It's important to know that the rough stones available for gambling at major domestic auctions, apart from those smuggled out, are mostly second-hand goods. In terms of both price and quality, they are far inferior to the rough stones at Myanmar auctions.
Mr. Zhang felt that his experience and skills were enough to make him a force to be reckoned with in the international jadeite rough market, so he came to participate in the Myanmar jadeite auction for two reasons: first, to gain fame, and second, to make money.
"Damn it, what does his pursuit of fame have to do with me? Why is he targeting me?"
Zhuang Rui was somewhat frustrated. He had gone overseas to salvage a shipwreck, but first he encountered pirates, and then, to make matters worse, a bunch of people came to steal his spoils from the shipwreck. Now, even participating in a jade auction, he was being used as a stepping stone.
The truth is simple: these days, fame and money are synonymous.
Putting everything else aside, if Zhuang Rui were to cut a stone, as long as the green color is revealed through the window or the cut surface, someone would definitely buy it at a high price, because Zhuang Rui's past track record is enough to convince people of his judgment.
Zhang Yunhui can only sell rough stones at a high price if he sees a confirmed jadeite, so reputation is also very important in the jade gambling industry.
Take Sister Furong, who became famous online for her quirky antics in the past two years, for example. Didn't she gain fame first and then profit? She struck a few S-shaped poses, which drew a lot of criticism online, but businesses immediately rushed to have her advertise. It's the same principle. ...
"Mr. Zhang, get started. If you can find some good material, I'll buy it right away..."
"Old Zhao, even if there are good materials, it's not your turn. Can't you see how many people are gathered here?"
"Boss Zhang, hurry up and cut the stone, it's getting dark soon, don't dawdle..."
The people gathered around the stone-cutting area were either gambling on stones for profit like Zhang Yunhui, or jewelers. They watched Zhang Yunhui and Zhuang Rui chattering for a long time without actually cutting the stones, and they couldn't help but get impatient, so they started making noise.
"Right away, right away, I was just asking Teacher Zhuang for advice, but he doesn't think much of this piece. Whether this rough stone is just all talk or has real quality, we'll find out once we cut it open..."
Zhang Yunhui spoke very loudly, as if afraid that the onlookers wouldn't hear him, and his words implied that Zhuang Rui was all talk and no action, saying that he was all talk and no action.
"Old Zhang went a bit too far with his words..."
"That's right, Teacher Zhuang won every bet back then, his reputation wasn't just for show..."
"It's hard to say. A few years ago there were many good stones, but now the skill of gambling on stones is more important..."
"Exactly, maybe that guy surnamed Zhuang just got lucky. Otherwise, why haven't we seen him make a move these past few years?"
These words sparked a flurry of discussion among the surrounding people. By now, everyone could see that Boss Zhang and Zhuang Rui were actually competing with each other.
However, the crowd was divided into two groups. One group had seen Zhuang Rui gamble on stones before and had great confidence in him, while the other group had only recently entered the stone gambling circle and expressed doubts about Zhuang Rui's skill level.
"Hehe, since Mr. Zhang asked me to say a few words, then I'll give my assessment of this piece of material..."
Although Zhuang Rui didn't care about this empty title, he was still a little annoyed by Zhang Yunhui's repeated provocations. After hearing other people's comments, he finally couldn't hold back anymore. If these comments reached Old Master Gu's ears, who knew how the old man would punish him.
Zhang Yunhui had previously seen Zhuang Rui repeatedly back down, and assumed he was just a person with a reputation but no substance. He was taken aback when Zhuang Rui actually offered to comment on his rough stone. He then said, "Alright, it's rare to have Mr. Zhuang here. I'm all ears." Zhang Yunhui was quite confident in his ability to gamble on cracks. He hadn't done anything else all day but had spent the entire day by this rough stone. After various observations, he finally won the bid for it at a high price of 60 to 70 million RMB.
