Well done! And that was the key to finishing the event, using gems to shorten collection times or bypass the collection time.
Now we have another building that drops much needed parts for future goals and events. Gems well spent if you ask me. It's all about investing in the game so that you're prepared for future events.
Actually I did use gems to speed up collection times, but it did not help because barrels did not drop regularly. I had plenty of corks left over, but am still stuck with a useless building at level nine. I have spent my last dime on this game.