Zhuang Rui didn't care about cutting in line. He was still sitting in the chair by the window and simply gave up his seat. Although the others were unhappy, they didn't say anything because of their status. They were all in the same circle in China, and there was no need to offend people over such a small matter.
"Let's go watch Boss Zhuang get his stones cut..."
Han Pangzi immediately regretted his shout, because he saw that more than a dozen people had suddenly emerged from the queue. He realized he had been too loud-mouthed and had essentially invited his competitors to steal his business.
Han Pangzi and his group went directly to the stone-cutting area to wait, where there were quite a few people cutting stones. Zhuang Rui, on the other hand, took the delivery slip to the raw stone area to collect the rough stones.
After handing the delivery slip to a staff member in the raw stone area, about seven or eight minutes later, a bulldozer drove out from the gate that had been temporarily surrounded by soldiers. On the bulldozer was the piece of raw stone that Zhuang Rui had won the bid for.
"Oh well, we still have to wait in line..."
After arriving at the stone-cutting area, Zhuang Rui took the rough stone weighing more than 30 kilograms off the bulldozer. Although the organizing committee had provided five stone-cutting machines here, not only were all five machines occupied, but there was also a circle of rough stones on the ground, all waiting to be cut.
"Damn it, is this a stone or a jadeite rough? There's nothing inside. This is such a rip-off!"
A middle-aged man with disheveled hair turned ashen-faced after cutting open a piece of raw jade, and began cursing loudly. Needless to say, this fellow's trip to Myanmar was far from pleasant.
"Three hundred and eighty thousand euros, nearly four million yuan, gone in one cut, tsk tsk..."
Fatty Han arrived early and knew what had happened. He explained it to Zhuang Rui: apparently, that guy wanted to get rich overnight and gambled on a piece of jade that he thought would definitely appreciate in value. But unexpectedly, his four million RMB went down the drain in one fell swoop.
Upon hearing this, Zhuang Rui shook his head. With a net worth of four million, one could be considered a wealthy person in China. They could definitely own a car and a house and live a very comfortable life. Why bother joining in this fun?
Zhuang Rui was unaware that jade gambling is even more addictive than gambling, especially for those who have profited from it. They become addicted, like drug addicts, and eventually lose all the money they earned from jade gambling, even resorting to borrowing money from all over the place until they are bankrupt.
Regardless of the type of gambling or what you're betting on, the saying "nine out of ten gamblers lose" applies to the vast majority of gamblers. Of course, people like Zhuang Rui who use cheat devices are an exception.
"I wonder if I'll have enough money to buy a plane ticket back home..."
"Old Zhang, don't be so harsh. Everyone loses money gambling sometimes..."
"Yeah, Lao Zhang, it's your turn. Go up and cut the stone, hurry up, can't you see how many people are waiting..."
Since ancient times, it has always been a case of the victor taking all and the loser being condemned. After the middle-aged man left with slightly unsteady steps, the crowd only discussed it briefly before resuming their work on the stone.
The man named Lao Zhang was quite lucky. He cut into it and found green. Although it was only a low-to-mid-grade jadeite of the oily green variety, the price was driven up by the crowd and it was eventually bought by a domestic jewelry company for 1.9 million RMB. Lao Zhang only spent 28,000 euros to buy it.
This is the allure of jade gambling. As Marx once said, if capital has a 50% profit, it will take risks; if it has a 100% profit, it will dare to trample on all human laws; if it has a 300% profit, it will dare to commit any crime, even at the risk of being hanged.
This rough stone, after just one cut, generated a profit of 700%, which is enough to drive anyone crazy.
"Xiao Rui, isn't it your turn yet?"
More than half an hour later, Qin Haoran and the others followed a bulldozer to the stone-cutting area. The piece of material he was going to test was not big, weighing only a little over ten kilograms, about the size of a bowling ball.
