A
Administrator
Guest Shopper
<img src="/images/don-mix.jpg" border="0" hspace="3" vspace="1" align="right" />The guessing is over… that man in black, the ‘Gem King’, Don Kogen will be making his Rocks & Co. début this weekend. Tune in from midday Friday to Sunday and get ready to be inspired as your interest in gemstones is supercharged by the unbeatable combination of sheer passion, encyclopaedic knowledge and two decades of experience. If you are a lover of gemstones, chances are you already know Don, but for those in the dark, let’s take a moment to meet a man, for who gems are part of his soul.<br /><br />A larger than life colourful character, Don has over 20 years of experience in the gemstone and jewellery industry. Growing up, Don lived in many countries that feature predominately in the gem biz, but it wasn’t until he arrived at the regional gem hub of Chanthaburi, Thailand in the eighties that his professional career seriously commenced. While still in his teens, Don familiarised himself with every aspect of the local gem industry - from mining and cutting to trading, right up to international distribution and beyond.<br /><br />Don’s professional achievements are remarkable… opening a gem business from scratch via direct sales trips to US wholesalers and later a mailed catalogue; turning a handful of items on eBay into a successful e-commerce business that at its peak was the world’s leading online supplier of gemstones; manufacturing gemstone jewellery for television shopping networks in both the UK and US; one of the founders and the driving force behind the world’s first vertically integrated dedicated jewellery shopping channel; representing Thailand at the GILC (Gemstone Industry Laboratory Conference); former ambassador for the CGA (Chanthaburi Gem and Jewellery Traders Association); international media appearances including Forbes magazine and CNBC. Google him for more.<br /><br />Internationally respected and admired, Don’s huge influence has impacted the gem biz across five continents. Talk to any gem trader in any country and chances are they know of Don. After experiencing meteoritic business growth and an eventual public listing, Don finally hung up his spurs in 2007 for the quiet life of semi-retirement. Today, he is considered the ‘ultimate’ gemstone collector and owns one of the world’s largest private gemstone collections. <br /><br />Mentor and good friends to Gem Hunter, Tony Diniz and Gavin Linsell, author of the Rocks & Co. published ‘The Clever Gem Buyer’, Don has finally been persuaded to make a public appearance. This weekend he will be sharing his unique point of view on a very special selection of exquisite gemstone jewellery from the Rocks & Co. vaults. This is an exclusive opportunity to experience an extra special guest. Whether you are new to jewellery or an experienced connoisseur, you owe it to yourself to spend some time with Don this weekend on Sky channel 642 (8am - 2am) and Freeview channel 49 (8am – 10pm).<br /><br />Do you have a question for Don? Either text him on 82222 (just put STUDIO followed by your question) or email <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>.