People who have made their fortunes in traditional businesses tend to have a strong sense of self-confidence, and Zhang Yunhui's success in the jade gambling market over the past two years has only fueled his confidence.
Mr. Zhang firmly believed that green would definitely appear under this crack. As long as the green was found, such a large piece of material could earn him at least 30 million. In just one day, he could make a profit of 30 million. No other business could earn that much.
Now that Zhuang Rui is willing to give his comments, he couldn't be happier. He can gain both fame and fortune. Boss Zhang is probably secretly laughing to himself right now.
"The outer skin of this piece looks good. Judging from the python pattern and these moss-like bands, there should be jadeite inside..."
"Professor Zhuang, we know all that, but let's have a different perspective..."
"Yes, let's talk about the cracks. Nine out of ten cracks lead to collapse. Is this piece the same?"
Zhuang Rui had only said a few words when he was interrupted by the people present. This was not the year when Zhuang Rui once dominated the jade gambling industry. He had been away from this circle for a long time, and to some extent, people had some doubts about Zhuang Rui.
"Alright, let's talk about the cracks..."
Zhuang Rui nodded and continued, "The crack on this rough stone isn't deep, but it's quite long. Although you can see green where the crack goes, based on my personal experience, it's inevitable that there will be green underneath. It's just unlikely to form a continuous line; it's probably just a patch of green, not worth the price Mr. Zhang paid..."
Zhuang Rui's words have basically revealed the situation of the rough stone. The truth will be revealed when the stone is cut later. As for the reason, he also said that it is "experience". Anyway, with Zhuang Rui's background in the stone gambling circle, as long as he is right, he will definitely be sought after by everyone, and no one will question why he can speak so accurately.
However, Zhuang Rui's words stirred up a hornet's nest. The onlookers began to whisper among themselves. If Zhuang Rui was right, he could dispel the doubts about his undeserved reputation, but if he was wrong, his reputation would be ruined.
"Hmph, you'll know once it's untied..."
As the owner of the stone, Zhang Yunhui naturally didn't care about Zhuang Rui's words. He immediately called a few people to lift the raw stone onto the stone-cutting machine.
Chapter 964 A Mere Empty Reputation (Part 2)
Seeing Zhang Yunhui moving the rough stones, Han Haowei whispered to Zhuang Rui, "Brother, are you confident? This Zhang kid has been quite lucky. In the past two years in the jade gambling circle, he doesn't seem to have lost much money..."
Although I can't stand Zhang Yunhui's arrogant attitude, I can't deny that he is really good at gambling on jade. His past achievements speak for themselves, and he has unearthed several good pieces of jadeite.
Gambling on stones is just like fighting a war; it's all about winning or losing, and the outcome is decided in one fell swoop. There's no way to fake it, so Han Haowei was a little worried for Zhuang Rui. If he said something wrong, all his previous reputation would be ruined.
Upon hearing this, Zhuang Rui gave a wry smile and said, "Brother Han, even a god can't judge a piece of jade by its appearance. No one can say for sure whether they're confident or not. But if it turns out to be green, please don't bid..."
Cutting stones also requires skill. If Zhang Yunhui is skilled enough, he should be able to cut to the surface of the jade. If he can stop and sell it directly, he won't lose money, and might even make a small profit.
But if Zhang Yunhui is greedy and wants to keep cutting, then today will be his Waterloo in the jade gambling market, and even a god couldn't save him.
"Mr. Zhang, if you find any green ones later, consider selling them to me first!"
"Highest bidder wins, Lao Zhao, what are you doing getting involved..."
"Alright, stop talking, let's watch Old Zhang cut the stone..."
Zhang Yunhui has been in the jade gambling circle for two years and has some fans. Of course, most people are interested in the jade after it has been cut, so they try to get close to him.
For jewelers who are unwilling to take the risk of gambling on rough stones, buying ready-made jade or cutting open ordinary jade is the most cost-effective option. Therefore, these people usually maintain good relationships with people like Zhang Yunhui.