Chapter 474 The Jade King
“It’s my turn, Uncle Qin. Why don’t you go first? This piece of material is small, you can just wipe it off…”
Zhuang Rui was about to be placed on the stone cutting machine when he saw Qin Haoran and the others arrive. He stopped and laughed when he saw that the rough stone, which was no bigger than a bowling ball, was being moved by a forklift.
"Gentlemen, I'll finish this piece later. Let Mr. Qin clean the rough stone first; it won't take much time. If it's not ready, I can put mine later. Does anyone have any objections?"
Zhuang Rui put the rough stone he was holding on the ground, turned around and said to the people behind him, "You have to queue up to cut stones. There are already seven or eight rough stones behind me."
"It's alright, it's alright, Mr. Qin, please polish the stone first..."
"It's alright, it won't take much time..."
"Boss Zhuang, your material can't be postponed. Everyone's waiting for you to cut the stone..."
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, the crowd cheered him on. Although the others who were about to have their stones cut were resentful, they knew that their influence in the jade gambling circle was far inferior to that of the young man in front of them, so they all nodded in agreement.
When Zhuang Rui was in Pingzhou, he was a complete novice when it came to gambling on jade. The questions he asked were so funny that they made people laugh. However, after half a year, no one dared to underestimate him anymore. After winning that piece of red jadeite rough, Zhuang Rui's reputation in the jade gambling circle was now comparable to that of a superstar in the entertainment industry.
Upon hearing this, Qin Haoran bowed to those around him to express his gratitude, and then placed his piece of material on the stone-cutting machine.
This is a piece of black jadeite rough, a genuine old mine stone from the Pha Gang mine. The entire piece has a black skin, like coal, and you can feel your hands getting black from it when you hold it. It is somewhat similar to the jadeite from the Ma Meng mine, except that the black jadeite from the Ma Meng mine has some gray on the outer skin, while this piece is completely black without a single impurity.
Hpakant is one of the oldest jade mines in Myanmar. However, after hundreds of years of mining, the old mine has been completely depleted and production has ceased. This piece of jade is likely from the mine owners' remaining stock, which was put up for this jade auction.
This black jadeite from the Hpakant mine wasn't polished; it's a completely gambled piece. At a normal price, this piece should be worth around 800,000 RMB. Because the rough stone isn't very large, even if it yields icy jadeite, it would only amount to three to five kilograms, so the gamble isn't too high.
Qin Haoran spent 320,000 euros to buy it, which is equivalent to more than 3 million RMB. In Qin Haoran's mind, he was somewhat dismissive of it. However, this was the first one among the numbered lots that Zhuang Rui wrote down for him, so he spent a lot of money to buy it.
“I also looked at this piece of jade from the Pak Kong mine, I didn’t expect him to buy it…”
"Yes, it's from an old mine; I wonder how many years it's been kept by someone..."
"Qin's Jewelry is really going big this time. I just saw that the starting bid for this material is over 300,000 euros. I wonder if they can make a profit..."
After seeing Qin Haoran's piece of jade, the onlookers started discussing it. They all had sharp eyes and could tell the origin of the rough stone at a glance.
In Myanmar, jadeite from different mines and pits has its own characteristics and varies in quality. Therefore, identifying the mine where the rough stone was taken is very helpful in judging the quality of the jade.
There is a famous saying in the jade industry: "If you don't know the mine, don't gamble on jade." Therefore, when purchasing jadeite rough, you must understand the origin and characteristics of the jade material. Otherwise, you will not be able to do the gambling on jade. The people in front of you are all experts. For them, identifying the origin of the jade from its outer skin is as simple as eating.
"Xiao Rui, how do I wipe it?"
Although Qin Haoran was also a seasoned expert in jade gambling, he couldn't help but ask Zhuang Rui a question after arranging the rough stones. This showed that in his mind, Zhuang Rui's expertise in jade gambling far surpassed his own.
"Uncle Qin, this is old mine jade from the Pak Kong mine. Just pick any side and polish it. I like this piece..."
The old mine rough stones from the Hpakant mine are known for their thin skin, fine jade crystals, good texture, high transparency, and rich color. Mid-range jadeite is most commonly found in these stones, although high-green glass-type jadeite is also occasionally found. Zhuang Rui's words mean that this piece of material should also be like that, with very full jade inside.
