Issue 4, January 25, 2023 |
|
T'was the week before Tucson and all through the trade ....
|
|
Our two features regarding Tanzania and their struggles to maintain control certainly got your attention last week, putting them in the number 1 and 2 slots. If you did not read these, here's a quick link. Tanzanite.
|
|
|
Award Winning!
Nowhere other than Tucson at the AGTA GemFair can you see so many award winning gems, gem suppliers, gem carvers, faceters, and jewelry designers. We will be listing some of our favorites here, and hope to see many next week.
1st Place
Innovative Faceting
Cutting Edge Award
John Dyer, Somewhere in the Rainbow - 147.96 ct. orange golden Citrine titled "Crescendo".
|
|
February in Hong Kong
Sotheby's Auction
This will be VERY interesting! We'll give you a candid preview of what's happening at the Sotheby's Hong Kong auction - the first on the list for 2023.
Tiffany & Co. - in the Pink!
The New York Times was the first to report that Tiffany & Co. has purchased 35 of the last Argyle pink diamonds. We'll have our perspective, as well as the NYT report - and images, of course.
Rapaport's Rant
"Synthetic," "Created," "Lab grown," "Factory grown," call it what you will, but these diamonds will be a part of the jewelry business. Rapaport feels they are worse than Bitcoin. We have a few comments.
|
|
Next week! See you in Tucson! |
|
AGTA's GemFair
The premier show in all of Tucson for
award winning gems, gem suppliers, gem artists, and jewelry designers.
|
National Association of Jewelry Appraisers
59th annual winter education conference
|
Gem & Jewelry Exchange
THE international gem trade show
|
The Tucson Fine Mineral Gallery
Worthy Exhibits and Events
|
|
The Accredited Gemologists Association Conference and Awards Gala |
the Westward Look Minerals Show
The finest collection of minerals in all of Tucson
|
The Pueblo Gem & Mineral Show
Everything for Everybody - fine gem and mineral exhibitors in a Tucson casual setting
|
|
GIA-led seminars
&
the GIA Alumni Collective signature event -
Night at the Museum.
Join the GIA Alumni Collective for a gathering under the desert stars. Register >
|
|
Advertising
Those who wish to support the Roskin Gem News Report by placing an Ad, please request a media kit. Our contact information is below.
|
|
Read On ... Issue 4, 2023 of the Roskin Gem News Report Newsletter.
Enjoy!
Gary Roskin
|
|
Tiffany & Co. in the Pink! |
|
Gary Roskin -
Roskin Gem News Report -
January 23, 2023 -
In a recent New York Times article, Tiffany & Co. made a large purchase in 2022 – 35 Argyle pink diamonds, ranging in size from 0.35 ct. to 1.52 cts. Reportedly, these are some of the last pink diamonds mined at the now closed Argyle Diamond mine in Western Australia.
For those of you unfamiliar with the Argyle pinks, the Argyle diamond mine produced annually, on average, 20,000 carats of diamond, 99+% of the production being brown in color. But every year from the time the mine was opened in the mid 1980s until 2020 when the mine was finally shut, a handful of rare color diamonds were retrieved. Fancy colors of Pink, Purplish-Pink, Red, Blue, and even Violet were recovered. It was a spectacular mine for these rare beautiful colors. Every year, in honor of these beauties, the mine held a special silent bid auction for the 50 to 70 fancy colors. They toured the world, the best of the best fancy colored diamonds, in the Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender.
Tiffany’s purchase – If you think about it as one of Argyle’s past Pink Diamond Tenders, this Tiffany purchase is the equivalent to “winning” half of an entire Tender auction offering. Consider that when these diamonds were actually being mined, the typical bids – on the smaller diamonds – were reportedly in the $50,000 to $100,000 per carat range. Needless to say, Tiffany & Co. took the leap and invested heavily in Pink.
That’s your brief background – now here’s the story…
|
|
Sotheby's Hong Kong : Important Jewels |
|
Hong Kong Important Jewels
The February 2023 auction, set to take place on February 3rd, with over 130 lots, has quite a few very interesting gem-set jewels we will highlight here.
This auction marks Sotheby’s 50th anniversary in Asia, and features jewels from renowned jewelry houses such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bvlgari, Buccellati and others.
But what has our attention are the two Mozambican cuprian tourmalines, "Paraiba-type," with fabulous color. However, one is clarity enhanced, and the other is heat treated (color enhanced). There are two Kashmir sapphires that look great, with no heat reports. But there's a third sapphire, which the lab identified as "basaltic," its country of origin undeterminable .... if that should matter. And speaking of the origin matter, it should NOT matter where the ruby seen here came from. It is outstanding! It does have a gemological report stating its origin is Tajikistan. That should not matter as the color is screaming RED! There's an amazing square emerald cut Colombian emerald, great color, eye clean, and no enhancement! And last but not least, the matching Jadeite bangles, estimated at a half million US dollars!
