458: Chapter Four Hundred Fifty-Five: Bringing Up the Awkward Subject 458: Chapter Four Hundred Fifty-Five: Bringing Up the Awkward Subject Two appraisal experts sat at the table, using a small magnifying glass to begin inspecting the gemstones.
After observing each emerald for a moment, they would place it with others of similar quality, quickly dividing the emeralds on the table into five small piles.
Although the emerald is known as the king of green gemstones, it is very difficult to find one that is completely flawless.
Emeralds tend to have cracks and inclusions to some extent, and those without any cracks or inclusions are considered top-quality gems.
Regardless of their size, their price is extremely high.
Gao Yang and his team had acquired a huge number of emeralds, but unfortunately, the vast majority were categorized as being of relatively low quality.
Only about forty emeralds could be classified as top-quality emeralds.
However, considering there were more than a thousand stones in total, the proportion of top-quality emeralds was actually quite significant.
Whenever the experts identified a top-quality emerald, they would write its details meticulously in a notebook and place it in a special small box.
As for the common, ordinary ones, they were simply placed on the table.
It took several hours to classify all the emeralds.
The two experts then compared their notes for a long time, and after tapping away at a small computer for quite a while, they finally reached a conclusion.
One expert, holding the computer and looking exhausted, reported a number in Spanish.
Ivan, seated on the sofa, waved his hand and said, “In English, please.”
The expert nodded, then switched to English, “Based on our appraisal results, the total value of these gemstones is between fourteen and eighteen million US dollars.
The price can vary considerably depending on the buyer, but this is the upper and lower limit; there shouldn’t be significant deviations.”
The other expert added, “This estimate is based on the trading conditions in Bogota.
If sold elsewhere, the price could change dramatically.”
Ivan pointed to the emeralds on the table, “So, which of these stones are the most valuable?”
An expert pointed to the smallest pile of emeralds, “These.
I can assert with certainty that these emeralds are of the highest quality and flawless.
Although they are not large, the price for these stones is high.
There are forty-one in total, all of similar size.
I estimate their total value to be over five million US dollars.
If sold individually, each can fetch between one hundred and thirty to one hundred and fifty thousand US dollars with no issue.”
The highest quality emeralds were not very large and relatively uniform in size.
This could be easily understood because the larger the stone, the more difficult it is to be flawless.
Hence, two particularly large emeralds, each the size of a chicken egg with hexagonal columns, were not categorized as the highest quality among the stones Gao Yang and his team had obtained.
Another expert pointed to a slightly larger pile of emeralds, “This pile is of a slightly lower grade, containing a small number of cracks and impurities, but there are more of them, totaling one hundred and four pieces.
Their total value is definitely more than five million US dollars.
In addition, there are two emeralds here that are quite large, but you can see the cracks and impurities with the naked eye.
However, because of their uncommon size, they’ve been placed in the next lower category.
The price of these two large emeralds is a bit difficult to determine, so I suggest selling them separately.
Depending on the buyer, each could sell for between two hundred thousand and one million US dollars, making it hard to determine a precise price.”
Then, an expert swept his hand over the remaining few piles of stones, “These are of even lower quality, but they are in the highest demand in the Bogota market.
Depending on the size, the price of each stone can vary from one thousand to five thousand US dollars.
This category is quite popular and should easily fetch three million US dollars.”
The experts didn’t take much notice of the largest heap of gemstones.
Gao pointed at it, “What about those?
How much are they worth?”
One of the experts shrugged, “A few tens to a couple of hundred US dollars each, not worth much.
These are just casually crafted and sold to tourists, but since there are so many, the total value is also around one million US dollars.”
“The prices we’ve given are based on the bottom line in the trading market.
That is to say, they can’t be sold for less than these prices.
Also, our job usually involves grading each gemstone and marking its price, but there are simply too many stones.
If we were to do that, it would take at least two days.
Furthermore, our fee would have to be increased,” said one expert.
After the two experts had taken turns speaking, Ivan nodded, “No need for that, this is sufficient as it is.
Thank you both for your work.”
Having finished speaking, Ivan snapped his fingers at Antonov, who quickly pulled out two stacks of banknotes from his pocket for Ivan.
After receiving the money, Ivan placed a stack in front of each expert, smiling, “This is your fee.”
An expert fanned through the banknotes and, spreading his hands, said, “This seems to be more than we agreed upon earlier.
My friend and I, you only need to pay us two thousand US dollars each.”
Ivan smiled, “Ten thousand US dollars each, consider the extra as a bonus for keeping quiet.
