Well, not really. We still have a shoot scheduled high atop Pico da Ibituruna, a mountain famous for attracting hang gliders and paragliders. In addition to filming these highflying thrill seekers, we will shoot promotional videos for eBay®-based, ecommerce solution, Prostores™, and the Independent Jewelers Organization (IJO).

Atop Pico da Ibituruna, I pause to take in the Brazilian splendor all around me. Wow, what a beautiful scene viewed from 3,000ft above the city of Governador Valadares! The River Doce runs between the city and the mountain. The river, once polluted by industrial waste and lacking fish and vegetation, thrives today and provides an example of what the private sector and government may accomplish when sharing a mutual goal to protect the environment.

A glance off in the far distance, just at the base of the horizon, reveals a mountain, which produces Yellow Emeralds and an abundance of other gemstones just waiting to be uncovered and treasured.

The sky is blue, the clouds are white, and the grass is so green. Truly a ‘Kodak moment.’

Surrounded by the sunlit and the serene, I can’t help but reflect on my week in Brazil. I think back over the meetings, the mine, the tense moments, the tarantulas…  I remember the miners, trimmers, cutters, and of course, the cachaça.  After a whirlwind adventure in Brazil, I have to admit that standing atop Pico da Ibituruna is like a powerful drug. Relaxing, soaking in the sun, feeling the warm gusts of wind blowing against my skin… it makes the perfect setting for the end of this journey.

Goodbye, Brazil – for now. As I start the long voyage home, I know these lasting memories will revive my spirits on those cold, blustery, wintery days back in Michigan. This area of the world is so magical. I’ll never forget the endless rolling landscape and warm and friendly people that come together in this one part of the world.

My only goal when I return home is to start looking for a great price on the next flight back.

In Detroit, when we say factory, we think of huge buildings employing hundreds, if not thousands, of people. In Brazil, a gemstone factory is small – very small. Generally, these factories run about the size of a two car garage, if that. Sandwiched inside these tight quarters, anywhere from 6 -12 cutters will create masterpieces.

Just before arriving in Brazil, I ordered four-hundred carats of Yellow Emeralds to be cut. Upon arrival, I explained that I needed this material right away for an important tradeshow coming up in Las Vegas. One of our cutters – we’ll call him Gustavo – looked at me, rolled his eyes, and said, “It’s not that easy. Let me show you.” That’s exactly what Gustavo did.

First, he led me to a 20’ x 15’ room through several, heavily armor-plated, carefully locked doors. This put me in mind of the opening of the 1960s TV show, “Get Smart,” where secret agent, Maxwell Smart, moves through a series of armored doors to reach headquarters. Just like it had for Smart, it took us time and effort to reach our destination – the gemstone cutting room. The cutters undertake these security measures to protect themselves and the Yellow Emeralds from the threat of robbery.

Gustavo dragged me by the arm over to a large, white table, and then he pulled out a bag of rough stones the mine had just delivered. He told me that he had paid $100,000 for the rough stones, which filled a parcel about the size of a loaf of bread. Then, Gustavo poured out the package contents.  Spread out over the table, the stones resembled big chunks of yellow rock salt. The contents had been acid washed to remove all the gravel and dirt from its crevasses.  Gustavo explained that in this process, the first step is to sort the goods. He buys the rough material by the kilo and is not able to pick and choose anything.

Surprisingly, 80% of this $100,000 bag will not be used. In fact, the rejected portion will be discarded. Why? To put it plainly, the majority of colors are often too light or the stones contain too many inclusions. Can you imagine paying $100,000 for a bag of rocks, all the while knowing that only 20% will be suitable for cutting? My stomach turned as his explanation, delivered in broken English, revealed his emotions.

