Keshi Pearls
The term keshi has long been misunderstood in the jewelry markets. Keshi, in the traditional use is only the Japanese saltwater natural tiny pearls. They represent only 0.5% to 1% of the total Japanese akoya…
Featured ArticlesMarket Trends: Color Change Garnet
Phenomenal gems exhibiting a true color change are rare in the industry and sought after by many collectors. The best-known example is the chrysoberyl variety alexandrite. In its finest quality, alexandrite is one of the…
Market TrendsScapolite
Several reasons appear to be influencing demand for nontraditional gems. Among them is the current economic condition that has triggered a trend towards nontraditional materials. These are appealing in part due to their lower price…
Featured ArticlesRiding the C-Saw
Lets face it - most diamonds are sold based on a laboratory report. Ask the appraisal customer if they were told the color and clarity grade (and sometimes the cut grade), were based on the…
News ArchiveEmeralds A Passionate Guide, The Emeralds, The People, and Their Secrets
As I pulled open the flap of the cardboard box, I spied a glimpse of green. At that moment, I knew the much-awaited book that emerald specialist Ron Ringsrud had been promising to write was now…
Book ReviewCruising and Crown of Light Follow-up
In the last issue of the Gem Market News (May/June 2009), an article appeared on the Crown of Light Diamond, a patented cut sold exclusively by Diamonds International. Never has an article commanded such intense…
Featured ArticlesColored Stone Market
May and early June brought more industry headlines reporting bankruptcies and layoffs at major retailers and manufacturers. However, that is not the complete story. In at least a few of these cases the firms were…
Colored Stone MarketDiamonds in Brief
Although the diamond section at the JCK show was among the slowest of the show, the overall feeling in the industry is that prices and business have bottomed out and there is hope for the…
Diamond MarketThe Golden Opportunity
A study by Indias Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council and the consulting firm KPMG reports annual worldwide retail sales of newly manufactured jewelry totaled $146 billion in 2005 (most recent data available). Broadly speaking…
Featured ArticlesLas Vegas Trade Shows
Las Vegas is becoming like Tucson in that what used to be one very well attended show, is now several shows, all feeling the thinning of the buyer pool. This year marked the 18th year…
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