Frogman to Rockman - Elisha Ralph Morgan, Senior Gemologist and retired Navy Seal speaks at Austin Navy League’s Distinguished Speaker Program

AUSTIN, Texas, June 27th, 2014 - The Austin Navy League's monthly Distinguished speaker program welcomed Elisha R. Morgan, former Navy  SEAL and Senior Gemologist at their April 17, 2014 dinner. The Austin Navy League supports active and retired members of the Naval Sea Services and assists in promoting scholarships to aspiring Sea Cadets in pursuit of a Naval career among other support services.

Morgan was candid with information sharing and answers given at the dinner. At one point he remarked "I have been asked many times why I decided to become a gemologist after having been an active duty U.S. Navy SEAL .It allows me to travel and interact with nature and the earth sciences while hunting for rare mineral specimens. I enjoy interacting with other cultures and negotiating the purchase of a fine specimen".

Morgan has been responsible for procurement of fine rare gemstones as investment vehicles utilized in capital preservation and appreciation.

After having honorably served as a Navy SEAL with U.S. Navy SEAL Team One, Coronado, CA from 1971-1975 and then again with SEAL Team Four, Virginia Beach, VA in the mid-1980’s Morgan learned that all the talk in the world is of little consequence if one does not have integrity, knowledge, contacts and ability to deliver. Being able to deliver what a client asks of him is what he does his utmost to accomplish.

As a past Governing Board Member of the Accredited Gemologists Association of America Morgan’s peers are spread far and wide across the globe so having a presence and pulse on the market from rare natural pearls, jade, ruby, sapphire, Old Cut Diamonds and antique jewelry is less a task than the bulk of people involved in the Gemstone and jewelry market. Having been born and raised in an affluent rural Vermont town Morgan learned early on to say what you mean and follow through on what is promised. The discipline learned as a member of an elite force allowed him to funnel that attention to detail that kept each of us alive into a focus on learning and performing all aspects of the gem business to the best of his ability.

After graduation from the Graduate Gemologist’s program, in residence, at the Gemological Institute of America’s former location in Santa Monica, California in 1987, he was hired by the School to grade colored gems that were to be sent out internationally to their “home study” students which often maintained stores or businesses of their own that prohibited them from attending in residence. He began to form a network of international gemologists and fellow alumni which Morgan retains contact with to this day.

Once leaving the school to return to his home town in Vermont, Morgan found a particular niche that was needing to be filled that most gemologists and many jewelers were not skilled in. That niche market was assessing the real values of many antique items of jewelry and gemstones that the older families and heirs of these rarer items were in need of. Many attorneys, jewelers, private individuals and institutions began to have him perform analysis of some of their items which they wished to liquidate or obtain a retail replacement value of. Unlike most gemologists in the field he had no prior family member paving the way for him or guiding him along with ready-made storefronts, a client base or established family businesses. He sought out every expert in the field in each section of the gem and jewelry industry and learned as much as possible about the Georgian, Edwardian, Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods of gem and jewelry and learned the accompanying rare stones that are found in many of these old pieces to include natural fancy colored diamonds.

His website www.therockman.org  demonstrates his services and some of the countries he has travelled over the 26 years in this business" 

Elisha Ralph Morgan, G.G. A.G.A. - Morgan invites inquiries about his background in the gem world. Contact him at 512.608.2524 or via email at rockman@aol.com