"Impossible, how could this be?"
"The outer layer of this material is almost glassy, so why is there nothing inside?"
"20 million, I bet 20 million! This...this..."
When the seventh rough stone was cut open, a clamor of cheers erupted in the room. You see, apart from Zhuang Rui, almost everyone was optimistic about this rough stone and placed heavy bets on it. However, the stone's performance was completely different from what they had imagined. It was not even as good as the bean-type jadeite, let alone glass-type jadeite.
"Old Tang, this...this is too strange! Why does it look good on the outside, but there's nothing inside? I had an expert examine this rough stone..."
The person who asked the question was surnamed Hao. He had spent 12 million RMB to buy this piece of jade from a raw stone merchant in Chaozhou. Mr. Hao was not a fool. He had invited a person from Guangzhou who claimed to be a jade gambling expert to examine the jade. At the time, the expert confidently said that the raw stone would be worth at least 100 million RMB after it was cut open. That's why Mr. Hao spent the money to acquire it.
After hearing what Boss Hao said, the other gambler who had lost money earlier chimed in, "Yeah, that piece of jade I bought earlier was also examined by an expert from Guangzhou. He said it was a good piece of rough jade, but this damn rough jade is a complete fake..."
"Ahem, everyone, may I ask who your jade gambling expert is?"
Standing in the circle, Director Qin asked a question. With their discerning eyes, they had long since realized that these rough stones were all fake. However, since it wasn't their business, Zhuang Rui and the others were unwilling to say more. It wasn't until Boss Hao pressed them relentlessly that Director Qin finally spoke up and asked this question.
"His surname is Xie..."
"I invited someone surnamed Sun..."
"His surname is Zhou, and he claims to be an expert from the World Jade Association. Here, I even have his business card..."
The names given by the various people were all different. Boss Hao also carried the business card of that expert, Zhou, with him. He found it and handed it to Director Qin.
"Standing Director of the Asian Jade Association? Member of the World Jade Association?"
When Boss Qin read out the title on his business card, Tang Lao and the others were immediately dumbfounded. He and Zhuang Rui were both considered giants in the jade gambling circle, but they had never heard of such a flashy name before. It seemed that... there was no jade association in Asia, right?
"Oh, the expert I invited is also from the Asian Jade Association. Look, this is his business card..."
After Director Qin finished speaking, another boss also took out a business card from his bag. When Director Qin held both business cards in his hands, several people standing close to him immediately noticed something amiss.
The two business cards were placed side by side. Apart from the different names, everything else, such as the titles, printing, paper, and even the patterns, was almost identical. Although the bosses in the market didn't know anything about gambling on jade, they were extremely adept at the deceit and trickery in the business world. Without even thinking, they all realized that they had been cheated.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let me first make it clear that the most authoritative jade appraisal institution in China is the National Jade Association, located in Beijing. You can also find it on their website. As for this so-called Asian Jade Association, it should be... a fraudulent organization." Tang Lao's words shattered the last shred of hope in many people's hearts. As it turned out, these seasoned veterans in the business world, who were always setting traps for others, had indeed been caught this time.
"Call the police! We must call the police and have them caught..."
"Yes, call the police. Damn it, I've been hunting geese all my life, but I never expected to get my eyes pecked..."
"I asked my police friends in Guangzhou to take that expert into custody first..."
Someone suggested calling the police, which immediately cheered up the bosses who had been as dejected as wilted eggplants. Some even took out their phones, ready to use their connections to arrest the expert who was colluding with the fraudsters.
For these people, money is a small matter, but face is a big deal. It would be difficult to appease the hatred in people's hearts if they didn't catch those who set traps for them.
"Call the police? How can we call the police? The person selling the rough stones has probably already run away. Even if you catch that 'expert,' you can't do anything about the others; they can just say, 'I misjudged them.'"
"That way they can completely shirk responsibility..."
A discordant voice suddenly rang out.
