; but it appears to have an accuracy of 10% only.

    Tim is a good writer; as he can write something out of something. And, as long as he respects the dignity of fellow SHCians, I will personally be very happy. I think this part of his style is getting better as he gets older.

    Thanks Ivan for the info on diamonds. I look forward to join Joan (Perth)’s session.

    Terence Seah

  9. Hi All

    So far, date and venue is not firmed up as waiting for reply from Lisa #1.

    Lisa #1, need to confirm from you so that I can put in the post.Hope that the venue is OK, otherwise need to find another place. Han’s cafe is a bit noisy to conduct a talk.May have to settle for the latest date, Sat 5 Dec. Speaker will be away from 6 Dec onwards.

    Hi Constance #4, Terence #6. Yes you are both down.

    Hi Ivan #5. He is not one of them though also a Wong. His name is Enoch Wong, a certified gemologist.

    Regards
    Joan

  10. Hi Joan,
    As currently YK (Admin) is away from SG now, he will look into your request for a edit feature. But since, this event is not firmed up yet. I will update the namelist 4u 4 d time being…

    BTW, I will going to change from EO to EC as it is not a solely SHC event. Thanks.. Dolly

  11. Hi Dolly #12

    Thanks so much for updating the post. Just confirmed the details.Two talks now by the same speaker, Mr Wong.

    Talk 1 : Diamonds – story and evaluation
    Date: Thu 26 November
    Time: 2.30 – 4 pm
    Venue: Coronation Shopping Plaza
    #03-42, Bukit Timah Rd
    This will be a 1 hr talk with hands on session to differentiate real and imitation diamonds.

    Talk 2: Diamonds – certification (a continuation of the 1sr talk for participants,if keen)
    Date: Sat 28 Nov
    Time: 2.30 – 4 pm
    Venue: as above

    Both talks are free. Max = 15 people (due to air-con classroom seating space)

    Cheers
    Joan

  12. Hi Joan,
    I hv edited your post 2 reflect these 2 sessions, however, I will not insert d speaker’s name, since he is not SHC members. Interested parties, can liaise with him directly during the talk. Cheers… Dolly

    PS: I will also delete his name in ur comment but leave as Mr Wong

    For those that wanted to know more abt Mr Wong, please write to Joan directly via pte email.. ok.. Thanks..

  13. halo joan wong ,

    pls i like 2 poh mia ( register lah ) my name 4 d 26.nov class hor !!!! kam sia lah !!!

    sorry 2 tompang yr post , halo bro ivan ,

    we meet again har ??? c u lah hor !!!!

    huat huat huat

  14. Hi Joan Wong / others,

    As the 2 dates are finally confirmed, I like to register for the Nov 26 talk.

    Btw,there are 3 shopping Plazas along this stretch of
    Bukit Timah Rd, is Coronatn plaza next or nearby to Bukit Timah Plaza with the NTUC supermarket ?

    Pls. clarify thanks,

  15. Well, Ivan-L, nothing was chime in my #7 lah.

    In #6, Terence has this to share “…. I was told they are artificial diammonds…….produced in a special oaven…”. So he was talking abt diammonds and a special oaven which I happened to know a little to share cos one is ladies’ best friend while the other worn by demons makes ladies’ “pest” fiend………

    Steven-C, Coronation Plaza is on Bt Timah Rd abt 500 metre after the Bt Timah Rd/Farrer Rd junction, next to a Shell petrol stn, in the direction of Hwa Chong Jnr College. On certain days, you get to witness coronations of babies and on yr lucky day when they run out of babies for shows & contests, who knows, you might be given the crown to wear………

  16. Hi Steven #19, Sam #17 and Anna #18 and All attendees

    Yes, NTUC supermarket is in the same building which is Coronation Shopping Plaza.

    We will meet at #03-42,. a jewellery shop D’Flawless Collection Pte Lts where Mr Wong, the speaker will direct us to the classroom.

    See U all there on Thu 26 Nov.

    Cheers
    Joan

  17. Hi Joan,
    Sorry, got 2 give this a miss. Sam just told dat d timing stated there, I shd b wrkg lor.. if not, kena got eat snake, xi liao.. Cheers.. Dolly

  18. Dear Steven/Tim,

    There is no more Shell station at Coronation Plaza. It has been been replaced by the Coffee bean and New York New York restaurants. Guess TimL has not been to this part of town in a long while. So Steven, if you are going by bus just keep a lookout for the two restaurants mentioned as a guideline. There is a bus stop just outside Shelford Road coming from Upper Bkt Timah Road n you will just need to use the overhead bridge to get you there.

