After a week of buying in Mumbai, Drena and Tony flew off to Bangkok trade fair. I finished off a bit of buying and did an interview with one of the local trade mags before heading to Surat, 4 hours train ride north, to where all the diamonds are cut.

This was my third time to Surat to work with Mr. Janak Mistry, CEO of Lexus. Janak makes diamond manufacturing machines and designs factory processes. Janak and one of the manufacturers who attended the IDCC diamond cut conference that we hosted in Moscow. Kishor came down to Mumbai with Janak and the three of us went to a presentation by GIA president Bill Boyajian (center left with the shorter Martin Rapaport to his right). There was little news in the presentation. Bill was rather shocked to see me, Martin was pleasantly surprised; “what's the cut geek from down-under doing here?”. Later we caught the 11.30pm sleeper train to Surat and I arrived at the Horrid Day Inn hotel at 4.30am for a nap before pick up at 10.30am.

Note people napping at Bombay Central railway station, and a rain cover over a shopping center, then the new Lexus head office and factory (the 3rd factory).