This content was first published on IGR – Italian Gemological Review no. 18 in 2024. The information provided here is therefore current as of the original publication date.
My grandfather wasn’t much of a talker, and he wasn’t one to dish out lots of advice, rather he taught through his actions.
I remember so many little things he did, but one stands out: coffee! I never saw my grandfather drink coffee standing up. It wasn’t until I grew up that I understood what coffee meant to him, or at least formed my own idea of what it meant to him.
Coffee isn’t just a drink, it’s a moment in the day. When you have coffee, you can chat with friends, lose yourself in your thoughts, or enjoy a good read.
Just as we have holidays throughout the year, we have coffee moments throughout the day. Nobody wants to rush through their vacation or relax on the beach standing up all day.
One day I’ll have a grandchild and she or he will study my actions too. And I’m sure she or he will tell everyone: “My grandfather used to read on paper”.
It’s true! I can’t stand reading on electronic devices; I don’t like ads popping up while I’m reading an article, or getting a message while I’m engrossed in a book, or hearing a work email notification ping.
If I’m not reading something on printed paper, it feels like I’m drinking coffee in a hurry when I’m standing up.
You can’t imagine how much I enjoy reading a magazine like this, which allows me to immerse myself in the adventures of the amazing subject I love — the universe of gemstones — flipping through hard copy pages full of stones and fascinating words, with no digital interruptions.
This issue brought me to Sierra Leone, offering insights into the extent to which the local people benefits from their diamond reserves. It felt as though I were sitting in a pub, absorbing Luigi Costantini’s discourse on the limited understanding of the diamond trade within our governing bodies. Furthermore, I joined Jeffery Bergman in navigating the murky realms of financial speculation associated with artificially inflated valuations of certain gem collections. These pages show how gemology in Italy is organizing itself to have an increasingly bright future. I was catapulted into the world of opals, pearls and many other gems that fill the glossy pages of this rich issue.
Teaching your heirs how to live is a hard thing, a very hard thing! But teaching them how to take a break is easy: sitting down with coffee and a hard copy.
So, like me, I hope you will flick through the pages of this magazine and enjoy some “gemmy” holiday moments.
Cheer to everyone while enjoying a great cup of coffee and a copy of IGR!
Editorial by Michele Macrì, published on IGR – Italian Gemological Review #18 – Spring 2024.