"Okay, let's do it your way..."
Qin Haoran took off his suit jacket and handed it to Fang Yi, revealing a white shirt underneath.
Instead of using the stone cutter, he picked up a grinder, turned it on, and began grinding one side of the rough stone with the grinding wheel. As the grinding wheel rubbed against the stone, making a "crackling" sound, the black outer layer peeled off and fell to the ground, leaving a layer of black powder on Qin Haoran's hand holding the grinder.
"It's turning green, it's turning green..."
"Really, it's turned green..."
In the stone-cutting area, the onlookers were even more nervous than the stone cutters. Just as Qin Haoran hadn't finished using a grinding wheel, a touch of green appeared on the surface of the raw stone, which had only been polished to a thickness of less than two centimeters. It was like the green grass sprouting between the black mountains and white waters as winter in the north was about to pass, exuding the breath of spring. It appeared quietly.
Qin Haoran quickly stopped what he was doing, turned off the polishing machine, and used the clean water that Zhuang Rui had just brought to wash the polishing surface. About two fingers wide of jade appeared before his eyes. The clean water flowed over the jade, and under the sunlight, it was crystal clear, green, and shimmering with a captivating brilliance.
"Glassy...glass-type?"
Qin Haoran's eyes were practically glued to the polishing surface, completely ignoring the fact that his white shirt was covered in black dust. His voice was trembling slightly, which was understandable, as Qin Haoran had cut many rough stones before, but this was the first time he had ever cut a piece of glass-type jade.
"A huge surge! A really huge surge..."
"Qin's Jewelry made a killing at this public auction..."
"Perhaps it was Boss Zhuang who chose the material. It's truly divine..."
"Yes, let's see how Mr. Zhuang's own materials are later. Maybe another jade king will emerge..."
The crowd of onlookers became noisy. Dozens of rough stones were cut in the stone-cutting area that morning. Some were profitable, and some were not. However, this was the first time that glass-type jadeite had been seen. Including the stones that had been cut in the past ten days or so, this was the first time that glass-type jadeite had been cut.
The Jade King that some people mention is a living legend. His surname is Tang, and his given name is Tang Zenan. He is from Yunnan and his family has been in the jade business for generations. During the Qing Dynasty, most of the jade that was offered to the imperial palace came from his family.
Born into a family of jadeite enthusiasts, Tang Zenan was immersed in the atmosphere around him from birth. After decades of experience in the jadeite industry, he has become extremely knowledgeable about jadeite. He can estimate the price of any piece of raw jadeite that has not yet been cut, and he is almost certain of the answer.
Tang Zenan, now in his sixties, remains active in the jade gambling circle and is known as the "King of Jade"!
In addition, he also runs two companies specializing in raw jadeite. If Yu Wangye is the king of Hetian jade, then Tang Zenan is the emperor of the jadeite industry. The two are equally well-known in the domestic jade circle.
However, Tang Zenan was unable to attend this jade auction due to other commitments, which many found regrettable. The "Jade King" is known for his magnanimity; he readily agrees to consult with anyone seeking his opinion on rough jade stones. His expertise often determines the final outcome, which is perhaps why he is respectfully called the "Jade King!"
One of the reasons, perhaps.
"Xiao Rui, you won the bet!"
Qin Haoran looked at Zhuang Rui excitedly. The jadeite, which was only two fingers wide, was worth more than 1 million euros. Moreover, judging from the polished surface, there should be a lot of jade inside. Even if it was only three to five kilograms of glass-type material, it would still be worth several million euros. Qin Haoran had made a great deal by gambling for more than 300,000 euros.
Zhuang Rui smiled; he had expected this outcome. He immediately said, "Uncle Qin, congratulations! Shall we wipe it again?"
"Boss Qin, keep wiping, let us see..."
"Yes, it's the first time they've produced a glass-like jadeite specimen. It's an eye-opener for us..."
