IN THIS ISSUE

Feature of the Month - Jewelry Appraisals Upcoming Events Gemstone of the Month - Alexandrite Coveted Koser recipes Winner of the $50 Gift Certificate

FEATURE OF THE MONTH -

Father's Day Is Here…… Sunday June 17 is the day to remember Dear Dad. Consider treating him to a special gift he will cherish for years to come. Here are just a few suggestions pictured at the left. Special Newsletter Sale: 25% off Citizen Watches - if you mention this ad, now thru Father's Day!

Jewelry Appraisals

At Koser we do a great deal of appraisal and estate work for our clients. I often find it helpful to discuss the expectations of an appraisal with a client so that I can make sure their needs are met. Here are some of the primary reasons that people come to us for appraisals: They want to insure their fine jewelry in case of loss or theft. They found or were given something and they want to know the value. They want to see if they were “ripped off” when they made a vacation or television purchase. They are divorcing, and need to know the current value of their assets. They are considering selling something, and want to know how much they should ask for it. They want to update a past appraisal, because they know that they would be unable to replace it today at the value it was insured for 10 years ago. Many clients assume that the value of an item is relatively clear- cut. They believe that there is a definitive value at this time of a ruby of a certain size and quality for instance. I know I used to think that myself. Unfortunately, it's not that easy. There is a dramatic difference in the way that stores mark-up product. Look at the prices for diamonds at Tiffany's and at your local jewelers and see the difference. If you study appraisal theory, this price difference is taken into account in doing appraisals. Many consumers do not understand why this is the case. In a nutshell, it is because the value of an item is most accurately what someone is willing to pay for it. If people routinely pay 1000$ for something in NYC that we sell in Mount Joy for 500$, then what is it really worth? Well, the people spending 1000$ obviously thought it was worth $1000, or they wouldn't have paid it. So, in interviewing the client, if I find they purchased the item in NYC, and paid $1000, and I research it, and that's what it sells for there. Then it's worth $1000. I would have to assume the client would return to NY to replace it if lost, and gladly pay $1000 again. There is no textbook answer. Truly, valuation appraising is an art and a science. Also, the value of something sold ”on the street” is much lower that something bought from a legitimate store. There is some obvious security related to buying something from an established firm, and that is evidenced in the value of the item. At Koser we typically do insurance replacement appraisals. I think they are the easiest to do in theory. It is usually straightforward to figure out what it would cost to replace something if it were lost today. Obviously, valuation appraisals are more difficult and less accurate because of the previously mentioned issues. When we do appraisals there are a number of steps that we complete. We have to start with thoroughly cleaning the item. We verify what the gems are and that the gems are real. (This can be very time consuming because there are many tests that might need to be completed in our lab.) We evaluate the color, cut, clarity and the carat weight of the gems or diamonds. We test the metal, and weigh it. We photograph the jewelry. This is basically the what of appraising, now comes the how much. This can also be time consuming because of the issues stated in previous paragraphs. There are some professional guides that we utilize for this research. Our philosophy at Koser is that we always want to have a scientific reason for our valuations. We pride ourselves on being non-biased; most appraisals ultimately involve two trained team members completing various stages of the work. Our Gem Lab is currently being reviewed as the only Master IJO Jeweler Gem Lab in the county. We are proud of our success, and always working to learn more. I would be remiss to not mention some of the limitations we face as appraisers. Mountings often times can keep us from doing the tests that we would like to do. Mountings can alter the look, size, and appearance of gems and diamonds. We can't appraise gems or diamonds in sealed containers. It is very difficult to determine the value on a gem that is not “Gem Quality,” a.k.a. Very Low Quality. Just in case you were curious, here are some of our team members involved in appraising, and their credentials: Betsy Wolgemuth: GIA, Graduate Gemologist; IJO, Master Graduate Gemologist, 20+ years experience Jill Brenner: GIA, Diamonds and Diamond Grading Certificates; Jewelers Board of Trade Appraisals Course, 12 years experience Carol Gehron: GIA, Diamonds and Diamond Grading Certificates; GIA Colored Stones and Gem identification, Bowman Tech School, 15+ years experience Randy Wolgemuth: GIA, Diamonds and Diamond Grading Certificates, 20 years experience

UPCOMING EVENTS

Don’t Miss Fourth Friday In Mount Joy! VIEW FLYER A Great Night Out! Prizes! Sales! Treats! June 22, 2007 5PM till 8PM This month’s theme…June In Bloom! Koser Jewelers will be showcasing 10 exclusive designs featured in national magazines like Vogue, Lucky, Allure, etc… Exclusively available in this area at your hometown jeweler! Stop in and see us for a fun evening!