Zhang Yunhui had already had the raw stone lifted onto the stone-cutting machine, and he was walking back and forth observing the direction of the cracks. Although he had just made some boastful remarks, he was extremely cautious, using a magnifying glass to observe the direction of the cracks almost inch by inch.
Cutting jade is a very meticulous and technical task that requires a keen eye. A piece of top-quality jade will often see its price plummet after it is cut badly. For example, if a piece of jade that could have been made into a bracelet is cut into a cabochon instead, its value will naturally be much lower.
Similarly, even if there isn't much jade in this rough stone, as long as you can cut it precisely and bring out its best aspects, even if you only cut half of it open, people will still rush to buy it.
It was already past 7 p.m., and more and more people were coming out of the jade trading center and gathering in the jade cutting area. The originally sparse crowd was now surrounded by three concentric circles.
It's well known that cutting stones is always the most exciting thing. Even if you're not the one doing it, you can't help but feel excited and thrilled when you see a piece of green jade.
Above the stone cutter, a high-wattage light bulb lit up, illuminating the surroundings in minute detail. Zhang Yunhui, who had been observing for almost 20 minutes, finally gripped the handle of the stone cutter.
"Click...click click..."
The huge gears of the stone cutter began to turn, their bright, sharp surfaces reflecting the light from above like mirrors, creating a beautiful sight.
Hearing that familiar sound, Zhuang Rui was somewhat lost in thought. This scene seemed so familiar to him. Not long ago, it was amidst this "click-click" sound that Zhuang Rui earned his first real pot of gold.
"Damn it, I'm definitely going to bid on a piece of this tomorrow and cut it open for fun..."
At this moment, Zhuang Rui seemed to have returned to the Pingzhou public auction years ago, and the exhilarating feeling of winning after betting big seemed to return to him.
"It went up, gambling went up, now it's turning green..."
Suddenly, a gasp came from beside him, interrupting Zhuang Rui's recollection. Looking closely, he saw a small cut surface at the very edge of the crack, and on that cut surface, a vibrant green hue appeared.
"Teacher Mao, what kind of water is it?"
"Yes, Teacher Mao, take a look! It's only cut this little bit and it's already showing green. This piece is going to be a huge investment..."
After the green color was extracted, someone immediately went to the stone-cutting machine to observe the grade of the jadeite, while Zhang Yunhui turned off the stone-cutting machine and stood to the side with a smug look on his face.
"It's icy jade, high-grade icy jade, only slightly inferior to glassy jade. Mr. Zhang has a good eye..."
Zhuang Rui also knows this Teacher Mao. He is a teacher at Yunnan Geological College. He is not very good at gambling on stones, but he is an authoritative expert when it comes to appreciating jadeite.
He is often invited to appraise jade at various public auctions, but this time it was unclear which boss invited him, so as soon as Teacher Mao spoke, the audience immediately started to clamor.
The first stone cut open on the first day was a high-grade icy jade, which immediately made everyone eager to try it.
It should be noted that in recent years, jadeite rough from old mines has almost become extinct, and the material from new mines cannot compare with that from old mines in terms of both texture and clarity.
Therefore, whenever icy jadeite appears on the market, it will attract a lot of jewelers to compete for it, not to mention that this piece of jadeite is of high icy quality, and its price is several times higher than that of ordinary icy jadeite.
Immediately, the onlookers began to whisper among themselves, and some even asked to come forward to examine the cut surface in order to make their later bids.
"You've got some skill; that cut is right on the jadeite surface..."
Zhuang Rui was close by and immediately saw the cut surface. He sighed inwardly, realizing he had underestimated everyone else. No one else had the keen eye he possessed, and the stone he had cut was flawless.
You know, if you cut it in the middle, you won't even see the green part. You'll have to cut the whole piece of jade in half, and you'll be lucky to sell it for six or seven million RMB.
