Among the most sought after coloured gemstones now is the Paraiba tourmaline. Also morganite and aquamarine from Mozambique, according to Amit Dugar, director of RMC Gems HK Co.
“The colored gemstone industry is doing well. Growth is being driven by high demand, particularly from the US and Europe,” Dugar revealed. “All sizes are moving. Paraiba tourmaline, morganite and aquamarite are also increasing in popularity in Asia.”.
Major luxury brands such as Cartier, Bulgari and Tiffany are increasingly using these stones in their collections. This further fuels consumer demand, the company official added.
Compared to the 2020 Covid-affected year, RMC Gems recorded sales growth of 25% to 30% in 2021. “We expect 2022 to be a better year. One challenge is limited supply, particularly of Paraiba tourmaline and morganite. There is lower production as the mines are not operating at 100%,” he explained.
Amit Jain of Neon Gems revealed that emerald remains highly prized in China, while buyers in the US much prefer tanzanite. Meanwhile, sapphire and opal are performing well in the US and China. “For 2022, we expect better business compared to last year. Companies are replenishing inventories to meet customer demands,” Jain noted.
Nitin Agrawal of Scenario Gems identified the US, Europe and China as the strongest markets for coloured gemstones. In particular, tanzanite, colorful tourmaline, rubellite, moonstone and opal.
“The growth of the coloured gemstone industry is largely dependent on the reopening of the border and relaxation of strict quarantine rules, especially in Hong Kong, so that overseas buyers can start attending trade shows,” Agrawal added.
Transparency and digitisation are meanwhile big trends shaping the coloured gemstone industry, revealed Raphael Gübelin, president of Gübelin.
Provenance Proof, is an initiative of the Gübelin Gem Lab that has spun off as an independent company. It previously developed both the Emerald Paternity Test - developing physical detectors based on nano-sized tags - and the Provenance Proof Blockchain.
The laboratory also offers the Gübelin Gemstone Rating. This assesses the quality, rarity and significance of a particular gemstone. It translates these characteristics into a simple number: the Gübelin points.
“With Provenance Proof, we offer the latest technologies. Such as nanotags to identify emeralds and the first blockchain for coloured gemstones. These technologies enable greater transparency and increase trust,” Raphael explained. “In the end, transparency, trust and education will popularise coloured gemstones to a wider audience, to the benefit of the entire industry.”.