“Then… then, we lose more,” he lamented. “From what is left, we lose another 80% in the cutting and polishing.” He was right. After all, no one would want to wear a Yellow Emerald that looks like rock salt, so each stone must be to be trimmed, cut, faceted, and polished.  Importantly, each 10 carat, rough emerald yields only a two carat, polished gemstone. In order to find a 10 carat, rough stone appropriate for cutting, fifty carats of rough must be purchased from the mine. That’s the way it works. But that’s not all. In order to procure fifty carats of rough, miners must dig TWO TONS of rock out of the mine.

The arm pulling continued. Gustavo uttered, “I show you,” and together, we entered yet another tiny room about the size of a typical closet. There, we came upon two men.  Gustavo gestured to the first – a trimmer – and we watched him work. “This is the most important part for me,” Gustavo shared, and then explained that if the trimmer was careless, he could lose all of his fingers.  During this process, a prolonged blink or a daydream could result in disaster.  “This is trimming,” Gustavo explained, “he cuts off the bad parts and slices the stone.  If he is not the best, we lose money by [his] cutting off too much and if he cuts off too little, the stone looks bad and cannot be sold.”

I offer you fair warning: When our series airs and you see the footage of this procedure, please be prepared for nausea and discomfort, for this is one complicated and dangerous process. When trimming, the trimmer grips a small rock and quickly pushes it into a spinning blade with no real safety for his fingertips, save a rubber piece that wraps around his fingers like a condom. The rubber is not meant to protect him – it serves to prevent the stone from flying out while undergoing trimming. Should the trimmer slip, the rubber grips would be sliced through without any hesitation, causing severe trauma. Adding to the threat, the saw blade sits within a scant 1mm of his fingers.  Needless to say, this man is good. He has to be! Gustavo and I watched for a few minutes. The trimmer’s speed dazzled me.  My mind boggled over how he could move so quickly and focus on this process all day long. His nerves must be made of steel.

In addition to the enormous tension he already faces, the trimmer needs to know what sizes consumers are buying. If his customers want a three carat, he needs to slice a piece large enough to cut a three carat. In addition, jewelry manufactures prefer certain sizes. Because these manufacturers produce hundreds of the same jewelry design, they need the same size gemstone every time. Consequently, a trimmer cutting just a little larger or just a little smaller than what a jewelry manufacturer needs would face the rejection of several hundred stones.

After the stone is sliced, the shaping and outlining of the rough crystal can take several hours.  “Once the stone is trimmed and made much, much smaller, it has to be shaped,” Gustavo stated as he pointed to the other man in this tiny room. This guy is not only a highly skilled cutter; he must look at the rough stone and determine its best shape. In addition, he must make conclusions based on the highest amount of weight he can get out the shape. On top of that, he must know what is selling. If he cuts too many pear shapes when jewelers aren’t buying pear shapes, those Yellow Emeralds will remain in the vault.

While at this point we could get an idea of the size and outline of the finished piece, the stones lack a critical element: brilliance. Accordingly, Gustavo led me to yet another room – this one as quiet as a church. No windows, music, or distractions. Why? This served as the workplace of the faceter – the next person to touch the gemstone.  Here, faceting requires complete concentration as each gemstone receives 70 facets or small angles. Fifty-eight facets allow a diamond to twinkle, but our Yellow Emerald™ gemstones reflect light and shimmer through the application of 70 facets!

These small, flat cuts make the gem come to life. Just one mishap, one angle cut incorrectly, and all 70 must be redone, resulting in lost weight and extra time. In order to get it right the first time, every facet becomes critical. To break the ice, I joked with the faceter, remarking that with so much concentration during the day, he must need a stiff drink when he goes home. Straight-faced and with steel eyes, he replied, “No drink.” His boss explained to me that the faceters must have complete control of every nerve in their bodies to tackle this type of work, so drinking is not condoned. Ever.

Lastly, Gustavo led me to the polishers. Now, this was a group of jovial young men who were thrilled to be featured on American TV.  Laughing and discussing politics was OK for this group as someday, once their skills become stronger, they too might move up into slicing, shaping or perhaps one day becoming faceters. The polishers are tasked to take every single facet and polish it with a mirror like finish.

