Hey Gerry,
Pretty loaded question, but I had a thought or two about it. "Value"
is a concept as wacky as “beauty” or “aesthetic”. It all depends on
who wants it. Now, in our lines of interest dealing with precious
metals and the first or broadest tier of value is a
commercial concept based on understood or universal shared knowledge,
quantifying the concept with dollar figures. At the smallest tier is
the artist, who makes definitive choices of personal value in their
work, relying on their single vision and aesthetic beliefs. Bridging
the two is a wide range of socio-evolution in which we have Corps.
like DeBeers or Tiffany’s encouraging the individual and taking that
vision of value to a wide audience or a mom/pop craft stand that has a
devoted following. It’s not all commercial, of course, the same course
of actions follow when a child brings home a pretty pebble, which then
increases the value of the pebble to mom, who puts it on the coffee
table, causing passerby’s to take note. A single pebble now has value
as an interior designer’s accessory. Value is relative, but to
quantify something as elusive as the sparkle of a gemstone in a
certain light has to be as documentable as possible to reassure
people that they are spending money wisely. So at the commercial
level, value is easy. Just ask a gemstone dealer then a pawnshop owner
Individual value is also easy, just enjoy. To gap the two is a
little more finicky
Just some random thoughts, I always enjoy the posts with humour and
apologize for not be able to swing it on this one.
Terry Swift