2022 JCK Colored Stones Report

THE INDUSTRY AUTHORITY

SUMMER 2022

TRENDS FROM TUCSON, 2022’S HOTTEST GEMS & MORE

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PICKS N S T SO E and

WE’VE GOT A GEM FOR YOU, NO MATTER YOUR TASTE OR BUDGET ($250? NO PROBLEM!)

by Melissa Rose Bernardo

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MIXED TOURMALINE 1.

20k rose gold solitaire ring with Mozambique tourmaline and blue and green tourmaline; $10,700; Nak Armstrong; sales@nak armstrong.com; nakarmstrong.com 2.

The Stack necklace with 4.5 cts. t.w. tourmaline in 18k yellow gold; $3,000; Akaila Reid; lauren@megamegaprojects.com; akailareid.com 3.

One-of-a-kind Gemmy Gem bezel cuff in 18k rose gold with pink tourmaline; $32,480; Irene Neuwirth; sales@ireneneuwirth.com; ireneneuwirth.com

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Bicolor tourmaline and diamond bracelet in 18k yellow gold; $26,000; Trésor Collection; 305-375-0935; tresorcollection.com 5.

One-of-a-kind Triple Joyce earrings with 7.88 cts. t.w. oval green tourmaline and 0.07 ct. t.w. diamonds in 18k yellow gold; $4,950; Lauren K; info@laurenk.com; laurenk.com 6.

Ring with 10.5 cts. t.w. tourmaline in 18k gold; €5,120 ($5,587); Margoni; info@margoni.gr; margoni.gr 4

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OMBRÉ BEADS 1.

Mixed green bead Foundation necklace with green turquoise, malachite, and jade in 18k yellow gold; $1,950; Harwell Godfrey; meaghan@forfuturereference.com; harwellgodfrey.com 2.

Turquoise wrap bracelet-necklace in 18k yellow gold; $545; Anne Sportun; 844-363-4114; annesportun.com 3.

Bangalore earring with agate, aventurine, and quartz; $150 (sold as single); SVNR; kim@ madcolor.nyc; svnrshop.com

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Mobile earrings in amazonite, aventurine, and jade; $360; Jessica Winzelberg; info@jessicawinzelberg.com; jessicawinzelberg.com 5.

Gold and diamond enamel celestial medallion on shade apatite beaded bracelet; $1,025; Sydney Evan; 213-236-4444; sydneyevan.com

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Gemstones from all across the world S.P.B CREATIONS / S.P.B. GEMS

Please visit us at JCK Las Vegas June 9th-June 13th, 2022 Fine Gems Pavilion

BGK Graphics

Booth #34058

212-719-5170 • 888-SPB-GEMS • email:info@spbgems.com • www.spbgems.com

HEART SHAPES

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Lollipop Heart necklace with pink tourmaline heart in spotted green jasper; $5,900; Retrouvaí; meaghan@forfuturereference.com; retrouvai.com 2.

14k yellow gold and gray moonstone Anna heart charm; $1,850; Storrow Fine Jewelry; info@storrow jewelry.com; storrowjewelry.com

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14k rose gold mother-of-pearl heart earrings with 0.08 ct. t.w. diamonds; $837; Effy; 877-275-3339; effyjewelry.com 4.

18k yellow gold pink sapphire Honey heart gypsy ring; $4,200; Deborah Pagani; info@deborahpagani.com; deborahpagani.com

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18k yellow gold I Heart Rainbows necklace with rainbow sapphires; $38,000; Emily P. Wheeler; info@emilypwheeler.com; emilypwheeler.com

EXPECT THE EXCEPTIONAL. EXPLORE THE PHENOMENAL. LUXURY by JCK Salon 702 | Las Vegas, NV | June 8-13, 2022 AGTA GemFair HardRock Summit | Denver, CO | September 8-11, 2022

626.331.4533 | omiprive.com | jewelry@omiprive.com

CARVED GEMS

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Medium Marianne necklace with lapis, pink opal, coral, and diamonds in 18k yellow gold; $9,600; Brent Neale; meaghan@ forfuturereference.com; brentneale.com 2.

One-of-a-kind carved tanzanite leaf in 18k gold with braided detail; $1,595; Amáli Jewelry; info@ amalijewelry.com; amalijewelry.com 3.

18k gold earrings with gray agate cameo, coral, and mother-of-pearl disc; CHF 1,950 ($2,121); Bahina; bahina.com 4.