After the revealing tour, I better understood Gustavo’s reaction to my request for four-hundred carats, fast. As well, I could appreciate Gustavo’s concerns. I learned that even after losing the majority of suitable product from his package of rough stones, his opportunity for further loss looms around every corner of the Brazilian cutting factory. Together, we had moved through many doors and into many rooms that only added to my appreciation for the Yellow Emerald™.

From my calculations, it appears that every Yellow Emerald is handled by at least 15 people before it even reaches the United States’ shoreline. Brazilian labor rates may rank lower than those in the US, but the amount of people and time it takes to cut a rough gem into a brilliant, shining star proves enormous.  Firsthand, I saw the pure energy Gustavo and company put in to every gemstone. Although these golden gemstones are affordable in a retail sense, the time, blood, sweat, and tears invested into every Yellow Emerald makes them priceless to me.

We have a real problem here in Brazil. We mine our certified Yellow Emeralds™ from only one mountain and the mine is very primitive. No bulldozers, no backhoes – just hard working men with shovels, pickaxes, wheelbarrows and any other basic tool they can use.

Until now, the mine has served our needs. For example, supplying a few thousand carats for Coughlin Jewelers’ customers over the last nine months has been OK. However, selling to all of the American market is going to pose a real challenge. After all, the supply is not strong enough to place Yellow Emeralds in every jewelry store. Sure, we could install a large-scale mining operation. But the scarcity of Yellow Emeralds in this mountain concerns us.  What exists there today couldn’t even come close giving stores an adequate supply.

During a meeting with the mine owners, gemstone cutters, and marketing agents, a plan was devised to bring as much out of the mine as possible in the next 90 days. We will slowly open the American market with a few, select retailers to offer Yellow Emeralds to their customers. This will allow us to raise some large investment capital in order to get heavy equipment purchased and expand production.

At the same time, several cutting factories in Brazil will partner on this venture, for the Brazilians want to keep the cutting of Yellow Emeralds locally-based. As one cutter exclaimed, “If we do all the cutting here, we can control the quality. If we send [the gemstones] to China, which would be cheaper and faster, the cut will not be as good and the gems will lose some of their brilliance.” Enough said. We all agreed to keep the cutting of Yellow Emeralds in Brazil.

That decided, we moved on to a discussion of production processes. The related figures can be astounding. Think about it: A gem cutter with an endless supply can only cut and polish between 30 and 40 gemstones per week. This may sound like a lot, but there are over 30,000 jewelry stores in the US alone. If each store sold only four Yellow Emeralds per week, we would have to hire 3,500 gem cutters working day and night with hands as skilled as a surgeon’s. Impossible.

Moreover, even after supplying the rough material to the cutter, a whopping 95% of all Yellow Emeralds coming out the mine are deemed unacceptable to be high gem material according to our certification standards.

Consider the same example above with 30,000 retailers actively selling Yellow Emeralds.  Some 34-million carats mined weekly would be required to produce 360,000-carats of finished goods to sell. The numbers are staggering and the supply would never meet the demand.

That left us with the big question – one that’s not easily answered: How do we take our new discovery into the market and keep it affordable? Today, the price is low because there is no demand. Well, not yet. At this point, no one has heard of Yellow Emeralds. But once they see our certified Yellow Emeralds hit the market, the price will soar.  As production increases, so will the cost. The mine owners will raise the price quickly once they see how the market is moving.

What’s more, adding cutters and gaining partnerships across Brazil will incur more expense.  We haven’t even touched on marketing or advertising!

At last, after 10 hours of serious discussion, a plan was devised.  Now, I can’t go into the details in a blog. But I can tell you that part-ownership of a Brazilian Yellow Emerald mine is in our near future.

The extras, make-up people, and stage lights are all gone. It’s just me and a few production people; a translator and real Brazilian miners in real life, dangerous scenes. No stunt doubles.

