corundum, Afghanistan.12, China.12, Tajikistan.12, spinel, gems

In our business, travel should be de rigueur. But the headlines frighten so many away. Boo! Earth is one giant pool of war, disease and pestilence. Boo! International travel is undertaken only by the clinically insane or those with Special Ops experience. Boo! If the pox or pollution don't gettcha, al Qaeda is close behind. As Lou Reed sang: You've got a black .38 and a gravity knife. You still have to ride the train." Lou was singing about the New York subways. Having braved Manhattan's dangerous tunnels, we feel qualified to discuss what some might regard as an even greater peril: travel to Tajikistan. This article is based on a 2006 expedition to Tajikistan’s famous Kuh-i-Lal (spinel) and Snyzne (ruby) mines."