RAPAPORT... As Rapaport Diamond Report celebrates its 30-year anniversary, I think back to all of the changes both in the industry and with the magazine that have transpired since I have been here, which is now more than 14 years.
People often ask how I got here. I responded to an ad in The New York Times. It was the most cryptic ad I ever answered: “Editor/writer/ jewelry/business. Fax resume.” I faxed my resume and a few days later I walked into an office on 47th Street and met a man who changed the course of my career — Martin (Mike) Rapaport.
He showed me the Rapaport Diamond Report, which at that time was a 48-page, black-and-white newsletter. More importantly, he shared his vision and his dream with me — his dream of creating a magazine that provided the industry with the inside track on the diamond world. I thought to myself, “This has a lot of potential.” He thought to himself, “She seems like a true professional.” So, despite our very different backgrounds, we gave each other a chance. We’ve turned out to be a great team. Today, the Rapaport Diamond Report is a 200-page-plus color publication keeping our readers current on an industry and market that have gone through enormous change.
It is the perfect job for me; since my early teenage years, I had been studying diamonds and gemstones. I had become interested in the subject while living in India, then later in Tunisia, Thailand and Afghanistan. While much of my interest was, and continues to be, in the metaphysical aspects of diamonds and gems, I studied and learned much about the gemological traits as well. One of the best parts of my job is getting the calls to see and touch a very special diamond. These amazing gifts to humanity from the great Goddess Gaia never cease to amaze me.
During this time, it has been my pleasure to get to know and work with Martin Rapaport, named by JCK magazine as one of the industry’s top visionaries. He never stops surprising me. His depth of knowledge of the diamond market is unparalleled. In the time that I have known him, he has taken his business from being one office in New York City to a global network of offices catering to various niches in the market. And, through it all, despite his sometimes gruff and unconventional manner, he has always maintained his integrity, his ethics and his compassion for those less fortunate, giving his time and financial resources to a number of causes, most of which are not publicized.
So, for the 30-year anniversary of Rapaport Diamond Report, I say thank you to Martin Rapaport. Thank you for giving me a great career opportunity and for the opportunity to be a part of your dream.
Amber Michelle
Editor-in-Chief
Article from the Rapaport Magazine - September 2008. To subscribe click here.