Those watching knew that Qin Haoran would never sell this piece of jade, but being able to see a piece of high-quality, glassy green jade would be something to brag about in the future.
"No, no, this piece of material needs careful consideration, so I, Qin, will not embarrass myself by offering my work..."
Qin Haoran bowed to the surroundings with a big smile. He was too excited to continue cutting the stone. Cutting stone is a very delicate job. If his hand trembles even slightly during the process, it may damage the jade inside and greatly reduce its value.
"Xiao Rui, come here..."
Qin Haoran happily took the rough stone off the stone-cutting machine and said to Zhuang Rui, his eyes filled with excitement. You know, this was only the first rough stone Zhuang Rui gave him. If the remaining dozens of stones performed like this... good heavens, Qin Haoran couldn't even imagine what would happen.
Qin Haoran had no doubt about Zhuang Rui's judgment anymore. Even if Zhuang Rui told Qin Haoran now that there was jade in the paving bricks, Qin Haoran would probably pry them open and cut them open to see.
"Boss Zhuang, it's your turn. But let's make this clear first, when it comes to jade, you must consider me, Old Han, first..."
Han Haowei is now genuinely envious of Qin Haoran. He knows about the relationship between Zhuang Rui and Qin Haoran, and he wishes his little girl, who just started elementary school, could grow up immediately. He would be willing to be Zhuang Rui's mistress. Having such a son-in-law is like having a mountain of gold.
"Definitely, definitely..."
Zhuang Rui smiled and lifted the raw stone from under the stone cutter onto the top, securing it before turning on the power switch.
Chapter 475 Ice Seed
"Even if I'm considering you first, you still need the other person's consent, right?"
Zhuang Rui looked at the group of jewelry merchants around him, their eyes gleaming with a hint of greed, somewhat resembling the pack of wolves he had encountered on the grasslands. The piece of glass-type jadeite they had just seen had indeed spurred them on. After all, if they were given even a small piece of that material to be polished into a cabochon, it would be worth millions.
These days, other commodities are all about distribution channels, with big retailers like Walmart and Carrefour being incredibly selective. But in the jewelry industry, raw materials are paramount. Whether it's jade, gemstones, diamonds, or agate, any resource that is not renewable in the short term is highly sought after by consumers.
The term "jewelry" has a broad meaning, ranging from exquisite pieces costing millions or tens of millions of yuan to small items costing only a few yuan. These days, almost every man and woman wears one around their neck. The profits generated from jewelry sales in China alone reach hundreds of billions of yuan annually, leading to a situation where there are too many counterfeit products and too few genuine ones. This is one of the reasons why the market is flooded with various fake jade and jewelry items.
Don't be fooled by the high prices of these raw stones, often reaching tens or hundreds of thousands of euros. If you find a good piece, you can earn back the money once it's carved into jewelry. Take, for example, the glass-type jade that Qin Haoran just polished. Although it's only high green and doesn't yet reach the quality of top-grade imperial green, even a piece the size of a bowling ball, if carved well, will be worth no less than 100 million yuan.
"Xiao Rui, should you polish this stone first or cut it directly?"
Qin Haoran was still excited and seemed to want to help Zhuang Rui make a cut.
"Slice it directly..."
Zhuang Rui's piece of material wasn't very big, only a little over thirty kilograms. It was just a stone egg slightly larger than a football, but it was oval in shape and had a protruding part in the middle, somewhat like the forehead of the God of Longevity. Its appearance was quite ugly. If it weren't for the black spots on the outer shell, no one would think it was a piece of jadeite rough.
Because the rough stone was of such poor quality, Zhuang Rui completely forgot about it after submitting his bid of 185,000 euros. If Peng Fei hadn't jotted it down in his notebook and discovered it, the first case of bid evasion at this jade auction might have occurred.
"Alright, let's get to work..."
Zhuang Rui casually drew a line on the rough stone with chalk, then threw the chalk on the ground, dusted off his hands, and turned to grip the handle of the stone cutter.