Gem Hunt on travel channel

Has anyone seen this show? Is it worth staying up late (11 pm) for
me to watch?

Linda in central FL

I have watched several of them, all are similar, none are
specifically interesting. Basic premise of all is that these three
people are looking for vendors to sell them specific gems. I would
not stay up to watch the show, I watched it with “On Demand.”

John

I have started watching it. I am a rock hound as well as a jeweler.
I find it amazing to see where they go and seeing some of the insight
as to where these gems come from. It is also fun to watch the
purchasing strategies and the outcomes.

I stay up late anyway.

Ken Moore

Yes. It’s great fun. They visit mines in various countries as well
as stone dealers. And the cross-talk between the three hosts is
charming and interesting.

Also, Diane Robinson is hot. Just saying.

Elliot Nesterman

It’s pretty interesting, in spite of the main guy being VERY
annoying. It is really interesting to see the mines and the places
the stones come from, as well as the native wheeler dealers who sell
them to our gem hunters.

Janet Kofoed

I love Gem Hunt! Great program!

I enjoy watching. altho for me on west coast it’s on at a reasonable
time… they do use the same premise for each episode, but is fun to
see where the gems come from and the process of mining… why not
record on DVR…?

One of my casting colleagues does watch it. He finds it interesting
and sometimes amusing. **Also update on the glass filled sapphires &
rubies–the department store now advertises them as"diffused" and
with no further explanation to the buying public. I guess this is
their way of getting out of taking responsibility for selling
schlock for $999.00–on sale, no less.

Staying calm-ish through this holiday season,
Jo-Ann Maggiora Donivan, SF

Linda, I kind of enjoy it, watching where they go and they usually
go to the mines, which is interesting. Some of it is somewhat
obviously “choreographed”.

Gem Hunt airs on Tuesday evening on the Travel Channel. They go to
different countries buying rough and finished I love this
show and learn a lot about the origin and pricing of gemstones.
Definitely recommend watching.

Watched for the first time last night after reading yesterdays post.
It would be nice to be able to afford 25,000 for two rubies. There
was a show about mining or finding stones here in the states that I
found more interesting, because they were stones I have worked with
as a rock hound. This looks like fun because of the exotic locations.
I think it is mostly just interesting because we all can relate to
some degree. Thomas III

Interesting show. It’s true the main character is annoying, but it’s
sort of fascinating nonetheless. My partner Sarah and I have been
travelling the world and buying stones for over ten years so it’s
interesting to see how these people do it for TV. However their
strategy and general demeanor are rather brash and uncouth, in this
business you have to play it cool underpressure and these folks are
anything but. Whipping out huge wads of cash on the street while
mobbed by stone sellers is not the brightest idea, though I assume
their bodyguards are just off-camera. Anyway it’s an interesting show
for sure, though I think they would get better deals on stones if
they went to the cutting centers rather than the mining areas. In all
it’s pretty interesting though like everything on TV it is quite
sensationalized. Worth watching though for sure. DD

Hi Linda,

I DVR’d “Gem Hunter” and it was interesting to see the cultural
influences on the negotiation process. As I have friends involved in
this part of the business, it gave me a bit of insight into some of
the things they do. I don’t know if the show has staying power, but I
think it is good to at least see once or twice to be informed about
what the public is being shown.

I learned some neat things from the show “Prospectors” last season
too.

Donna W
Huntsville, AL

We were so fascinated we actually bought the whole season on
youtube. Last night we watched the Thailand episode. It was both
hilarious and horrifying to watch them bumbling around in Mae Sot.
The thing that really got me laughing was the “black market money
changing deal” on the street with some biker dude. It’s hilarious
because there is no black market money changing in Thailand. The
bank rate is just the rate, unlike in Burma where there is a
"government rate" and a “market rate”. So they either made the whole
thing up, or they got royally scammed. Then they go about buying
rough Burmese jade, the importation of which is a federal crime in
the US due to the embargo. The jade and rubies they buy could likely
be bought for a fraction of the price they paid, if for nothing else
besides the fact that they are obnoxious and arrogant and they’re
followed by a film crew. If it weren’t giving a bad name to gem
buyers it would make a great comedy show. Enjoy… :slight_smile:

Hi, All,

Thanks for the responses on this “reality” show. I was able to catch
a couple episodes during the day, and earlier in the evening, and
did find it interesting. While I have a DVR, neither I nor my
husband have been successful in getting it programed to record
anything otherthan the show currently on. Can’t say whether it’s the
DVR, the TV or the satellite provider that’s the issue, but I did
find it easier to do 15 years ago, so it’s not for lack of
experience with the concept.

DD, I had the same thoughts about the common sense of hanging around
a crowdedgem market with obvious cash on hand. Forget pick-pockets,
what about good, old fashioned thugs?

Linda in central FL

While I have a DVR, neither I nor my husband have been successful
in getting it programed to record anything other than the show
currently on. 

Linda- We often wish we had a 13 year old in our house to help us
with such matters.

If there weren’t such strict child labor laws in the country I’d
form a team of smart middle schoolers to hire out to old folks to
program their DVD players, figure out all of those remote controls,
etc. I know I’d make a fortune:-)

Have fun and make lots of jewelry
Jo
timothywgreen.com

The episode that is scheduled to air on Jan. 7 has them in Myanmar
looking for ruby, sapphire and jade. That should be really
interesting.

Elliot Nesterman

We were so fascinated we actually bought the whole season on
youtube. Last night we watched the Thailand episode. It was both
hilarious and horrifying to watch them bumbling around in Mae Sot. 

Actually watched that episode myself and had to laugh. Only caught
part of the first one and assumed that I would enjoy, oh well.
Thomas III