First on our list for you, and pictured here, the Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co., ‘Bird on a Rock’ Kunzite, Diamond and Pink Sapphire Brooch.
Very nice color, beautiful cutting, Kunzite (named after Tiffany & Co.'s early 20th century gemologist George Kunz).
Estimated at approx. $10,000 - $25,000USD.
Designed as a parrot with circular-cut pink sapphire eyes and brilliant-cut diamond-set plumes perched on an oval kunzite, mounted in 18 karat yellow gold, signed Tiffany & Co., Schlumberger Ltd, numbered, pouch stamped Tiffany & Co.
See what we've found - you will find this VERY interesting!
|
|
AGTA Spectrum Awards™
The world’s finest jewelry and colored gemstone competition.
2022 Winners
[just a few ... there's LOTS more!]
Innovative Faceting
Objects of Art
North American Mined
Images Courtesy of AGTA, Photography Jeff Mason, Jeff Mason Photography.
Innovative Faceting
Cutting Edge Award
1st Place
John Dyer, Somewhere in the Rainbow - 147.96 ct. orange golden Citrine titled "Crescendo".
2nd Place
Jeffrey Bilgore, Jeffrey Bilgore, LLC - 85.55 ct. natural oval fantasy-cut yellow Sapphire.
3rd Place
Desmond Chan, Gem Arts International - 18.79 ct. traditional and concave shield-cut Malaya Garnet titled "The Lightbender's Shield".
Honorable Mention
Mark Gronlund, Mark Gronlund - 68.14 ct. "Ma'ia, Star of the Universe" specialty-cut Aquamarine.
|
|
North American Mined Gems
Cutting Edge Award
1st Place
Ben Kho, Kho International, Ltd. - 11.46 ct. antique cushion-cut Rhodochrosite from Colorado, USA.
2nd Place
Jeffrey R. Hapeman, Earth's Treasury - 7.79 ct. custom precision square cushion-cut, unheated blue Montana Sapphire from Rock Creek, Montana.
3rd Place
Jeff Hapeman, Somewhere In The Rainbow - 12.18 ct. unheated pure yellow champagne Montana Sapphire titled "Champagne Toast".
Honorable Mention
Nick Alexander, Somewhere In The Rainbow - 123.96 ct. Oregon Sunstone carved and faceted titled "Riptides".
|
|
Objects of Art
Cutting Edge Award
1st Place
Dalan Hargrave, GemStarz Jewelry - 900 ct. Ametrine accented with Citrine and Chrome Diopside “The Tomb of Osiris” essence bottle.
2nd Place
Llyn L. Strelau, Jewels by Design - Carved Labradorite chameleon "Life in the Jungle". Petrified wood, Quartz, Agate, Labradorite, Spinel, Pearls, tsavorite Garnets, Sapphires, Rubies and Diamonds. Bronze and 18K green, red and white gold.
|
|
Could not resist .... Had to find out more about the Harley! |
|
3rd Place
Rodney Rahmani, Brilliant Stars - 18K rose gold handmade Harley Davidson featuring a 1.59 ct. blue natural Burma Sapphire accented with a round Sapphire (0.13 ct.) and round white Diamonds (1.14 ctw.).
"This took months to design," says Rodney Rahmani, Brilliant Stars, "and about a month of actual, pure labor to craft. It has over 25, separate, solid 18k rose gold pieces. The wheels and handle bar are all designed to move to be functional.
"The wheels and handle bars tips, and foot rests are finished with black rhodium to give them a rubber look but are completely solid gold.
The seat and headlamp are Burmese blue sapphires.
The seat has a GIA report as unheated [although maybe a heated seat would have been a good idea for the rider! - gr].
|
|
Rapaport's Rant - aka "New Year Message"
... and Responses
|
|
For those of you who have not yet read Martin Rapaport's New Year Message, you can read the full message here.
For those who wish to cut to the chase, Rapaport feels strongly that the jewelry industry should not be selling synthetic diamonds. And these are his main points:
- "The Rapaport Group does not facilitate the sale of synthetic diamonds in any way. We believe they are a fraudulent product because of how they are sold. They are also a threat to the fundamental message of diamonds. Let me make it clear: Engagement rings are not costume jewelry."
- "The greatest challenge facing the diamond trade is greed. Our trade is willfully destroying the underlying value of diamonds as a store of value through the marketing, promotion and sale of synthetic diamonds as a replacement for natural diamonds."
