Ethiopian Opal
Since reemerging in the market after a decade long hiatus, opal from Ethiopia has generated a lot of buzz during the past six years. Anyone visiting a major gem show since 2009 has likely seen…
Gem NotesVesuvianite
Introduction: Vesuvianite is a tetragonal mineral with the formula Ca10Mg2Al4(SiO4)5(Si2O7)2(OH)4. As the name implies, it was named after the locality of its discovery, Mount Vesuvius, Campania, Italy. It has an interesting history in the nomenclature…
Gem NotesMid-Market Frustration Breaks Out… Or Transparency Counts – We Have To Do More!
The pressure on polished diamond prices is intense right now with many categories trending downwards. This is not an across the board decline, the prices of the very popular “bread and butter” categories are staying…
Diamond MarketColored Stone Market
The mood in the colored stone market became surprisingly subdued in March as business cooled rapidly after posting strong results during February gem shows. Dealers returning after the March Hong Kong show gave contrasting reports…
Colored Stone MarketSpinel
The global gem market has seen the revival of spinel as a popular gem in recent years. Consumers are more aware of its beauty and rarity and recognize it as a gem in its own…
Market TrendsPhotoatlas of Gemstone Spectra for Gemology Students by Richard D. Armstrong, RGA, GG, GP
Obtaining a gem’s spectrum via a handheld spectroscope can be difficult, if not intimidating for most gemology students and some practicing gemologists. However, the use of visible spectrum is vital to the proper identification of…
Book ReviewBaselworld 2015
For those who have never been to Basel, Switzerland for “Baselworld,” the world’s most impressive watch and jewelry show, this will give you a sense of the importance, or enormity, of the show. Let’s begin…
Featured ArticlesGem Market Pulse April 2015: Market Volatility
In a volatile market will high prices be maintained? Both diamonds and colored gems are going through an interesting phase right now. Prices are high and in some cases, so high that the average consumer is…
*Gem Focus & Market Pulse (Free Subscriber)Pearls of the Desert
Again this year Tucson provided an excellent venue to research trends in the cultured pearl industry. Immediately apparent to this author was the influence that the rising costs for raw materials is having on prices…
Featured ArticlesGarnet
The Tucson 2015 Gem Show demonstrated that there are considerably more options than just the big three (ruby, sapphire and emerald) for buyers seeking fine quality gemstones. The availability of bigger and higher quality garnets…
*Free Featured Articles