Communication with Dealers from Other Countries

For the past week or so, I've been on a number of merchant sites, communicating with different dealers from around the world.

Truly, there are many kinds - there are some who are friendly and chatty and others who are purely business-like with no room for small talk; some who are quick to reply and others who take a long time; some who are accommodating to requests and others who refuse to make any changes.

It's quite an experience to talk to them and I learned that, above all else, clarity in communication is very important, since many of them do not speak English as a first language though they do try hard.

The other thing I learned is that timing is crucial. Sometimes, the timing needs to be gotten just right in order to strike a good deal for both parties. For example, I managed to get a delivery of some gems that I bought through the overseas dealer's Singaporean friend who happened to be coming back to Singapore the next day. I didn't have to pay shipping or fund transfer fees! It's hard to predict such things, but when they do happen, everybody is happy.

Clarity and timing. My two takeaways from this week.

Starting Work on Gemology Curriculum

After months of procrastination, I finally took the first steps toward creating curriculum on gemmology. One of the trends I've noticed in Singapore is how niche jewellery and gemstone shopping is.

The Precious Four are, of course, well known, as are commonly encountered gems like amethyst, topaz, rose quartz, and opal.

Other than these, most people aren't familiar with the different varieties of gems.

With the future of the industry in mind, I thought of bringing gemmology to the younger crowd, including school-going students. Based on some feedback earlier in the year, students in school have some interest in learning about these colourful rocks.

Well, here's to a brighter, more sparkly future for Singapore's gemstone industry!

The School Holidays are Upon Us!

It's that time of year again, when our streets will be crowded by gleeful students who won't have to wear a uniform for the next month or two.

Of course, the Secondary 4 students are still in the midst of their O-level examinations. I've always told my students that they are likely to do better than they think. The bell curve by which they will be graded is an international one, and we are very privileged to be in a country of high literacy and education.

Now, I am no fan of examinations. I haven't been since I was a student myself. I've always felt that they sap the joy of learning. That said, we can't abolish all examinations since they still perform their function of helping us to separate students into their affinities. It's not a perfect system, but it's one that is familiar and does work somewhat.

To all students, happy holidays!

Book Update: Manuscript Submission

I have just submitted my manuscript for editing and layout! The word count is far higher than the originally expected amount - about three times as high, actually.

What that means is that there will be extra cost for layout, editing, and printing. Nevertheless, it doesn't make sense to scale the size of the book down. The additional cost will be paid, and I will be moving on to the marketing segment of the book, as well as planning the book launch, and getting people on board to help with that.

If all goes well, it may even be printed before Christmas! Here's hoping!