[diverdan]

Sammy: Very well said. I was in the jewelry business overseas and worked with jewelers from all over the world. I was primarily interested in chorundum, ie rubies and sapphires. I quickly got bored. Even with a wholesale mark up on stones of hopefully 10% it was a tough business. Wholesale mark up was more on production jewelry. At any rate, you probably need to be in a big city to access wholesalers. If it was me, I'd give her a great c z piece and a good investment portfolio equivalent to the value of what you would have bought for her and tell her what it should be worth when you're both old and gray. That would show a lot more love and concern and piss off the Belgians. IMHO. Good luck.

Dan