Chapter 1079 Frog in a Well
The speaker was Director Qin. Because of his jade business, Old Tang always gave these wealthy people face, but Director Qin was different. He didn't do jade business, so he spoke more bluntly.
However, though the words were crude, the principle was sound. Director Qin's words silenced the previously agitated bosses, who all fell silent as if an inflated balloon had burst.
Director Qin is right. In this business, one must be willing to take the risk. Jade gambling is inherently a business activity with both high risks and high profits. Once you decide to participate, you must be prepared for the gains and losses. On the other hand, like the antique trade, it is very difficult to distinguish between genuine and fake or inferior jade gambling.
Although instruments can detect fake rough stones, there are no relevant laws or regulations governing rough stone gambling in China, making it difficult to convict counterfeiters, let alone those "experts" who collude with swindlers. They can easily shirk all responsibility with a simple "I misjudged" statement.
After all, experts aren't omnipotent; everyone makes mistakes. When those bosses hired experts, they didn't sign contracts, so there's no binding force on them. Before this, there were cases of people being cheated who reported the case, but due to the lack of relevant regulations, they couldn't be convicted. The relevant departments could only advise those wealthy bosses to be cautious in their business dealings.
"Sigh, whatever, I guess I'm just unlucky to have such bad eyesight..."
"Old Hao, it's nothing. You weren't the only one making this losing deal..."
"Gambling on jade is risky. It seems we still need to learn more about the relevant knowledge..."
If it were just Mr. Hao who was unlucky, he would definitely not be able to swallow this anger. However, there were seven or eight other bosses in the room who had fallen into the same trap as him, which calmed Mr. Hao down. As the saying goes, it is better to share happiness than to enjoy it alone. Everyone lost face, let alone the second brother.
"Mr. Tang, did you realize beforehand that these raw stones were fake?"
Suddenly, a voice rang out from the crowd. The speaker was one of the business owners who had been fooled this time.
"Well, this fake jadeite rough is actually a real rough stone, just of inferior quality. After being processed by counterfeiters, it has become so realistic that even I need some instruments to detect it..."
Old Tang's words were half true and half false. Given the level of skill of these fake raw stones on site, Old Tang could tell them apart at a glance. However, there were also some expert fakers who needed to use some simple instruments to assist in the testing.
Many skilled counterfeiters use raw stones that are already of good quality, then make some modifications to key parts to increase their value. Such counterfeit raw stones cannot be identified even by Master Tang without some auxiliary instruments and half a day of skill.
"Here, let me give you another piece of advice: if you want to get into the jade gambling circle, it's best to buy rough stones at public jade auctions in China and Myanmar. Never do business with rough stone dealers privately through middlemen..."
After casually brushing aside the man's question, Old Tang gave everyone some advice and suggestions. Old Tang's advice was most suitable for those who had just entered the world of jade gambling. Although they were all leaders in other industries, they were real newcomers in the jade gambling world and were the most likely targets for unscrupulous raw stone merchants to fleece.
Fake rough stones are almost non-existent at Myanmar jade auctions. The technique is too advanced for Myanmar jade mine owners to master, and they are rarely seen at domestic auctions either. After all, there are many experts in these public settings, and if they are recognized, their reputation will be ruined, and no one will dare to do business with them again.
However, in the Chaoshan region, some people who lost money in the raw jadeite business took the risk and started making fakes. These people have a deep understanding of raw jadeite, and the raw stones they process are almost indistinguishable from the real thing. They then hire accomplices to help them, specifically targeting those who have only a superficial understanding of raw jadeite but want to enter the industry. ...
Of course, since it's gambling, there are always winners and losers. When the three bookmakers, including Mr. Wang, saw this, they secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and the heart that had been hanging in their throats for so long finally settled down.
"Old Wang, the world of jade gambling is very complex. I think our club needs to learn more about it..."
Mr. Zhao, one of the bookmakers and a multi-millionaire, still broke out in a cold sweat watching today's jade gambling. In such a short time, all seven jade stones were broken, resulting in direct losses of tens of millions for the original stone owners.
