Ruby Or Sapphire?

The birthstone of July is the ruby, a unique gem, because its name is given due to its colour, not its mineral composition. What I mean is that you never truly have to say 'red' ruby, since ruby is understood to be red.

Ruby is corundum (the name of its mineral composition) - the same mineral as sapphire, which, though often thought of as blue, actually comes in every possible shade of colour, including orange, yellow, green and purple.

So here's a question. If a piece of corundum is pink, is it a ruby or a sapphire? Even esteemed gemologists cannot come to a common consensus. Those that are purists insist that it has to be red before it's a ruby. They would call it pink sapphire. The more inclusive ones believe that, as long as it is some form of red, it can be called a ruby. They would be fine with calling it pink ruby.

Of course, neither side is entirely correct nor entirely wrong. This is simply an artifact of our limitations of sight, expression and language.

The reason I brought this up was due to a recent surge in having to explain the identity of a particularly stunning pink corundum gem encased in intricately designed gold that now adorns the finger of an exceptionally beautiful lady who absolutely adores the jewel and the gentleman who gave it to her.

Entrepreneurs from Other Countries

Over the weekend, I met up with a couple of gem dealers from Sri Lanka. These were different dealers than the ones I met with earlier in April.

While they were mainly here on holiday, they also brought stones because they have clients in Singapore. We got to talking and they told me of the differences in culture between our countries, as well as how differently our countries are run. We discussed the high cost of living here as a trade-off for the safety and security.

They told me that they started their business in gem dealing when they were about 20 years old, which, to me, is particularly remarkable.

If I think back, what was I doing at 20 years old? What are Singaporeans doing in general at 20 years old? In the army (for the guys), in university, or just starting in their first jobs. Yet, here are 2 entrepreneurs who started their business at that age. A number of years down the road, they aren't making millions yet, but they are making a good enough living to be able to travel frequently and live comfortably.

They aren't the first entrepreneurs I've met from other countries and they certainly won't be the last. 

Perhaps their need to 'do or starve' is a driving force behind their hard work. Perhaps they are simply willing to try new things, whether they fail or not. Perhaps they aren't cloistered in their thinking that the only way to survive is to get a 'proper' job and work for the rest of their lives.

Isn't it strange that we have such an incredible economy but such a weak entrepreneurial scene? Perhaps we have it far too easy.