Known to most in the industry as the son of Ray Zajicek, Monte has worked in the Emerald business with his father for almost ten years at Equatorian Imports, the company Ray founded in 1968. Dealing with Colombian Emerald and being one of the very few dealers in the rare Red Emerald, Ray and Monte provide US retailers and other gemstones wholesalers fine colored gemstones to fit their customers needs. Monte was born in raised in Dallas, and went to college in Oklahoma. He then spent over a decade in Los Angeles before jumping into the colored stone gemstone industry. Over the last several years he has helped his father develop the terminology and literature that was recently adopted by the AGTA to promote the term Red Emerald to the public. Monte and Ray make regular trips to Bogota where they maintain an office throughout the year. They continue to sell all varieties of color, both loose and finished, to their customers.
Determined to use his audience at the Symposium as a platform for wild self promotion, Monte will be leaving the science to the scientists, and using his time to entertain the crowd with stories of the danger and mysteries of Bogota. As Colombia to this day finds itself on the list of countries that should be visited with caution, it remains an enigma to most Americans too scared to venture into its borders. Be prepared to hear elaborate tales of kidnapping, murder, Victor Carranza, the drug trade, and… to be honest Colombia has now become a very safe place to visit, but most people still wanna hear about the good old days. Monte will be detailing his many visits to Bogota buying Emeralds with his father. Some stories will be true, all will be funny, and most of you should find this lecture as a must see of the Symposium!
Red bixbite and green Colombian emeralds are specialities of the Zajiceks’ Equatorian Imports.