Earrings in 18k gold with diamonds and turquoise; $19,700; Silvia Furmanovich; 866-301-MUSE; silviafurmanovich.com

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18k black rhodium gold bangle with two jade lions, tourmaline, moonstones, tsavorite, sapphires, rubies, and diamonds; price on request; Lydia Courteille; lauren@megamegaprojects.com; lydiacourteille.com

EVERYDAY TURQUOISE

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Demi Draper turquoise and red tourmaline earrings; $2,700; Rush Jewelry Design; lauren@ megamegaprojects.com; rushjewelrydesign.com

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Three Turquoise Ball Drop earrings with emeralds; $2,950; Mateo New York; meaghan@forfuturereference.com; mateonewyork.com

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Turquoise and baroque pearl necklace in 14k gold–plated brass; $228; Bounkit; 212-244-1877; bounkit.com

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Turquoise cabochon with side diamond channel ring; $3,800; Ali Grace Jewelry; info@aligracejewelry.com; aligracejewelry.com

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Natural leather cuff with 28 ct.

Kingman turquoise in 14k gold and 0.08 ct. t.w. diamond-set prongs; $3,750; Just Jules; 480-860-6211; justjules.com

Y EV R

G HN

E T I is FINE I

TOP-QUALITY GOODS, BLUE-GREEN STONES, AND RARE FINDS ARE DRIVING DEMAND IN THE RED -HOT COLORED STONE MARKET

by Victoria Gomelsky

F YOU HAPPENED to attend this year’s gem shows in Tucson, the buoyant mood may have caught you off guard. Despite the omicron surge, despite the noticeable absence of Asian exhibitors and buyers, despite the fluid and ever-rising state of prices, business was absolutely booming.

“After successive strong holiday seasons, retailers n ­ eeded stock,” Stuart Robertson, vice president of research at Gemworld International in Glenview, Ill., said on a ­webinar in late February devoted to “Colored Gemstone Market Trends in Uncertain Times.”

“There was no single hot gem this year,” he added. “We saw a wide range of things selling, from pastels to bold colors.

Basically, anything that was better quality sold well.”

BEST SELLERS And by better, Robertson really meant best. Take, for instance, the 80.26 ct. royal blue Burma sapphire that Ijadi Gem displayed at the American Gem Trade Association GemFair.

“We’ve been hiding it in the safe,” said president and owner Sam Ijadi. “It’s the first time we’re exposing it.”

The stone carried a conservative estimate of $10 million at retail. The fact that Ijadi chose this year’s Tucson gathering for the gem’s public debut pointed to another truism: “It is a

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“In mining, stones remain in the ground—you still have access to them. But that’s not what we saw in the cultured pearl trade.”

—STUART ROBERTSON

seller’s market,” Robertson said. He added a caveat: “On-hand stock is key. Prospective buyers are not waiting. They move on to the next supplier if they can’t find what they’re looking for.”

Dave Bindra, vice president of B&B Fine Gems in Los Angeles, also an AGTA exhibitor, confirmed the “sense of urgency” that seemed to characterize most transactions.

“In the past, it would take three or four days for buyers to make a decision,” he said. “Now they make it on the spot.”

“Rare and unusual items”—including Mahenge spinels from Tanzania and unheated sapphires, such as an 11.09 ct.

Sri Lankan padparadscha that Bindra described as “perfect”— seemed to draw the most interest, he said.

(Opposite page) Montana sapphires from Columbia Gem House: “These were very popular across the board. All shapes, sizes, and colors,“ said the brand.

(Above) 8.5 mm–10 mm South Sea pearl necklace in 18k yellow gold; $6,050; Mastoloni; sales@ mastoloni.com; mastoloni.com

(OPPOSITE PAGE) DILLON SPRAGUE/COLUMBIA GEM HOUSE; (THIS PAGE) PADPARADSCHA: COURTESY OF DAVE BINDRA

PEARL SHORTAGES Price volatility is one reason buyers felt compelled to move quickly. Tucson sellers seemed uncertain about how to price goods, some of which came from old stock and would not easily be replaced, due to the pandemic-induced mining slowdown.

“Prices are fluid and trending higher,” Robertson said.

“Once lower-priced goods are gone, the higher price takes hold. The best time to buy is when goods are available.”

That advice was—and remains—extra pertinent to anyone shopping for cultured pearls. Production at pearl farms around the world—in Japan, China, Australia, Tahiti, and elsewhere— was severely curtailed by the pandemic, because many farmers were unable to nucleate their oysters during quarantines.

“In mining, stones remain in the ground—you still have access to them, but that’s not what we saw in the cultured pearl trade,” Robertson said. “Supply chain disruptions ­related to COVID-19 involved the inability to get product into the water to get nucleated. That process did not take place at a large number of farms for more than a season. This will throw off production for a few seasons.”

As a result, buyers should expect to find price increases and shortages in certain key categories, especially Tahitian and South Sea pearls, Robertson said.

