About Tucson - a personal note

Tucson is not just some dusty cactus town in Arizona. Thanks to the Tucson Gem & Mineral Society, celebrating its 69th annual show this year, Tucson has become the mecca for international gem & mineral merchants, enthusiasts, and collectors. This year, from January 16th through February 12th, over 40 different trade shows, held in every major hotel and motel, business park and available tent, featured everything from fossilized dinosaur bones to Sweet Home Rhodochrosite specimens, to Kashmir sapphires. Tucson has it all.

This is the time of year we get to see the most beautiful and unique gem materials available, to see old friends and colleagues, meet new friends, as well as to listen to and speak with the experts talking about their most recent work.

Here in the Roskin Gem News Report you will see images from the shows, reports on the seminars, and notes from special events. (... and more, of course!)

We wish we had stayed longer, but it's good to be back. - gr

#3.) GIA & IGI Offer 1-Day Verification Services

In our newsletter several weeks ago, we reported that 3 synthetic/created diamonds accompanied by 3 GIA natural diamond reports - and laser inscriptions to match - were submitted to an Italian gem lab to be verified.

The synthetic/created diamonds were cut to match the GIA reports.

The International Gemological Institute (IGI), then reports that their lab in Israel analyzed a 6.01 carat pear-shape diamond with a laser inscription corresponding to a natural diamond, but concluded it too was laboratory grown.



Tap here to read the full report!

Gary Roskin

Roskin Gem News Report

AGTA GemFair Tucson Seminars

Stuart Robertson, president of Gemworld International, and Brecken Branstrator, editor in chief of Gemworld’s GemGuide, offered their annual prediction of what is anticipated for 2024. It was a tag-team presentation covering trends and upcoming market conditions in the colored gemstone industry to a full house.

Current Trends and The Near-Term Outlook for the Gemstone Market

 Robertson and Branstrator spoke about the past holiday season, what was up, what was down, and then moved forward with some of the current influences in the market. They offered up some gem trends, with a little bit of pricing history, and finally, shared a few thoughts on sourcing. 

Why Prices are Not Going Down

“If we look at some of the influence of market drivers, the reality is, costs for producing at the mining level of this industry, along with transportation costs for moving goods, are still exceptionally high.”

Natural Fine Quality Gems – Availability is Key

“The other consideration is that when you look in terms of natural fine quality gems, availability is always low,” says Robertson. And that keeps prices where they are. “There has not been any softening of prices at the higher level.” In the Fine and Extra Fine categories, there's simply not enough material to produce the type of pressure to push prices down. “The idea that an influx of material is going to help alleviate price pressures is unrealistic.”

Tap here for Part 1 of our feature on Gemworld's 2024 predictions!

Gary Roskin

Roskin Gem News Report

First and foremost, Tucson is about buying and selling gems & minerals.



And with over 40 venues, there are too many for one magazine to cover. We will be reporting on the following:

AGTA's GemFair at the Tucson Convention Center (TCC)

The Gem & Jewelry Exchange, better known as the GJX tent across the street from the convention center

The Pueblo Show, which used to be in the Pueblo Motel, but now renamed the Ramada by Wyndham

... and the 22nd Street Show, a magnet for minerals, gems, fossils, and jewelry buyers looking for the unique.

Check out the Tucson Gem, Mineral and Fossil showcase, with more than 40 shows this year!

JANUARY 9, 2024 

by LAURALEE

WhoWoreWhatJewels.com

The Golden Globes unfolded as a radiant display of jewelry extravagance, adorning the Beverly Hilton Hotel’s red carpet with a splendid array of vintage and contemporary treasures. Diamonds took center stage, gracing necks with opulent necklaces and sparkling on the fingers of stars.



Among the standout pieces were Tiffany & Co.’s archival necklaces, elegantly adorning Dua Lipa and Florence Pugh.

Margot Robbie wore pink diamonds, of course, after her starring role in the Barbie movie. Lily Gladstone paid homage to her Blackfeet roots with earrings by Lenise Omeasoo from Antelope Woman Designs. And Jennifer Lopez, there to promote her latest album release “This Is Me … Now,” was wearing Boucheron’s hummingbird-themed jewels, set with morganite, sapphires, and diamonds. a tribute to her song “Hummingbird.”