- "Synthetic, man-made, laboratory-grown diamonds (LGD) are the Bitcoin of the diamond trade. In fact, they are worse than Bitcoin because they lack any element of scarcity. The value of these diamonds is consistently falling. Despite their lack of natural scarcity, they are sold as comparable to natural diamonds without full disclosure as to their inability to retain value."
- "Essentially, the diamond industry is trading short-term, unsustainable profits for the reputation of diamonds as a store of value. Many — if not most — in our trade are operating dishonestly and unethically by failing to make a full disclosure about the value retention of synthetic diamonds."
There are many of us who feel that the sales talk from the manufacturers of synthetic diamond as being green, and socially responsible seems to lack the necessary proof for such claims. We need to stop talking about it and do something about it.
In the meantime, synthetic diamond, what some people call "lab grown," "created," "factory produced," ... it is just another product.
And it's a pretty product, because, after all is said and done, it is diamond (albeit not completely made by mother nature.) If the consumer understands what they are buying, well then ... 🤷♂️- Gary Roskin
|
|
Tucson 2023: Brace for Higher Prices and Tighter Supplies of Fine Goods |
|
JCK Magazine
Victoria Gomelsky
A word to the wise: If you haven’t yet booked accommodations for this year’s Tucson gem shows, which kick off [in just a few days], you may struggle to find a decent room at a reasonable rate, says Stuart Robertson (pictured), president of Gemworld International in Chicago.
“People will show up in large numbers,” he tells JCK.
“We noticed when we were booking our hotels a few months ago that a lot of hotels were already sold out. I think it’ll be a good show, but we’ll see different things compared with 2020.”
Chiefly, expect to find higher prices on many fine goods and discounts at the low end. “Things below $500 used to be a very strong price point, but that’s fallen off completely,” Robertson says.
What else? Read on for Robertson’s views on supplies, pricing, and the problem with the term ethical sourcing. The interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
|
|
Still Time to Place Your Best (and worst) Guess |
Gary Roskin -
Roskin Gem News Report -
January 25, 2023
The STF raided ‘gemstone’ that was sent to NGJA for identification has yet to be identified.
So we still do not know what it is. What do you think it is?
Glass (heard first from Sherlene) and Synthetic Ruby (heard first from Al) have been leading the BEST guesses so far ... The best WORST guess (from Mary) is "the yolk of a 100-year old egg." Keep those guesses coming!
Send us your best (or worst) guess. We will continue to wait for the results of the lab and then reveal the best (and worst) guesses here! (We will disguise the names of those who wish to remain anonymous.)
For those who have not yet read the story, tap here...
|
|
TUCSON
Tucson, Arizona, USA
– January 26 – February 7, 2023
|
|
Discover the Latest in Colored Stones - GIA |
|
Discover the Latest in Colored Stones - GIA -
at the Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum in Tucson during the AGTA GemFair
Several continuing education seminars, hosted at the world-class Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum in Tucson, take place during the AGTA GemFair.
GIA LAB CLASSES IN TUCSON, AZ
GIA is offering gemology lab classes in Tucson, Arizona at the new Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum. GIA lab classes deliver hands-on experience grading and identifying diamonds, colored stones and pearls, while gaining experience using professional gemological equipment.
Classes are scheduled to run from 8:00am – 4:00pm and are located in the Gemology classroom at the Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum.
|
|
See you all in Tucson!
As always, stay informed and keep in touch. I'd like to know where you've been and what gems you've seen.
|
|
I will continue to post features on the website, so feel free to log on to the Roskin Gem News Magazine any time at www.RoskinGemNewsReport.com
If you would like to contribute, or you have read something somewhere that you feel would be perfect to share with the community, then please feel free to contact me directly at Gary@RoskinGemNews.com
I will see you again SOON!
Stay safe and stay healthy!
Gary Roskin
|
|
The Roskin Gem News Report, Newsletter and online Magazine, is your one-stop destination for all current global gem news.
You are receiving this newsletter because you were most likely already on our subscribers list or we picked up your business card somewhere along the way. We would love for you to remain a subscriber. To do so, please tap the subscribe button and complete the form.
If you wish to be removed from our mailing list, please tap the unsubscribe line below and complete the form.
If you feel your membership association, club, or school would find value in this free report, please let us know. Contact information is provided below.
|
|
Roskin Gem News
www.RoskinGemNewsReport.com
+1(610) 269-0121 text/call/WhatsApp
|
The creation of this newsletter is the work of Gary A. Roskin Ltd, dba Roskin Gemological Services. If you should have any comments or suggestions regarding the contents of this newsletter, please do not hesitate to contact us at Gary@RoskinGemNews.com |
|
Hardcopy mail correspondence:
Roskin Gem News
256 Eagleview Blvd., suite 357
Exton, PA 19341 USA
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