  19. Thanks Cat-Y for the correction.

    Indeed, I now recall that several yearss ago, there was this hooha and hubbub by the Kings, Dukes and Duchess living along the roads and backlanes there protesting on how unsafe it was for a petrol station to be sited so close to their homes, and what if terrorists also disguised as vendors supplying kerosene to their kitchens?

    So the petrol station was relocated possibly to the top of Bt Timah hill which makes no sense for any terrorist to want to plan an attack on monkeys, bees and trees.

    You’re also right that I miss my Spore……I am told that we are building 2 casinos – one next to the Mandai columbarium and the other on St Johns Island for the saints, the saintly and the less than sane.

  20. Hi Joan,
    Can the speaker includes some explanations/details/pictures about “inclusions” found in Diamonds. I think these will be interesting because most of the time, discussions/talks are only looking at the gradings of the 5Cs…….
    Hi Sam #17,
    Sori, missed ur post. ya lor, c u there n understd u also wil b @ LPS Satay Club event….. but hor, wat 2 do betw 4pm 2 7pm? bcos Diamonds talk ends @ 4pm n LPS starts @ 7pm!

  21. Hi James #28
    Yup, you are down for 28 Nov.

    Dolly #29
    Noted.

    Ivan # 32
    Let the speaker know at the beginning of the talk. hH’s quite wide ranging and may focus on what you want to know.Otherwise at Q & A when he’s having the hands on session where he shows some diamonds to us.

    Eyvonne #33
    You are down on 26 Nov. If you can’t, then turn up on 28 Nov.

    Cheers and see you all
    Joan

  22. Hi Tim/Catherine Yeo,

    Thanks v.much for yr info @ 20 and 30.
    Otherwise, I would have gone to the wrong Shopping centre besides the Bukit Timah Shopping Centre close to the highway.

  23. Hi Joan,
    So sorry I could not make it to the talk at the last minute. Had to stay back in office to assist in the ISO preparation which is this coming Monday. Am now still in the office and having a short break, so decided to drop a short note to apologise for not informing you earlier.
    Unfortunately I have a lunch appt this coming Sat too and will probably only finish around 3pm and by the time I rush to Coronation Plaza, the talk would probably be over. Pls advise if there’ll be a repeat. Thanks. Lisa

  24. Hi Joan Wong,

    Initially, I thought it was going to be a sales talk but I was wrong. It turned out to be a v.interesting and educational talk on the 4Cs.ie its colour, clarity,cut and carat .

    I would like to thank Mr. Wong the speaker( certified gemologist )for his kind talk and hospitality.

    Ivan Lim, you were just GREAT! :)
    You were able to identify the only one genuine diamond from among the 60 overs’ fake diamonds of similar sizes and clarity just by comparing their reflection of light.
    Bravo!

  25. Firstly, Thank you! Joan for organising and also our Gemologist for an excellent educational talk on diamonds. Very much appreciated. I think I will attend the follow up talk on Saturday too………
    Aiya, Steven, I was plain lucky lah!! I mean it’s the odd one out in terms of reflections compared to the others.
    Cheers!

  26. Hi All

    The speaker, Mr Wong gave an excellent presentation which showed his expertise in his area of diamonds as well as his skills in teaching us. Altogether 11 of us turned up for yesterday’s talk at Coronation Plaza. At the end we thanked him individually and as a group (those who remained) and as a token of appreciation, I presented him with a small Christmas gift.

    However I regret to say that Saturday’s talk is cancelled. Only 3 signed up and so those who signed up including Ivan #39, please take note.

    I will therefore edit my post, deleting Saturday’s talk.

    Cheers
    Joan

  27. Hi All who signed up for Saturday’s talk

    My apologies on behalf of the speaker. He has mentioned that he will not present again on Saturday. I had told him that the response was just 3 people. It was playing by ear to see whether he would continue with a part 2 on Saturday. However most of us have other commitments including myself.

    We really appreciate him for giving us his time yesterday.

    Regards
    Joan

  28. Dear Joan

    A great thanks from me too!

    Initially, I was not certain if there’s more to learn from the talk apart from the 4Cs of diamond but I am very glad that I was able to attend as there was indeed more to learn like the history of diamonds and telling a fake from the genuine.

    Mr Wong’s generosity in imparting his knowledge to us is greatly appreciated.

    With many thanks
    Daisy

  29. Hi Joan,

    I was not sure if I was lucky, as I escaped not having to buy a diamond ring. Thank you for organising the event. It was fruitful.

    Terence Seah

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