It took two hours driving dirt roads that wound up and down mountains to get to get there. The closer we got, the worse the main road became. Heavy rains transformed the road into a two-track and then a walking trail due to the three foot ruts left behind. No vehicles could get within a quarter mile of the steep entrance. Quite a spot for a key shot.

We surveyed the area for the perfect opening scene. I laughed in spite of myself when my gem cutter, Sammy, said, “Pat, wouldn’t it be cool if you…” The keyword here is YOU – not Sammy, not the miners… He suggested that I climb out on a thin ledge with a one-thousand foot shear drop-off! The climb to this ledge, incidentally, led me through tarantula-infested rocks. Kris, our cameraman, would set up his equipment a quarter mile away. Once he zoomed in on me, I would say the most important line as we opened the show: “Come with me on an adventure deep in the heart of Brazil on our quest to discover Yellow Emeralds.” Based on the importance, I agreed. In fact, I thought it rocked.

On camera, the shot must look spectacular. We don’t know if we have it, though. The cordless mic we used could have been out of range. We won’t know until we get back to Chicago for post production. I was so happy when it was done that I told Kris, “That was our money shot.”  He snickered and said, “Don’t call it that.”

We had a great time with the miners as they were all too willing to get on camera. It was a fun day for them and they paid attention to our every move to keep us all from falling into a deep crevice. They showed us areas of the mine recently blasted to expose yellow emeralds and other valuable gemstones.

We saw what appeared to be large marijuana joints on the ground near the mine’s entrance. We joked a little until we discovered that we’d come upon the spot where the miners hand-make dynamite. We discussed filming their unique dynamite making process, but due to security issues at home, we agreed that we don’t need to show anyone how to make TNT. However, I did get to hold a stick of dynamite. We moved deeply into the mine to set it off. As we filmed the experience, the whole mountain seemed to shake.

A thunderous roar shook me and my feet and knees trembled. The miners told our crew that it was time to split, and quickly. They explained that shortly, a mushroom filled with debris, stone, and smoke would be coming our way. It would take several hours for the shaft to clear and allow the miners to see the results. These explosions are conducted twice daily; once just prior to lunch and once again at the end of the workday to allow for the dust to clear.

One of our highlights was to take a lunch break with the miners. We went to their sleep hut to have a delicious lunch made with primitive tools and cooked over an open flame. No gas, no electric. The only water source comes from the mine itself, and that’s with no filtration. One of the miners said, “You need to see our refrigerator where we store our food.” It was a simple metal wire, outside no less, flanked with freshly butchered beef and pig parts including the snout and ears. There is no refrigeration, so they prepare the meat with salt weekly, hang it up, and then use it for the rest of the week. If I left a package of beef out for hours, my wife, Marga, would toss it out. We are now about to eat meat butchered sometime last week and hung to dry for seven days. But I did not get Montezuma’s Revenge. Not even a twinge.

The mine had been rendered far more dangerous by the time we were able to reenter.  While the blast had created the cavity the miners hoped for, it also loosened tons of large rock formations just above our heads. Three miners worked feverously to shovel the loose gravel and gems from the floor while two others, awaiting the next shifts, watched for cracks and falling debris overhead.

Being one-thousand feet underground in a three to four foot opening is not for the weak hearted. Same can be said for standing out over one-thousand foot drop offs infested with tarantulas. It was an explosive experience to be sure and I certainly enjoyed being there for a short time, but believe me I will not give up my day job.

