Leading the Way - February 2010
Precious in the Eyes of the Beholder
My father was a watchmaker by trade. Back in the days of 17-jeweled watches, he would clean, repair, and re-assemble watches as part of a general overhaul to keep the timepieces running smoothly and accurately. In addition to fixing watches, my father had a small jewelry store where he catered to local citizens and their jewelry needs. As each of my brothers and I reached high school, we worked at the store each day after school.
I learned many things from my father. He tried to teach me watchmaking,
but I did not have the patience for finding the watch’s mainspring when it
popped out (as it would often do for the inexperienced). However, I
did have a flair for jewelry in general and could pick out the most valuable
diamond in a case of engagement rings.
Diamonds are rated according to the four Cs; that is, Caret, Color, Clarity,
and Cut. Caret is the measurement by which diamonds are weighed. Color
might be obvious but, in truth, the whitest diamonds are considered the best
color though many of us are beguiled with canary, pink, blue, and (gasp!)
black colored diamonds.
Clarity means exactly that – how clear the inside of the diamond is when
viewed through a jeweler’s loop (magnifying glass). Since diamonds
are formed in the ground, it is natural to have marks or “inclusions” in
the stones. The skill of the diamond cutter often masks those inclusions,
making them hard to find with the naked eye.
The Cut of the diamond is equally important because in a skilled diamond
cutter’s hands, inclusions become difficult to see as the facets are cut. The
precision of the facets result in prisms reflecting a myriad of colors when
viewed in bright light.
Ok – you are probably asking, WHAT has this got to do with NALS? I
wonder if the four Cs might not be applied to NALS as well. Let’s see
. . .
Caret: How much weight does NALS hold with you? As a NALS
member, do you engage in all that NALS has to offer? If you did, than
your NALS membership would be worth the equivalent of a 5 caret diamond ring
(think Elizabeth Taylor).
Color: NALS is an all-inclusive professional association which makes
no distinctions among its members. NALS membership is diverse, displaying
a rich array of uniqueness, be it economic, skill level, career length, ethnic,
geographical, or generational.
Clarity: It is infinitely clear that NALS is chocked full of
benefits, programs, and services. Do you see them all? Have
you seen the new NALS docket?
Cut: In the hands of skilled leaders, the stones (members) are faceted
and polished to perfection! Could you possibly “cut” NALS out
of your professional life? What could ever take its place?
Everyone knows that diamonds are precious gems. In the eyes of NALS,
YOU are precious too. Shine on!
Patricia E. Infanti, PP, PLS
NALS President-Elect
infanti@ballardspahr.com