| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| HTA ID | HTA-0433 |
| Title | Gold and Diamonds — 47th Street & Gold Exchange |
| Date | c. 1980–1982 |
| Date Confidence | Medium — PM Magazine era; gold at $440/oz suggests 1980–1982 |
| Program | PM Magazine |
| Station | WDVM-TV Channel 9, Washington DC |
| Duration | ~7:41 |
| Format | Feature / business/culture |
A two-part feature exploring New York's precious metals world. Part 1 takes viewers to 47th Street's Diamond District, where Hasidic Jewish traders conduct million-dollar deals with handshakes, Michael Kaufman's diamond-cutting operation at Freud and Rabinovich spends months on single stones, and plainclothes cops blend with the crowd. Part 2 visits the New York Gold Commodities Exchange at the World Trade Center, where Henry's old college friend Robert Kline works as a gold trader. The opening bell produces chaos that Robert calls "music" — "like listening to an orchestra, you can pick out the trombone." Henry ends by singing "If I Were a Rich Man" from Fiddler on the Roof.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| People | Michael Kaufman (diamond cutter, Freud & Rabinovich), Robert Kline (gold trader, Henry's college friend) |
| Organizations | Freud and Rabinovich (diamond cutters), New York Gold Commodities Exchange |
| Locations | 47th Street Diamond District, NYC; World Trade Center, NYC; New York Financial District |
| Subjects | Diamond trade, gold trading, commodities exchange, Jewish business culture, precious metals |
| Themes | Hidden worlds of commerce, tradition vs. chaos, portable wealth, friendship |
| Keywords | diamonds, gold, 47th Street, World Trade Center, commodities exchange, Hasidic, Krugerrand |
| Career Period | PM Magazine, WDVM Channel 9 (1979–1984) |
"A million dollars in diamonds can be put into a box no bigger than a cigarette box."
"Many folks carry attache cases, which could hold diamonds, but probably contain lunch."
"You have just witnessed the opening of the New York Gold Commodities Exchange — sort of a cross between an auction and a barroom brawl."
"It's like listening to an orchestra. If your ear is tuned, you can pick out the trombone." / "Are you always this hoarse?" / "Occupational hazard."
The piece works on multiple levels: the contrast between the quiet, trust-based diamond trade and the screaming chaos of the gold exchange; the personal connection through Henry's college friend; and the cultural observation about Hasidic traders. The "Fiddler on the Roof" ending ties it all together with characteristic Henry wit. The World Trade Center location adds unintentional historical poignancy. The gold price ($440/oz) dates the piece precisely to the early 1980s gold boom.
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Location | World Trade Center — historically significant pre-9/11 footage |
| Theme | Hidden professions — connects to Trumpet Maker (HTA-0377), Violin Maker (HTA-0378) |
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Source File | HN_41 Gold and Diamonds.txt |
| Video File | HN_41 Gold and Diamonds.mp4 |
| Source Location | PM MAGAZINE folder |
| Video Analysis Status | PENDING — Dropbox URL access issue |
| Reel Assessment | HIGH REEL CANDIDATE — World Trade Center footage alone gives this historical significance. The 47th Street diamond world is visually fascinating. The gold exchange chaos is great television. And the "If I Were a Rich Man" ending is pure Henry. |
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Review Date | 2026-07-06 |
| Source File | HN_41 Gold and Diamonds.mp4 |
| Source Location | Dropbox / PM MAGAZINE folder |
| Duration (confirmed) | 7:27 (0:15–7:42) |
| Video Quality | Good |
Henry wears a grey tweed suit jacket, dark vest, white shirt, dark patterned tie, beige scarf, glasses, mustache. Locations include the Cartier building on Fifth Avenue, 47th Street Diamond District (Hasidic traders, handshake deals), Freund & Rabinowitz diamond plant, a subterranean precious metals vault, and the NY Gold Commodities Exchange at the World Trade Center. Key visuals: macro shot of laser marking a diamond, vault reveal (gold/silver bars), final macro diamonds sparkling.
| Timestamp | Content |
|---|---|
| 0:15–1:15 | Introduction — Cartier vs. 47th Street |
| 1:15–2:40 | Diamond factory — cutting, polishing, laser marking |
| 2:41–3:37 | Culture of 47th Street (Hasidic traders, handshake deals) |
| 3:38–4:38 | Gold vault — Henry hefts $44K gold brick (4:20) |
| 4:39–6:48 | Gold Commodities Exchange at World Trade Center |
| 6:49–7:42 | Conclusion/montage |
Henry holds a million dollars in raw diamonds (1:31), hefts a $44,000 gold brick (4:20), and enters the chaotic Gold Commodities Exchange trading pit at the World Trade Center. His deadpan "So... why do they yell in gold?" (7:04) while surrounded by screaming traders is a perfect fish-out-of-water moment.
Holding a million dollars in raw diamonds with casual narration, hefting the gold brick with visible effort, and the deadpan question in the trading pit demonstrate Henry's ability to make extraordinary access feel relatable. The use of "Tradition" from Fiddler on the Roof and "If I Were a Rich Man" as soundtrack adds cultural texture. The World Trade Center location provides historical significance.
Unseen announcer: "We'll be right back with our PM Magazine departments."