Article - Trends in Colored Stones in 2005

[bar01]

An interesting article on trends in the colored stone market - what has been top sellers, consumer and industry concerns.

http://www.colored-stone.com/stories/jan06/retail.cfm


Also, the latest issue of this magazine includes the "Gemmy Awards" and info on the 2006 Tucson Show.

 

[Richard M.]

I was just reading that article when you posted. I''ll follow the responses with great interest.

Richard M.

 

[Hest88]

Fascinating. I pulled out the lists of the Top 10 gems out:

2003
Blue Sapphire
Ruby
Tanzanite
Emerald
Amethyst
Blue Topaz
Tsavorite Garnet
Aquamarine
Opal
Green Tourmaline

2004
Blue Sapphire
Fancy Sapphire
Ruby
Tanzanite
Emerald
Pink Tourmaline
Amethyst
Blue Topaz
Peridot
Pearl

2005
Blue Sapphire
Ruby
Blue Topaz
Fancy Sapphire
Amethyst
Peridot
Tanzanite
Emerald
Aquamarine, Citrine, Opal (tie)
Rhodolite Garnet

 

[Hest88]

The fancy sapphire doesn''t surprise me. I think it''s a merger of the recent advertising push that started with "pink" sapphires and the continuing perception in consumers'' minds that sapphire is one of the more precious of colored gems.

Blue topaz, aquamarine---eh, there''s always an interest in blue stones. Rhodolite does surprise me, though, but partly because I''m not fond of amethysts. If I had paid attention to purple stones I suppose it would logical that since amethysts are still so popular another purple stone would be as well.

 

[Richard M.]

Date: 1/25/2006 11:27:58 AM
Author: Hest88
Rhodolite does surprise me, though, but partly because I''m not fond of amethysts. If I had paid attention to purple stones I suppose it would logical that since amethysts are still so popular another purple stone would be as well.

That''s interesting. Actually, the belief that rhodolite (a varying mixture of pyrope and almandine garnets) must have purple is a recent GIA invention. The variety was named "rhodo" (rose) "lite" (stone) for the rose-like color of the stones originally found in North Carolina. Those stones seldom display purple. Because of peculiarities of the present state of garnet classification, the definition of "rhodolite" has been expanded enormously in trade usage since then. It''s become a catch-all name for any pink-red-purple garnet. Published data for R.I., S.G., etc. depend on who''s publishing -- there are a lot of conflicting references. So-called "rhodolites" are available in many hues.

 

[widget]

Interesting!

Emerald certainly has taken a dive, hasn't it? I wonder what that's about?

The article mentions the influence TV gem shopping shows has had on consumer awareness of gem options beyond the traditional "big three"...I'm not surprised.

I'm sort of surprised that Ruby seems to be holding it's own....there arent' too many on PS. You'd think other less costly reds...rubellite, spinel, etc would start showing up on the list.

widget

 

[Hest88]

Thanks for the clarification Richard. I have a parcel of teeny rhodolites that are, I suppose, technically rosy, but I think of them as having more of a purple hue than, say, pink. They really are pretty things but more of a deep color than I suppose I think of when I think pink. Now that they''re in vogue maybe I should set them in something!

 

[eks6426]

I think the article hit it right when they said gem sales tend to follow the popular color in clothing to some extent. 2004 was a "pink" year which probaly explains the popularity of pink tourmeling. But 2005 was all about blues & greens in the spring.......With the cheaper gems I bet it is all about "will it match my outfit?"

 

[Hest88]

Date: 1/25/2006 12:06:22 PM
Author: widget

Emerald certainly has taken a dive, hasn''t it? I wonder what that''s about?

I think there''s the perception that emerald is too brittle--except in the most expensive, cleaner stones--to wear well. I dunno, although green is my favorite color, affordable emeralds are just too heavily included to be attractive.

 

[valeria101]

I wonder how that ranking is made - where price, availability and quality play out rather than just demand.

''Trend'' to me reads like ''fashion trend'' rather than statistic precedent and these lists might be more statistics than fashion - just wondering.



Anyway: what''s up with pearls?

Is anyone else surprised by their meager presence?

 

[Hest88]

Date: 1/25/2006 12:20:25 PM
Author: valeria101

Anyway: what''s up with pearls?

Is anyone else surprised by their meager presence?

No. I think pearls suffer from their stodgy image (a.k.a. pearls and twinsets). They certainly can''t compete with the blinginess of colored stones, except in the more exotic, larger Tahitian pearl-type sizes.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 1/25/2006 12:36:54 PM
Author: Hest88

Date: 1/25/2006 12:20:25 PM
Author: valeria101

Anyway: what''s up with pearls? Is anyone else surprised by their meager presence?

No. I think pearls suffer from their stodgy image (a.k.a. pearls and twinsets).

He, eh... had to look up ''twinset'' in the dictionary

, no wonder.

Besides, I''m not sure I like them (only) small round and white either. Only got used to keep an open mind about what ''pearls'' mean.

 

[PrecisionGem]

Just read that artical the other day too. I was surprised to see tourmaline off the list. I cut and sell more tourmaline than anything else. I never cut blue topaz, just isnt worth the time.

I would say my biggest sellers are:

1. Tourmaline - various colors, but mostly the blue/green
2. Aquamarine
3. Fancy sapphire
4. Garnets - rhodolites, colorchange, tsavorite, malaya

Now if they serveyed the mainstreem mall jewelry stores, the almost never have tourmaline or any of the more expensive garnets. My client base is mostly custom one of kind jewelry designers.

On a side note: What I have seen available this year in rough... good aquamarine is tough to find, tsavorite prices are very high, and nice colored tourmalines are up about 25% from last year. The color change garnets from Kenya (blue purple to red) were not as good as what I saw last year and in very short supply.