"Yeah, Old Zhao is right. If we get fooled a few more times, our club will become a laughing stock..."
The other dealer nodded with lingering fear. These tens of millions hadn't even made a splash. You know, even when gambling in a Macau casino, unless it's a privately arranged bet, you might not lose this much money even if you gambled in the main hall for a week.
"We're all like frogs in a well, thinking we're the only ones who matter just because we've made a little money. There's so much to learn in this world..."
Mr. Wang nodded in agreement. He used to be just a consumer of finished jadeite products. It was only after getting to know Mr. Tang that he heard about the jadeite gambling business. In addition, the price of raw jadeite has soared in recent years, and it has been reported on TV a lot. So Mr. Wang had the idea of establishing such a club.
However, Mr. Wang originally set up this jade gambling club with the intention of gathering some connections and making more friends. Only now did he realize that this jade gambling business was a huge success, with higher profits than their traditional business. Of course, the risks were also much greater.
The three bookmakers were secretly relieved as the bets on the rough stone kept going out of business. They knew that the total amount wagered on the rough stone exceeded 100 million. If high-quality jadeite were found, it would mean that they would lose several hundred million. Even with their financial resources, they would have to raise the money from various sources.
So while everyone was asking about the tricks involved in jade gambling, the three bookmakers wiped the sweat from their brows.
The next two rough stones were cut open. The first one yielded a golden thread jadeite, and the owner lost several hundred thousand yuan. The second one was quite good, as it actually yielded a fist-sized egg-white jadeite. The owner bought it for 800,000 yuan. According to Mr. Tang's valuation, this jadeite could be sold for about 1.5 million yuan, making the guy grin from ear to ear.
Mr. Wang and the others were also very happy, because the bet on that rough stone, with odds of 1 to 5, was only a little over two million. Even if they won, they would only have to pay out a little over ten million. Today's stone gambling was still a big win for the three of them.
The total stakes in this betting game reached over 200 million RMB. Even though the bookmaker was quite wealthy, he was still very sensitive to this number. This wasn't gambling on stones; it was practically robbery. In just half a day, each person could earn nearly 100 million RMB. How many buildings would it take to earn that back?
So Mr. Wang and the others were secretly pleased. Of course, they also knew that such an event might only happen once in a lifetime. If such an event were to be held again, the goods that these bosses who had suffered losses would probably be completely different.
"Teacher Zhuang, should I cut this piece of jade, or would you like to do it yourself?"
Director Yu's words drew everyone's attention to Zhuang Rui. Because the black sand itself was not large and was not very noticeable when it was thrown on the ground, many people had even forgotten that there was another raw stone in the room.
Zhuang Rui waved his hand and said with a smile, "Director Yu, you should do it. Black jadeite usually has a thin skin, and this is an old mine piece. How about this... you don't need to cut it. Try grinding a few centimeters with a grinder. If no green comes out from three centimeters, then it's a waste..."
This fist-sized piece of jade had a green band appearing when it went in two centimeters, but the quality of that green band was average. However, one centimeter further in, there was an egg-sized piece of icy jadeite. Although it couldn't compare to Zhuang Rui's collection, it was undoubtedly the best piece in this setting.
"I think we shouldn't waste time, let's just cut it. Today's 'King of Jade' is definitely the previous piece of jade..."
"Yes, this jade isn't easy to find. Let's just cut it open..."
"So many good pieces of material haven't yielded jade, what could this one possibly produce?"
The guy who said that clearly forgot that the so-called "good material" he was referring to was all artificially synthesized. These people are used to judging things by their appearance, but they don't know that the reason why black jadeite is called the most risky jadeite rough in gambling is because its internal changes are mysterious and unpredictable. Seemingly ordinary stones can often yield jadeite worth a fortune.
"Alright, everyone be quiet, let Mr. Yu cut the stone first..."
Mr. Wang was also a little uneasy. Judging from the current situation, the three bookmakers were the big winners today, but for some reason, Mr. Wang felt a little panicked, as if something was going to happen.