Tap here to see more great coverage of the red carpet from Laurlee!

Town & Country

The necklace made its debut on the pages of Town & Country in 1962.

BY STELLENE VOLANDES PUBLISHED: JAN 07, 2024



The ambition is clear in the unusual colored stones, and in the choice of a rarely seen archival piece—one that speaks history. It tells of the impact the 1940s and the war had on jewelry for the next few decades: the yellow gold that dominated jewelry of this period is a continuation of the trend for yellow gold, one that arose out of the ban on platinum for anything outside of war efforts; the golden beryl, part of the palette of “semi-precious” stones jewelers turned to when closed borders and trade routes during the war forced them to improvise; the beryl, also part of Tiffany & Co. history of stone daring—the house pioneered and named stones like kunzite, morganite, tanzanite, and tsavorite.

From the Tiffany Archives, the necklace everyone was talking about!

Rapaport / JANUARY 23, 2024  |  JOSHUA FREEDMAN

From clays and mud to the Hope Diamond, Joshua Freedman of the Rapaport Group interviews the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History's Curator Emeritus of the gems & minerals hall, and the 2023 AGA Bonanno Award Recipient, Dr. Jeffrey Post.

Tap here to link to Rapaport and the Podcast with Dr. Jeffrey Post!

Are you trying to find out what shows are coming up, and where you might want to travel on business?

Well, look no further than our annual trade shows calendar here!

We've been adding to the list as often as we can, making sure dates and links are correct so you can see everything everywhere all at once. (Hey, that would be a great title for a movie!)

Here's the link, Tap Here, but if you want to go to it often, no need to look for this link. Just go to the online magazine, the Roskin Gem News Report, and look for the SHOWS menu tab. It will look like this...

Tap here to get to the online magazine and our Trade Shows Calendar!

Gary Roskin

Roskin Gem News Report

One of the many Tucson highlights would be the vast variety of gem materials brought for sale and display. Of course you can find all of the traditional retail gems, including the big three (emerald, ruby, sapphire) as well as all of the other birthstones. But what we try to focus on are some of the more unique gem materials.

Seen here, a slice of Brazilian tourmaline, from Azurz, AGTA GemFair.

So without further ado, let's take a look.

Tap here to see a number of interesting finds at this year's Tucson Gem Shows!

Embark on a dazzling journey through the heart of FACETS 2024!

Recap the essence of this international gem and jewellery event that unfolded at the prestigious Cinnamon Grand Colombo from January 6-8, 2024. Experience the opulence, innovation, and exquisite craftsmanship that adorned every corner of this extraordinary gathering.

Tap here for the FACETS Sri Lanka recap video!

South China Morning Post

ANNIE BROWN

How we wear diamonds is changing, fast: A-listers like Emily Ratajkowski and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley are injecting fun into stones with mismatched pieces and carefree casual styling

Whether it’s Rosie Huntington-Whiteley wearing London-based designer Jessica McCormack’s signature diamond pieces with her swimmers, Emily Ratajkowski wearing mismatched Ana Khouri ear cuffs to the Met Gala, or the fashion set bringing back the classic tennis bracelet, diamonds are getting a makeover.

It’s not just that they are so much more than a diamond solitaire presented as the ultimate symbol of love (thanks to that very famous De Beers advert in the 1940s). But how we wear diamonds – more casually and definitely having more fun – is changing too.

Tap here to read more of the diamond fashion report!

South China Morning Post

DIVIA HARILELA

Dragon bling: red jewellery trends for Lunar New Year – Armani, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bottega Veneta and Boucheron release lucky-coloured collections just in time for the Chinese Year of the Dragon

Since the autumn/winter 2023 shows, designers have been busy painting the runways red – not just with clothes, but with eye-popping jewellery too.

At Ferragamo, designer Maximilian Davis matched his sleek all-black looks with chunky red resin collars, while Giorgio Armani chose vibrant rosettes to decorate statement earrings for his haute couture show.