Day 3
The filming begins.
Generally, I am fine standing in front of a camera. For instance, when filming TV commercials, I can focus because there are only a couple of people involved. Today, the game is much different. We will film a TV pilot to appeal to a national audience and gain the attention of the Travel Channel or Discovery Channel.
As the feature’s title suggests, “Discovering Yellow Emeralds” takes viewers on a behind-the-scenes expedition to discover rare, Brazilian gemstones. But the feature goes deeper than that. I want people to see, taste, and sense Brazilian culture – not just my experience. Viewers will find Brazilian traditions, customs, and everyday life woven into each 30-minute episode.
The first shoot took place at a Brazilian steakhouse. Although he typically opens at 12:00pm, the owner brought his entire staff in two hours early to cook and prepare ahead of schedule. We were to commence filming at 10am and stop no later than 11:45am. Our producer also hired a complete cast and crew including 10 extras. So now I am filming in front of seasoned professionals and 20 members of the restaurant who all want to see what the big TV star from the USA was going to say. Wow, this was pressure like I never felt before! They didn’t know who I was, but with the big lights, microphones, and all the preparation, it seemed that Hollywood had come to town.
This was to be informative and entertaining. To be funny, I finally made a gesture at the table. The Brazilians all laughed. That settled me down. I don’t know if the American s will get the joke, but the Brazilians sure did. I don’t want to give it away, so you will have to watch the show to see it.
At one point I looked at my watch. It was noon, my filming was no where complete, and customers started filling up the restaurant. By 12:30pm, there were 150 extras watching “the big man from the USA” in action. We were concerned about the owner and his request that we finish by 11:45am. But when he saw how we were promoting his restaurant, he was OK with it.
Did you know I speak fluent Portuguese? Well, neither did I! Watch the show and you’ll be convinced that I do. In between takes, I would ask the owner and manager questions and the translator would do his best to respond. They knew the questions and I knew their answers. The lights would go on, I would ask them the question in English, they would answer in Portuguese (which is such a beautiful language), and then I would turn to the camera and respond in English. I quickly learned this routine and will use it for the rest of the trip as all of my interviews are with non-English speakers.
As a real bonus, following filming, the steakhouse served up one of the best meals I’ve ever had with the owners watching carefully that this American TV star was served well. I now see why actors can get their egos out of whack!
Next location – a local bar. Or what I thought was a local bar… Nope, our producer set us up in a famous bar owned by Brazil’s largest cachaça company. Cachaça, made of fermented sugarcane, serves as Brazil’s preferred distilled alcoholic drink. Oh, pressure! And that’s not all. I discovered that the owner was bringing his family – as well as his exporter – to the shoot to be sure I got my facts right. First, we ran through a series of bar scenes using our extras and bartenders. Then the owner’s family and the entourage came. They insisted on a production meeting, which normally would have been fine, but we were to leave for the airport in half-an-hour and we still had about an hour of filming to do. The meeting lasted 20-minutes. I know more than I wanted to learn, really, but it was interesting. I had such a hard time getting the names correct and it was important to the family that I got it right. I don’t blame them – they run a multi-million dollar export business and here comes this guy from the USA to pitch their products. But after the third take, I hit it dead on. I only know this because I saw the smiles of the entourage and a thumbs-up from the owner as I held their prized product and ad-libbed to the camera.
I learned many valuable lessons today. If you think it will take four hours to film, plan for six.
We hurried to the airport with only minutes to spare to catch our flight. Well, our plane was over an hour late. I wonder if they were involved in some filming as well…

Day 2
Ah, the dreaded, crying child.
As a traveler, I am always concerned about children on a flight. Don’t get me wrong – I love kids. After all, I am a father of four. But I know the difficulty of traveling with children and on my 11-hour flight to Brazil, I witnessed one that gives “the terrible twos” a whole new meaning.
She sat in front of me – that is, during the rare times she stayed seated – repeatedly shrieking such phrases as “mine, mine mine!” Even as the plane started to taxi, this little girl decided to escape. She unbuckled her seatbelt and sprinted towards the back of the plane to be tackled by two flight attendants.
Only after the flight attendants bribed her with ice cream did she return to her seat. This was just the beginning. I assumed since it was a late night flight that she would eventually cry herself to sleep. Nope. She was the two-year-old version of Paris Hilton and she was ready to party all night long.
She loved pushing the “call attendant” button. I don’t know if it was the flashing light, the noise it made, or all the attention she received from the annoyed flight attendants that drove her to press on hour after hour. I do know that sleep would not come to me on that night flight.
Around 2am, her father took her to the bathroom. A few minutes later, an alarm rang throughout the plane. Passengers, suddenly woken from sleep, wondered if the oxygen masks would drop. No, happily, nothing was wrong with the plane. It was just our little friend who discovered an emergency button in the bathroom. All these years of flying, never once did I know there was an emergency button in the bathroom. I know now.
Oh well, I consoled myself, who needs sleep anyway? I would be shooting a video the next day. Who needs to look rested? After all, bloodshot eyes with drooping bags look far more natural, right?
Finally, the plane landed in Sao Paulo, Brazil and I took a quick flight to Belo Horizonte to meet with producers.