As the gears of the stone-grinding machine whirred, everyone's eyes were drawn to the black stone, which was slightly larger than a fist. Layers of debris were scraped away by the gears, revealing fine white crystals inside.
Director Yu's stone-cutting skills are truly impressive. He used force with his wrist to create a dent about two centimeters long, then stopped. He scooped up a handful of water and poured it onto the stone, examined it carefully, and then looked up and exclaimed, "Teacher Zhuang, it's green..."
"What? This broken stone actually contains jade?"
"That's impossible! This stone is so small and so ugly, how could it possibly contain jade?"
Everyone was stunned. They never expected that the stone, which seemed least likely to yield jade, would actually produce jade.
Chapter 1080 Jade Within Jade
"Mr. Yu, what quality is this piece of jade?"
While everyone was astonished that this unremarkable rough stone could yield jadeite, only the three bookmakers, including Boss Wang, were in a state of panic. They were just about to have the gamble come to a perfect end, with each of them making tens of millions, but the very piece of material that was least likely to contain jadeite had actually yielded it, which immediately made them feel uneasy.
"Yes, take a look quickly, is this... is this icy jadeite?"
Director Yu originally wanted to rub it in a little more, but after hearing what President Wang said, he stopped, washed the dent with water, and examined it carefully.
"This... it probably doesn't reach the 'icy jade' level; the translucency isn't high enough. It's barely at the 'egg white' level, I guess? Mr. Tang, would you mind taking a look?"
After examining the material with a powerful flashlight for a while, Director Yu gave his assessment: the green color was quite good, but the texture and clarity were slightly inferior. Director Yu knew that Zhuang Rui had placed a heavy bet on this piece of material, and it was only out of respect for him that he reluctantly described it as having an egg-white texture.
Upon hearing that this piece of jadeite could actually reach the "egg white" grade, Mr. Wang and the others immediately tensed up and eagerly asked, "Then... how does it compare to the previous piece of jadeite?"
"this……"
Director Yu glanced up at Zhuang Rui, who was smiling but showed no reaction. After thinking for a moment, he said, "That piece of jade is still performing better. However, Mr. Wang, it's only been partially cut; it's not fully unearthed yet. We can only make a final judgment after it's completely unearthed..."
Director Yu said this because he didn't want to offend Zhuang Rui. According to his experience in cutting stones, black jadeite is too risky, and jadeite with good water content is rare. In his opinion, there was no need to cut this piece any further.
"Hehe, alright then, Mr. Tang, please continue unraveling the mystery after you've finished reading it..."
Upon hearing this, the three businessmen were overjoyed. They were all shrewd businessmen, and they could easily see the director's apprehension towards Zhuang Rui. They could also tell that the director's words were merely an explanation to Zhuang Rui.
"Xiao Yu's assessment is correct. The quality of this piece of jade doesn't actually reach the level of egg white jade; it's more like lychee jade..."
Old Tang put on his reading glasses and held a powerful flashlight, looking at the edge of the stone. His words carried far more weight than those of the council members, and a chorus of sighs immediately rose from the room. Old Tang's words meant that the winning stone for today's jade gambling had been determined.
"However, the fog under the surface of this piece of material varies in depth from light to dark. Right now, we can only see a small area about the size of a thumb, which doesn't prove anything. Let's cut it all open before making a judgment..."
Old Tang's next words made everyone gasp again, "Is this old man out of breath because of his age? Why does he speak in such broken sentences?"
Especially the three of them, including President Wang, were so eager to take action after hearing what Old Tang said that they wanted to use the alloy gear to cut the stone in two immediately, so as to avoid being tortured in such a state of anxiety.
"Click...click click..."
The unpleasant grinding sound of gears rang out again. This rough stone was not large to begin with, and after changing two gears, the outer skin and crystalline material on one side of the rough stone had been wiped away, revealing a layer of jadeite.
"The quality is the same as before, still the lychee variety, some parts even reach the glutinous variety. Teacher Zhuang, would you like to take a look?"