Tap here to read more!

Man admits stealing ‘Wizard of Oz’ ruby slippers

BY STEVE KARNOWSKI

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) —

A man charged in the museum heist of a pair of "ruby slippers" that Judy Garland wore in the “The Wizard of Oz” pleaded guilty Friday in a deal that could keep him out of prison due to his failing health, but only cleared up some of the mystery that dates back 18 years.

Terry Jon Martin, 76, pleaded guilty to a single count of theft of a major artwork. The shoes were stolen in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in the late actor’s hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and recovered by the FBI in 2018.

For the full story, along with three important video clips, tap here!

Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton' collection of High Jewelry is stunning. With their collection website, each suite with labels such as Volcano, Myriad, Fossils, Bones, Skin, Flight, etc., includes an Explore tab to see the full style collection. It is quite remarkable. And worth the time to go exploring.

"Spanning the birth of the planet to the creation of life, Deep Time traces the profound journey of the precious gemstones at the center of the collection. Comprising over 95 masterful designs, the 13 themes weave a profound tale of metamorphosis, life, and terrestrial heritage, unveiled in two acts: Geology and Life."

Here are just a few of the many collection styles to be viewed on LV's website.

Mar. 21 to 25, 2024 at KohPich Convention and Exhibition Centre, Phnom Penh

National Assembly (NA) president Khuon Sudary encouraged the Cambodian Gems and Jewellry Traders Association (CGJTA) to focus on crafting luxury and high-quality jewellery and gems, emphasising the importance of showcasing fine Khmer design to build trust in both domestic and international markets.

The encouragement was delivered during a February 8 meeting between Sudary and CGJTA acting president Chhay Sinath, held to discuss and gather recommendations in preparation for the 15th Cambodia International Jewellery and Gems Fair scheduled for March, as announced by the NA.

Tap here for the original post regarding the latest exhibition!

All Pakistan Commercial Exporters Association (APCEA) is going to hold an international exhibition of gems and minerals in Islamabad this year to help promote Pakistan’s gemstones at the world stage, said APCEA chairman Syed Minhajuddin Shah.

Talking to WealthPK, he said despite having quality gemstones and other mining products, Pakistan was deprived of generating revenues from this sector because of a lack of opportunities for showcasing globally. 

“Exhibitions are an effective way to introduce and promote the product of any country,” he said, adding APCEA had organised 24 exhibitions to date since 1989 at different levels. “In countries like China, the USA, Germany, such exhibitions are held every year.” 



Minhajuddin said APCEA was coordinating with the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, and other government bodies to organise this event. “APCEA has also invited more than 100 foreign traders and businessmen to participate in the exhibition.” 

Tap here for the original post regarding this latest exhibition!

On Thursday, January 11, Julien Navas, of Paris, France, visited Arkansas’ Crater of Diamonds State Park for the first time. While there, he found a 7.46-carat diamond on the surface of the park’s 37.5-acre search area.

Navas was visiting the U.S. to see the United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur Rocket launch in Cape Canaveral, Fla. After the launch, Navas traveled with a friend to see the sights in New Orleans, La. Along the way, he learned about Arkansas’ world-famous Crater of Diamonds State Park. The park piqued his interest because he had previously panned for gold and searched for ammonite fossils. So he knew he had to visit the park while he was in the U.S.

Tap here to read all about it from the Crater of Diamonds State Park!

by SALON PRIVÉ magazine

In the realm of luxury jewellery, where craftsmanship meets artistic finesse, Fabergé emerges as an unrivalled maestro. With a legacy steeped in opulence, the renowned brand captivates aficionados with its latest marvel, the Colours of Love Collection.

Beyond being a mere ensemble of accessories, this collection embodies a profound celebration of colour, artistry, and meticulous craftsmanship. From the intricate Domed Fluted Sterling Silver Cufflinks to the dazzling Rose Gold Amethyst and Pink Sapphire Rainbow Teardrop Earrings, each piece tells a tale of timeless elegance.

Tap here to see the collection and to read further in Salon Privé