Belo Horizonte means “Beautiful Horizon.” The city is surrounded by lush green mountains. It has approximately 2.5 million people packed into a dense area.
The evening ended at a café to work on all the pre-production details with the producers. The heavy amount of people and equipment required to produce a simple, thirty-minute show overwhelmed me. Fortunately, our producer in Belo had it under control. For example, if an issue arose during our meetings, she would say “one memento,” dial her cell phone, speak in Portuguese, and return to me saying, “No problem. Done.”
As I finally flattened out on my hotel room bed for some much needed sleep, I paused to recall the long but fascinating voyage I had taken thus far. I recalled the wild little girl on my flight and felt grateful that her howling was all behind me. Surrounded by silence with my beautiful wife, Marga, by my side, I smiled and whispered, “mine, mine, mine,” thankful that sleep would at last, be mine.

May 18, 2010
5:00am, the alarm rings and the long day begins. Our dogs have no clue at what time it is, but seeing us get out of bed means it’s time to play until they see the large blue suitcase and depression sets in for them. It’s odd that they know. We travel so much it has become evident that when those big, evil, blue bags come out of the closet, Mom and Dad are going away.
Once they see Marga walk back in the door their anxiety will quickly vanish.
As we proceed through Detroit and see the masses of people hurried to get through traffic, I am always so thankful we live and work in a small community where life is busy, but not at a hectic pace. I can’t imagine what it would be like to fight traffic every day. Those who do it should receive a medal.
Getting through the airport is always a hassle; long lines at check in — people with attitudes, security checkpoint struggles — but not today. I walked right up to the check-in counter, greeted with a smile by a ticket agent (extremely rare if ever) and checked my bag. I reached into my wallet to get cash for that nuisance $25 fee. Another surprise, I forgot on international travel, bags fly free! Now I can afford a Bloody Mary with my breakfast. Only one female was in front of me with a five year old boy at the security line. Everything was fine until his mother removed his favorite shoes and threw them into the x-ray machine. From his point of view, the machine must have looked like a steel monster with a black tongue swallowing his sneakers. He began to howl, cry, and was visibly shaken. I know that feeling while traveling, but as an adult it is frowned upon. I tried to console him, however the look I received from his mom was evident … “Stranger Danger.” I quickly shut up and looked the other way.
The first flight will be easy: Chicago. A twelve-hour layover gives me time to go downtown, walk till I drop, then get some Garrett’s Popcorn. This incredible business started in Chicago and just recently opened a store in New York. It’s like popcorn crack! Once you eat it, you are hooked. You cannot stop yourself. After eating 6 -8 cups, you feel sick for the next day, until you see the leftovers, then you will finish that off. They only have a few flavors. My all-time favorite is the Chicago Mix, combining caramel and cheese. For fun, I went to their website and found the nutritional information. They shouldn’t publicize this. Funny that they call it “nutritional.” I don’t understand the percentages, but I know enough to see that eating 6 – 8 cups is not healthy. I think every Cardiologist should buy a franchise! Can you imagine the never ending supply of patients?
CARAMELCRISP® & CHEESECORNTM POPCORN MIX
Nutrition Facts: Serving Size: 3/4 Cup (30g) Servings Per Container: varies, Amount Per Serving: Calories170, from Fat 110, Total Fat 12g (DV 18%), Saturated Fat 8g (DV 40%), Trans Fat 0g, Cholesterol 15mg (DV 5%), Sodium 170mg (DV 7%), Total Carbohydrate 14g (DV 5%), Dietary Fiber 2g (DV 8%), Sugars 7g, Protein 2g, Vitamin A (DV 20%), Vitamin C (DV 0%), Calcium (DV 6%), Iron (DV 2%) *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Ingredients: Brown Sugar, Popcorn, Coconut Oil (refined coconut oil, beta-carotene [color], artificial flavor), Unsalted Butter, Dehydrated Cheddar Cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes), Soybean Oil, Corn Syrup, Palm Oil, Water, Salt, Cream, Sodium Phosphate, Yellow 5, Lactic Acid, Baking Soda (leavening), Soy Lecithin (an emulsifier), Yellow 6. ALLERGEN INFORMATION: Contains Milk, Coconut & Soy. Produced in a kitchen that also processes peanuts, tree nuts, milk and soy. None of our products are made with ingredients that contain gluten.
I don’t care how bad this stuff, I’m addicted, really bad. I thought of buying a few bags for my friends in Brazil, but realized it would never get there. I wouldn’t be able to avoid the temptation to devour every last kernel. Here’s an idea for a new reality show “Celebrity Garrett’s Rehab”. I would love to see Dr. Drew try to break Oprah of her habit. Now that’s a TV show I would record.