FEATURED GEMSTONE OF THE MONTH - ALEXANDRITE

It's absolutely fitting that Alexandrite was first discovered in the final period of Imperial Russia. Alexandrite was first discovered on the day of Alexander II's coming of age ceremony. The first Alexandrite was found in emerald mines on the banks of the Takovaya River in the Ural Mountains. This was a productive mine for a few decades, but then was closed. Due to recent political changes in Russia, this mine has been revisited, and found to still have gems available for mining. The bitter winter weather prohibits work at the mine most of the year. Today they are most significantly mined in the Ural Mountains, Brazil, Tanzania, and Ceylon. Depending on the light in which Alexandrite is being viewed, it looks either reddish or greenish. This was of great significance in Czarist Russia, since red and green were their military colors. Alexandrite is one of the few gems that exhibit such a dramatic color change. In daylight or fluorescent light it appears to be a bluish green, and in incandescent light it appears to be a brownish red. Alexandrite's color change phenomenon can be attributed to the “differential absorption” of different wavelength's of light by the trace amounts of chromium present in the alexandrite. The light we see appears “white,” but is actually made up of all the colors in the rainbow, and those colors all have their own wave- length. Different chemicals absorb each wave- length differently. There are very few gems that have chromium present in the right amount to create this color change, and this is one of the reasons that alexandrite commands such a high price per carat. Both red and green are always present in Alexandrite, but if there is an abundance of red in the ambient light then the red will prevail in the alexandrite. Alexandrite had been called “ruby by day and emerald by night.” Alexandrite is a very wearable stone because of its hardness. It rates an 8.5 on the Mohl's scale. It is of average density, and relatively high refraction. Refraction is the degree to which it bends light. Alexandrite is the recommended gem to commemorate the 45th and 55th anniversary, and one of the gemstones for those of us born in June. Alexandrite is a “must have” for any collector because it is one of the great, grand gems of all time. Come in and see why.

COVETED KOSER RECIPES

As long as I can remember for my birthday dinner I would ask for homemade pizza, Caesar salad, and red velvet cake. Here is my family's version of these staples… Caesar Salad I have great childhood memories of watching this made tableside. As teens we ordered this when we had a chance to eat out- I guess we felt glamorous! Romaine Lettuce- 1 Head Grated Parmesan Cheese Croutons (I Like Homemade Croutons when time allows. Here is how I do them.) I buy day old bread from the grocery store- baguettes are best. Remove crusts, and cut into cubes. Toss bread with 2 T olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder and dried oregano. Bake 15+ minutes or until light brown. Dressing: 1-2 cloves garlic, minced 1-2 T anchovy paste 2 T lemon juice 1/3-cup olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Grilled Pizza We liked pizza best when it was grilled. It's easy to do, and the grilling imparts a yummy, smoky flavor. Hope you enjoy this! If you don't want to make dough, just buy the already prepared variety. (I feel too guilty to do it. In my family it was referred to as “lazy housewife dough.”) Don't feel compelled to follow our legalism- you do what you think is right where pizza dough is concerned… I made pizza last night, and used my bread machine for the dough! Pizza Dough 3 cups flour 1 t salt 1 T honey 2 T olive oil 1 cup warm water, divided 1 pkg. Yeast Dissolve yeast in ¼ cup water. Put 1-cup flour in a mixing bowl. Combine salt, honey, olive oil and ¾ cup water in a bowl. Add yeast mixture, water mixture to flour and mix with a wooden spoon. When combined, I put  into mixer and use hook to knead for about 4-5 minutes until smooth adding remaining flour by ½ cups when it gets sticky. Spray another bowl with cooking spray. Put ball of dough in, and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1 hour. This makes enough dough for four 7” to 8” pizzas. For Grilled Pizzas Warm grill. Gas or charcoal is fine. Roll dough 7 to 8 inches. Put grill on low, place dough on rack, and grill for about 5 minutes. Brown slightly, until puffy. Put any topping on the browned side. Return to the grill for 5-6 minutes or until the cheese melts. Watch closely so that it won't burn. Red Velvet Cake Many people think red velvet cake is a Lancaster County tradition. I am not sure where it originated, but this is a recipe my Grandmother from rural Oklahoma has made for nearly 70 years. Many people tell me that it is the best they ever tasted - other than Country Table's, of course! Preheat oven to 350 grease 2 8” pans Cream together: ½ cup shortening and 1 ½ cups sugar Add: 2 eggs and 2 oz red food coloring Combine: 1 T cocoa 2 cups flour Combine: 1-cup butter milk, 1 t salt, 4 t vanilla and 1 ½ t baking soda Alternating, add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to the creamed sugar mixture Put cake batter in pans, bake 30 minutes, or till toothpick comes out clean. Cooked Butter Icing Combine 6 T flour and 1 cup milk in a saucepan, cook till thickened, whisking constantly. Cool. In Mixer, cream 1-cup butter and 1 cup+ 10X sugar until smooth. Add in the cooked mixture. Whip till smooth and fluffy. Put icing on cake when cool. Enjoy!!

WINNER OF THE $50 GIFT CERTIFICATE

OUR WINNER IS: Randy and Daphne Good