However, Zhang Yunhui only cut off a piece of scrap weighing about 30 kilograms, and it turned out to be green. In most people's minds, if this green were to extend inward by just one or two fingers, its value would far exceed his winning bid.
"Impressive, Mr. Zhang. I'll offer seven million euros for this piece of material, what do you say?"
"Old Zhao, you're talking nonsense. Someone else bought it for 6.8 million euros, and you think you can just add 200,000 and take it? There's no such thing as a free lunch."
"That's right, Lao Zhang, we've known each other for a long time. Give me some face, how about seven and a half million euros?"
"Seven million eight hundred thousand euros. Look at this water. If we just let a finger or two's width seep in, and then pull out some other material, we'll make a guaranteed profit. I'll offer seven million eight hundred thousand euros..."
About twenty minutes later, more than a dozen jewelers from China had examined the cut surface, and some couldn't help but start quoting prices. In today's world where jade resources are becoming increasingly scarce, icy jade is already something that many merchants are vying for.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this piece of material has only had such a small section cut open, yet it has yielded such high-quality jadeite. I think everyone should be well aware of its value, right?"
After hearing everyone's bids, Zhang Yunhui finally spoke up. In his mind, the bottom line for this rough stone was that it would have to sell for at least 10 million euros, which is 100 million RMB, before he would even consider making a move.
However, after Zhang Yunhui said this, the scene fell silent. Everyone knew that adding another hundred thousand euros would probably not be enough to acquire this piece of material, and they all weighed the options in their minds and began to prepare their next round of bids.
"Brother, is this material really all green? How could he cut it so accurately?"
Seeing the heated bidding, Han Haowei was also tempted. As a businessman, he naturally wanted to make a move when he saw good raw materials. However, after hearing Zhuang Rui's words, he hesitated.
At this moment, Boss Han was unsure whether to believe Zhuang Rui's words, the scene before him, or his own judgment.
"Old Han, I've made myself clear. Believe it or not, it's up to you. Just don't blame me if you suffer losses after taking the picture..."
Zhuang Rui and Han Haowei had a good relationship; otherwise, he wouldn't have sold those top-quality jadeite pieces to him recently. So he gave him a hint, and as for Han Haowei's choice, Zhuang Rui couldn't force him.
Whether it was the heat or nervousness, Mr. Han's forehead was covered in fine sweat. After staring at the slice of meat that shimmered with a greenish hue under the light for a while, he gritted his teeth and said, "Brother, I believe you!"
Inside the stone-cutting yard, not only were the buyers tense, but the sellers were also on edge, ready to speak at any moment. Zhang Yunhui appeared calm, but his heart was actually churning, wishing that a buyer would offer a high price so he could quickly sell the jade.
From the current perspective, the jade has already been a winning bet. For Zhang Yunhui, who makes money by gambling on jade, the most important thing is to cash it out, because this one piece of jade alone has tied up almost half of his wealth.
Based on just this small cross-section, no one dared to bid high, and there was a moment of awkward silence. Zhang Yunhui gradually felt the pressure and kept searching the crowd with his eyes.
"Um?"
Zhang Yunhui suddenly saw Zhuang Rui, smiled, and said, "Teacher Zhuang, you must have misjudged him today. The material has already been cut open. How about... you take another look?"
Zhang Yunhui was not a magnanimous person. He was still holding a grudge about Zhuang Rui's comments earlier. Facts speak louder than words, and now that he had won the bet, he wanted to embarrass Zhuang Rui.
"Let me give my opinion?"
Zhuang Rui looked at Zhang Yunhui with a half-smile and said, "I'll say it again, this piece of material is all green, the jade underneath definitely won't be deep. Why don't you cut it open again and let me see?"
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, the jewelers who had been hesitating about whether to ask for a high price were stunned. It seemed... that was indeed a possibility!