This past Friday, April 17, Coughlin Jewelers got to be part of something pretty special: We presented former Trick Pony member and 5-time Country Music Award nominee Heidi Newfield with a Chamilia bracelet of our very own design!

Coughlin Jewelers partnered up with WSAQ country music station in Port Huron to present this beautiful bracelet at the WSAQ anniversary concert at McMorran arena. We not only surprised Heidi, but we also brought along 5 more bracelets to give to Heidi’s fans at the concert!

During the VIP pre-concert party, Coughlin Jewelers’ first son, Tim Coughlin, and his lovely wife Jill presented this bracelet to Heidi, and she was struck speechless!

“I want to thank everyone at Coughlin Jewelers for this beautiful bracelet and I want you to watch out, I’m going to be wearing this all the time! I love it!” Heidi said after the concert.

And because both Heidi and Coughlin Jewelers love to share with fans around the world, Coughlin Jewelers is offering the chance to own a bracelet just like Heidi’s! Stop by our website and place your order now for a replica of the bracelet you will see on Heidi Newfield during future appearances.

After the VIP party, the Coughlin Jewelers gang settled into their seats to be serenaded, hyped up, and rocked out by Heidi Newfield, and treated to a beautiful performance of her hit single “Johnny and June” from her record What Am I Waiting For.

Check out the gallery below for our pictures from this event!

We are leaving for our Brazil Gem Safari tommorow. There is so much to do! It will be our first time there and we are hitting 7 cities in 10 days.
One of the gem stone cutters we will be visiting is Ben Sabbah who had an article written in Sept of 2008.
Click here to view the article.
The gemstones we are about to see will be large and vibrant.
The most exciting part of our adventure will actually be going into the emerald, topaz and tourmaline mines.

Sharon is the winner of Mom•Logic’s national Trollbeads contest!

She won the Black and White Starter Bracelet from Trollbeads, and American Diamond Importers was chosen to present her with her prize at our store here in St. Clair, Michigan.

Sharon is in the middle flanked by Sandy Wood, the regional Trollbeads rep and ADI owner Patrick Coughlin.

ADI gifted Sharon with a bouquet of balloons and the popular Three Siblings charm to add to her new collection. Sharon had never even heard of Trollbeads before this contest, but her winnings have made her a convert for life.

“I can’t wait to send my husband here to get me more beads!” she exclaimed.

Now that we’ve made Sharon a Trollbeads aficionado, we would like to convert you too! If we haven’t already converted you, please drop by our store or visit us online to begin your own collection. Trollbeads are customizable, affordable, and best of all very very beautiful. Whatever your story, Trollbeads has a bead for you!