How sourcing surgical face masks and other PPE from China is like hustle of diamond industry for CEO

When business came to a halt for Gilly Strauss, the jewellery company CEO started sourcing certified face masks from China to help friends in the US

It’s a real hustler’s market that is making full use of his sales skills, he says, as he battles false claims, ‘insane’ payment procedures and crazy prices

Reading Time:5 minutes

Workers make face masks at the workshop of a garment company which has changed its production line to produce protective materials in Qingdao, Shandong province. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 7:15am, 5 May 2020Updated: 11:24am, 5 May 2020

Gilly Strauss has been in the diamond business for more than 20 years. He was a founding member of luxury brand Hearts on Fire, which was acquired by Hong Kong-based Chow Tai Fook in 2014, and is now CEO of high-end jewellers Forms Jewellery. When we meet last week, he’s closing a tense deal.

“The guy is in Boston and he’s desperate. I’m trying to get the shipment to him by Friday, but Thursday is a public holiday here and in China,” Strauss says.

Could anyone really be that desperate to get diamonds? No – Strauss is not talking about sparkly rocks, but face masks of the surgical and KN95 variety.

Three months ago, Strauss knew next to nothing about face masks. Now, he can reel off personal protective equipment (PPE) specifications and costs like a pro. It turns out the face mask business is not as different from the diamond business as you might think.

“It’s quite like diamonds right now, because it is a real hustler’s market. I don’t mean hustle as in make money – I mean hustle like, ‘Wow it is complete chaos, no one knows what’s going on.’ If you can stay focused, do a couple of things well and communicate clearly with someone in need, you can match those two things up. That is really valuable right now.”

Strauss has been in the diamond business for more than 20 years. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

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