Coral, especially the red to pink type, has been used as an ornamental gemstone both in jewelry and intricate carvings. Strangely, the word “coral” does not have an established taxonomic meaning but is instead broadly used to define for any organism that grew attached to the sea floor.
*Gem Focus & Market Pulse (Free Subscriber)The color of the year announcement by Pantone is an exciting concept for gem professionals. What gemstones can be matched with these colors? How popular would they be? The colors of 2021 “Illuminating” and “Ultimate Gray” create a jewelry-friendly combination.
*Gem Focus & Market Pulse (Free Subscriber)Laboratory-grown diamond acceptance continues to grow as noted by announcements such as Pandora in June going “all in” on lab grown diamonds for their fashion jewelry line, no longer using natural diamonds. The July issue of the GemGuide gives more detail on this move by Pandora in the market report by diamond correspondent Jon Phillips. As he noted, it was a brilliant PR move, focusing on ethical and sustainability concerns over mined diamonds, though we know some of these claims continue to be challenged by the natural diamond producers.
Lab-Grown Diamond Price IndexThis is the first comprehensive researched based study in more than a decade, comparing jewelry store margins using a broad spectrum of the industry. Markups are a key component to valuation assignments and understanding these margins is critical for appraisers to use in valuations.
Featured ArticlesThroughout history, Afghanistan gemstones have been of great value and steadily increasing in value. Today, mostly private families and residents operate mining and it is their main source of income. Over the years, organizations have worked together to develop the legal trade from this country.
Featured ArticlesCompanies shift selling preferences to lab-grown based on profitability and so-called ethical reasons, though sometimes unsubstantiated. Rough diamond prices are on the rise by both DeBeers and Alrosa with India struggling with COVID issues. Argyle is finally closing with an impressive final tender offering fancy color diamonds for the last time.
Diamond MarketThe August JCK Las Vegas show provides the first opportunity since the 2020 Tucson GemFair for buyers and exhibitors to come together for a major jewelry trade event in the U.S. At press time JCK, Couture, AGTA and the Antique shows were set to go ahead in late August as scheduled.
Colored Stone MarketThe demand for heliodor in the gem market fluctuates by fashion to an extent. Since one of the Pantone Colors of the Year for 2021 is a bright yellow named “Illuminating,” all tones of heliodor should get more attention.
Market TrendsBrightly colored crystals of fluorite, a.k.a., fluorspar, in large sizes have been a prized possession of mineral collectors for hundreds of years. This calcium fluoride mineral was first named by Carlo Antonio Galeani Napione in the late 18th century. He was inspired by the Latin word “fluere” meaning “to flow" because the mineral is used as a flux in iron smelting for industrial purposes.
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