Colored Stone Market
A possible correction is predicted for some high end gemstones that had huge price gains in the past few years. With the tax season upon us, consumers in the U.S. were not focusing on buying…
Colored Stone MarketAppraising in the Tourist Market
The tourist market is its own market with very different behaviors when it comes to jewelry. Is it a rip-off or just a market where higher prices can be expected? Is buyer's remorse a reason…
News ArchiveTuscon Gem Show 2012 Report
Tucson is the highlight in gem shows for the year. This year, traffic was down with few new products. However, industry topics such as the Burma embargo kept things lively. A new freshwater product appeared…
Gem Market NewsA Pain in the Glass – Treated Ruby Debunked
The popularity of this material - as evidenced by the sheer amount in the market remains a concern. Dealers and mass marketers have introduced an array of brand names each conjuring up images of exotic…
Gem Market NewsNacre thickness of Tahitian Cultured Pearls – A Case Study
A damaged Tahitian cultured pearl that was presented for identification is a good example for demonstrating the importance of nacre thickness as an evaluation factor for Cultured Pearls. The Single Pearl had been bought a year…
Gem Market NewsLarge Emeralds
In January, the trade and consumer press picked up on an item for sale of huge size and supposed value. The emerald weighed in at 57,500 carats and was appraised for $1.15 million. The emerald…
Gem Market NewsIrradiated Emeralds
Although oiling of emeralds has been done since ancient times, modern forms of resins came under question in the 1990s. Although irradiation attempts were made with emeralds two decades ago, no commercial production appeared. Recently…
Gem Market NewsThe Heat Treatment of Spinel
Spinel was always thought to be a gem that did not respond to heat treatments. Now, some research shows that some spinels may in fact respond to treatment. The Treatment of Spinel, is a topic I…
Gem Market NewsSmoke on the Water: Treated Ethiopian Hydrophane Opal
Opal is an intriguing gemstone since mineralogically it is considered to be a common silica gel. However, in certain locations, it occurs in its precious form displaying play-of-color due to more regular internal structure compared…
Gem Market NewsDiamond Market
With slow markets, diamond prices were expected to drop but so far only minimal corrections have been seen. Buyers globally remain cautious. Mining companies produce fewer diamonds and BHP considers selling its Ekati diamond mine…
Diamond Market