LA Story
California was amazing. The weather was great and the scenery was like I’d never seen before. The warm sun greeted me in the morning while the mountains sat in the distance. Terrain in California is very diverse. You can go from the beach, to the mountains, and arrive in a desert valley within an hour. It was one of the few trips that I spent some time vacationing after the auction was finished.
Laurence took a day to show me the most scenic parts of Los Angeles up the Pacific Coast Highway. Once the sun set we boarded “The Queen Mary” Ship for a drink inside the bar. Once an oceangoing cruise liner, it is now floating hotel available to tourists. It looks plain from the outside but my attitude changed once we walked the decks. If the history behind the ship doesn’t peak your interest, the architecture will. Museum-quality pieces on were on display throughout the art deco style ballrooms with tall ceilings and beautiful etched glass and portholes. The following day I was able to see some family and travel north to Malibu for dinner and a purple sunset. It sure was a nice way to cap off a 7-day trip.
The auction had a large turnout which made the preview crowded and difficult. There were so many lots for sale and so little time to look at them. There was a strict security team that didn’t allow touching or handling of the items. You will see in the episode that those rules were bad in terms of making money. While I was aware that 80 percent of the bag was garbage gold-plated jewelry, I thought the 2 bracelets were real. It’s a $700 mistake that is a permanent reminder to be patient and keen on what I’m buying.
– Mark Meyer
Hey Mark when we met out here I figured you are a fast study, and sharp. Looking forward to seeing the LA episode air. But hey no touch? HUGE disadvantage, just visual can and will lead anyone astray. Even a guy like me that works gold scrap every day.