The suggested retail price for B&B Fine Gems’ 11.09 ct. padparadscha: $1.4 million

POPULARITY CONTEST Based on market trends in Tucson, a few gems appear to be riding a wave of popularity—chiefly fancy colored Montana sapphires, which appeal to buyers for their easily traceable provenance. During the Gemworld webinar, president Richard Drucker noted that while goods from Yogo Gulch, Mont., are rare and priced per stone, Potentate Mining is producing “beautiful fancy colors” at the state’s Rock Creek deposit.

Drucker also pointed to the evergreen popularity of rainbow moonstone and rising interest in demantoid garnet. He cited Prosperity Earth, a vertical mining and cutting operation in Madagascar that specializes in demantoid, and said the amount of material flowing from the deposit is helping to raise the profile of the once-esoteric green gem.

Of all the stones that struck a chord with buyers, however, those that had been ethically sourced—with proven ­provenance—were the real stars of Tucson.

On an Instagram Live session in mid-February (a replacement for a presentation scheduled at AGTA before the show canceled all educational events), Eric Braunwart, founder of Columbia Gem House in Vancouver, Wash., a leader in ­responsible sourcing, said interest in sustainability has spiked in recent years.

“We started doing this work 20 years ago and really where we saw the change happen was the last few years,” he said.

“The #MeToo movement, Black Lives Matter—they woke people up to think about how their work impacted others.”

Emily Phillippy, owner of Emily Chelsea Jewelry in Philadelphia, a Columbia Gem House customer who ­appeared on the Instagram Live with Braunwart, acknowledged that many of the buzzwords the industry uses to discuss responsible sourcing are a trend, but the meaning behind them is anything but.

“As soon as Gen Z has more buying power, especially this pandemic generation,” Phillippy said, “there’s no way this is going away.”

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WHAT S

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R S R T AU your

JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky snapped up this David Freeland Jr. inlay pendant

WHAT SHOULD YOU BE HUNTING FOR IN LAS VEGAS? GET INSPIRED

BY WHAT TOP INDUSTRY PROS SPOTTED, LOVED, AND PICKED UP EARLIER THIS YEAR AT THE TUCSON GEM SHOWS.

by Amy Elliott

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HE TUCSON GEM shows were a tonic for those who have been starved for the kind of epic gem shopping experience we’ve come to expect from this annual event. After so many months of ­communicating with gem dealers via text, Zoom, and Instagram, many in the industry were all but ecstatic to touch and feel stones and mineral specimens, and see friends and ­colleagues IRL. Trendspotting and reconnecting with favorite vendors were also high on the agenda.

JCK ’s own editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky describes the shows as “nothing short of cathartic.” Like many attendees, she considered her visit to the Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum, which just opened in downtown Tucson, the highlight of her trip. “No gem lover can afford to miss this place!” she says.

And no gem hunter should tackle the JCK Las Vegas show without first reading the Tucson feedback we ­gathered from top stone dealers, retailers, influencers, and designers.

Danielle Miele

Victoria Gomelsky

I was excited to buy pieces to resell to my followers, and this trip left me with empty pockets and a full suitcase. I purchased some inlaid ammonites, carved amethyst skulls, lots of opals (both rough and ­finished jewelry), some Verde Valley agates, Mexican cantera opals—I buy one for my personal collection every year—danburite, Herkimer ­diamonds, and some Yogo Montana sapphires. I also bought a few antique and vintage pieces from the few ­dealers that were there.

I cruised the three main shows—the AGTA GemFair, GJX, and Pueblo—in search of standout specimens and discovered an 80 carat Burma royal blue sapphire at the Ijadi Gem booth easily worth more than $10 million at retail. Wowza! I was also thrilled to finally see, and buy, the work of David Freeland Jr., a Tucson-based inlay artist who showed at both the Pueblo and 22nd Street shows.

I only found time to drop by his booth at Pueblo at the 11th hour—he was literally my last stop before we drove back to Los Angeles. My sister sat curbside in our idling car as my friend Mark and I agonized over which of Freeland’s many beguiling jewels I would choose. I ended up with a small cosmic-themed pendant depicting the earth, Saturn, and the stars in crescent-shaped shards of opal and turquoise.

It’s out of this world!

Founder of @GemGossip and @shopgemgossip, Nashville

Editor-in-chief, JCK and JCKonline.com, Los Angeles

WWW.ARESANEWYORK.COM

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(Below) Opal paintings from Angie Crabtree; (r.) Featherstone’s Hermitage earrings with opal, diamonds, and carved coral

Jennifer Gandia Co-owner, Greenwich St. Jewelers, New York City

We went looking for specific stones, but also allowed ourselves time to see what was out there—we know our clients well enough to have a good sense of what is going to ­resonate with them when we see it. Some of the things at the top of the list were emeralds and Montana sapphires—what we sell best is the teal green-blue hue range. And there’s always something that you haven’t seen before: One of these things was a tourmaline that we found from Agere Treasures at the Ethical Gem Fair.