Please forget everything here and don’t say a word to anyone.
Can you manage that?”
Both experts were nodding incessantly, saying in unison, “Please rest assured, we will never mention this to anyone, we understand the rules.”
After smiling and shaking hands with the two experts, Antonov immediately showed them out.
Once the experts had left, Ivan rubbed his hands together eagerly and said, “Fellows, let me talk about the distribution plan.
We agreed on a fifty-fifty split.
Now, my suggestion is we keep the top tier gems aside.
You can sell them at a high price somewhere else or keep them for yourselves.
The rest we sell and split the cash equally between our families.
How’s that, any objections?”
Gao Yang looked at Satan’s people and, seeing no one objected, immediately said, “No objections, that sounds good.”
Ivan stretched out a hand and swiped among a small pile of the finest emeralds on the table; then after counting carefully, he said, “Half for you, half for me.
Oh, there are forty-one in total.
Okay, you get twenty-one.”
One more or one less didn’t really matter.
Gao Yang stepped forward, took the pile of gems that now belonged to him, and said to Ivan with a smile, “Thanks.”
Ivan nodded, giggled as he packed away his share of the gems, then suddenly slapped his head, and reached into the most abundant and cheapest pile of stones and grabbed a handful.
He then smiled at Gao Yang, “They’re not worth much anyway.
I’ll keep them for gifts when meeting people, great for wooing girls.”
Gao Yang laughed out loud and said, “Whoever wants them, take them.”
Only Cui Bo and Lee Jinfang, both bachelors, grabbed a small handful of the worthless stones, but none of the others made a move, after which Cui Bo and Lee Jinfang looked at each other and both heaved deep sighs.
With everything settled, Ivan packed the emeralds on the table into bags according to their quality, then said loudly, “Let’s go.
Let’s get out of here.
I know someone in the gem business.
First, we’ll go to the market and sell these stones, then go back to the hotel in the Bogota city area to rest.”
Gao Yang nodded, then looking at Lee Jinfang and the others, said, “We’re eight people now with twenty-one gems.
How should we divide them?”
Glolov said with a calm face, “Let’s divide them according to the rules.
Each of us gets two, the rest are yours.”
Gao Yang frowned and said, “I take seven for myself?
That’s too much, well, let’s do this.
Instead of cash, we’ll give Little Donnie three gems as his commission.
He can keep them or sell them for cash if he wants.
I’ll keep four.”
Glolov nodded and said, “Alright, that sounds like a good choice.”
Gao Yang immediately began distributing the gems, not bothering to be choosy as the highest quality emeralds were similar in size.
He handed out two to everyone and put the rest into his jacket pocket, planning to give three to Little Donnie later.
After dividing the gems, Frey approached Gao Yang rather sheepishly and said, “Boss, I was thinking of making a full set of jewelry for both my mother and my girlfriend.
Two stones definitely won’t be enough.
Can I take a smaller share of the cash and get a few more of the lower-quality stones?”
Gao Yang smiled and said, “Of course you can.
Here’s what we’ll do, don’t take any now.
When we sell the stones, we’ll get each one priced, and you can take as many as you want.
Just deduct the cost from your share.”
Glolov, seemingly inspired, said, “Come to think of it, I should thank Catherine and also that kid Adele.
Girls love these things.
Why not, I might as well prepare a few more, and bring them as gifts when I visit Catherine in America.
What do you guys think?”
Glolov was asking the others, but those who knew the situation all looked toward Gao Yang, especially Lee Jinfang and Cui Bo, whose expressions were particularly intriguing.
Gao Yang immediately straightened his face and turned his head away.
Without getting an answer, Glolov raised his voice again, “What do you think?
I’m asking you.
Is it appropriate to give Catherine and Adele jewelry?”
Frey cleared his throat and said, “It’s only right to give them something.
They went out of their way to rescue Yelena, after all.
But if we’re talking about that, I think the boss should also show some appreciation, right boss?”
Glolov was oblivious to the entanglements between Gao Yang, Yelena, and Catherine; however, Lee Jinfang and Cui Bo knew some details, and Frey had only a superficial understanding.
Now that Adele had been thrown into the mix, they were all out of the loop.
There was no way Gao Yang could disclose the predicament he was facing at this moment.
Frey’s suggestion was bringing up exactly what shouldn’t be mentioned, so Gao Yang could only wave his hand and say, “Alright, let’s leave these issues for after we’ve converted the gems into cash.”
(To be continued.
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