Experts find diamonds in the rough
We think of the world of high-end jewellery - the rare gemstones, the women who can afford to wear them - as a world of refined elegance and exquisite taste. But what goes on behind the scenes to find the precious gemstones?
Australian gemstone expert, adventurer and writer Gavin Linsell knows better than most the answer: a lot of sweat, hair-raising treks through some of the world's most dangerous places, and a great deal of pluck.
Linsell, a former Boy Scout, is just one of the characters you'll meet in Game of Stones, a rollicking six-part documentary series that follows an intrepid group of gemstone hunters through the backstreets of Brazil and the alleyways of India as they look for elusive rocks and once-in-a-lifetime deals.
"Obviously we're showing the more extreme aspects of gem hunting in this show," Linsell says of the action-thriller feel of Game of Stones. "We do have more boring days but they don't make great television."
Linsell is part of a Houston- based organisation called The Gem Guys, presided over by fearless legend of the industry Don Kogen. He and his crew of risk-taking adventurers often carry big amounts of cash to make their transactions, meaning they are at constant risk of robbery, or worse.
"The important thing to remember is that we take calculated risks," Linsell says. "We don't do things foolishly for a laugh, or for entertainment. There's always a rhyme and reason for the way we do things. Unfortunately, some of the areas we have to go to are intrinsically dangerous, and you have to be prepared for any eventuality."
In the first episode, Linsell and his crew work their way around India, looking for high-quality Himalayan beryl in Jaipur and chasing the revered Bombay Sapphire, worth about $250,000. Game of Stones is thus also something of a travelogue; it's a fascinating portrait of Jaipur in particular, where chaos rules the streets and cows have right of way.
Linsell says there are days where the team do "traditional" buying - that is, in a market or, even better, an air-conditioned office. But it's the high-stakes, behind-closed-doors deals that Linsell admits get the heart pumping and the blood racing.
"I thrive on the adrenaline rush when it's connected to situations that are more in our control," he laughs. "What I find a bit more difficult to deal with are situations where we're confronted by unpredictable individuals."