It just looked to me like a black tourmaline—I happen to wear a lot of black, I like a lot of black—but in the light, you could see that it had this really beautiful dark purple color. We bought them and decided that they should be called aubergine tourmalines.

Jennifer Gandia and her sister and co-owner, Christina Gandia Gambale, getting intimate with some gemstones

Deirdre Featherstone

Laura Kitsos

We start with a list—both projects and favorite restaurants—and attended a bunch of shows this year: AGTA, GJX, JOGS, Pueblo, and the Holidome. My list this year was focused on stones in specific colors that I love choosing with my own eyes. We purchased mainly calibrated stones and made notes of what I hope to work with next. I do love to treasure hunt for perfect pairs of stones for earrings. I like to think that I can stay focused on my overall design plans—unless there is a pair of opals, then it all goes out the window! I very much enjoyed looking at Angie Crabtree’s paintings of gemstones up close and personal. She was exhibiting at AGTA, and it was the first time I have seen her portraits of opals. I might need a portrait of a heart-shaped opal. Just sayin’.

I purchased some Brazilian quartz and agate shaped into mushrooms, some rose chrysocolla hearts, and other shapes. I also purchased some matte gemstone beads—rubies, emeralds, and more. I plan to hand-knot them onto contrasting silk cord and use 18k gold findings—I’m excited to start laying them out! I also purchased some beautiful, tumbled-looking multicolored sapphires cut into a barrel shape. And hearts were literally everywhere this year—turquoise hearts for pendants, heart-cut watermelon tourmalines, and gold heart charms in many styles, including pavé and padlock.

Owner/designer, Featherstone Design, New York City

Owner, Gem Jewelry Boutique, Oak Park, Ill.

Designed and handcrafted in New York

vahanjewelry.com | sales@vahanjewelry.com | 914.937.1800 Vahan ®, Alwand Vahan ®, Moiré Pattern ® are Regd. Trademarks. Designs © Alwand Vahan Jewelry Ltd. Made in the USA with ethically sourced materials from around the world.

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(Below) Gustav Caesar Paul-Otto’s gemstone produce; (l.) Todd Wacks’ color-change garnet in daylight and (bottom l.) under incandescent light

(Below) Nan Palmer with a free-form velveteen malachite; (r.) a displayready rhodochrosite from LuxeRox

David Hakimian Nan Palmer

Founder, LuxeRox; owner, Facets Jewelry Consulting, Denver LuxeRox cofounder Kelly Selcer and I had a full agenda in Tucson. We first had to replenish our best-­selling mineral and crystal specimens: sky blue celestite from Madagascar, azurite malachite from Morocco, and royal purple amethyst from Uruguay. Our main goal was to further develop our wholesale offerings of ­mineral specimens for our retail partners, and some of our favorite finds from this trip include ruby in zoisite, which is mined near the base of Mount Kilimanjaro. Another new offering is a gemmy, fiery-orange spessartite garnet specimen. And we are proud to offer rhodochrosite specimens from the Sweet Home Mine in our home state of Colorado.

Multicolored rough sapphires from Rock Creek Sapphire

Jeff White

Owner, J.L. White Fine Gemstones, Kingsport, Tenn.

This year I stumbled across some of the finest imperial topaz faceting rough I’ve seen in many, many years, and I purchased pieces of the most incredible color and clarity. That was definitely not something I expected to find. I also purchased a very fine lot of tsavorite garnet rough, some copper-bearing tourmaline, blue-green to purplish-pink color-change garnets, and other rarities that weren’t on my list. It was also a surprisingly good year for American gems, and I picked up a large lot of fine unheated Montana sapphires and even some facet-grade Colorado aquamarine!

Carved fruits and veggies from Gustav Caesar at the Pueblo Show and AGTA were a favorite. They are mostly different carved beryls and tourmalines.

Pyrope garnets were a rare find from Todd Wacks, also at the Pueblo show. They have a strong color-change quality, shifting from an intense deep purple to a silky pink. We had a fun time with these stones; they will show up in several one-of-a-kind pieces during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.

COLOR-CHANGE GARNETS: TUCSON TODD’S GEMS/MARY VAN DER AA FINE JEWELS (2)

Founder, DEH Jewelry ­Solutions, New York City

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Curated Gemstones & Fine Jewelry

AGTA GemFair Las Vegas at the JCK Show | Booth: AGTA 28075 KimberlyCollinsGems.com | 7 7 5 . 6 2 2 . 0 6 0 0 | IG: @kimberlycollinsgems