#2.) Gemfields’ Ruby Auction

Delivers $69.5 Million

In the December ruby auction, Gemfields announced that all 97 lots offered sold, for a total revenue of $69.5 million.

Adrian Banks, Gemfields’ Managing Director of Product & Sales, said: “We’ve seen ruby prices at our auctions go from strength to strength in recent years and our final auction of 2023 has further endorsed that trend. This auction has shown that the demand and pricing for rough rubies is decidedly healthy. Gemfields’ total auction revenue for 2023 stands at USD 242 million, the second highest in our history.”

Tap here for the details of the Ruby Auction,

lots sold and prices achieved!

#3.) CPAA Discusses Higher Pearl Prices

In the Cultured Pearl Association of America's publication, "#ThisIsPearl," CPAA Executive Director Jennifer Heebner authors the cover story, "Pearl Prices Heat Up (More)."

With reports on the latest heights, Heebner writes, "Already high cultured pearl prices have now hit unheard-of price points."

Looking back at the September Hong Kong gem and jewelry trade show, Fran Mastoloni of Mastoloni Pearls is quoted as saying that “Demand for pearls in mainland China is the likes of which we’ve never seen. The Chinese were buying at wholesale prices that we can’t sell them for here in the U.S.”

For more on CPAA's report on the current cultured pearl market, tap here!

Son of legendary gem artisan Bernd Munsteiner, Tom Munsteiner passed away suddenly on December 28th, 2023.

Tom was an incredibly talented gem artist himself, carrying on the family tradition, creating even more beautiful objets d’art and gem-set jewelry along with his wife Jutta and son Philipp.

To read the family remembrance, tap here.

This is becoming a common occurrence.

In our newsletter two 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.

To be clear, GIA has seen and reported on this type of fraud since 2017. Others have reported on this even earlier.

And now that production costs for synthetic/created diamonds have dropped so dramatically, it is only reasonable to expect that this will happen much more often.

The International Gemological Institute (IGI), recently analyzed a 6.01 carat pear-shape diamond with a laser inscription corresponding to a natural diamond, but concluded it was laboratory grown. Submitted to IGI’s Tel Aviv location for verification, the lab grown stone’s carat weight, physical spread, and primary qualities were "a close match with the natural diamond’s online data."

Tap here to read the full report!

If you have been to the Tucson gem & mineral shows, then you know that there is never enough time for everything.

Therefore, planning is essential.

And so to help with your planning, we have created a daily list of seminars for you to download, including the NAJA ACE©It Conference, the AGTA Elevated Seminar series, the AGA’s 50th Anniversary Gemological Conference, the Tucson Gem & Fine Mineral Show presentations, as well as GIA’s continuing education sessions at the Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum.

Schedule accordingly, since you cannot, no matter how you look at it, be in two places at once. Because there are so many activities and shows to attend, with limited time, map out a plan.

And don’t forget to schedule time to shop! For you "first timers," we have included our list of recommended shows!

(If you are downloading this to post in your magazine/blog/website or eBlast, please credit the Roskin Gem News Report. THANKS!)

Tap here for a calendar mind-numbing list!

AGA Celebrates its 50th Anniversary at the 2024 Tucson Conference and Gala, adds a presentation from the DANAT Lab, and recognizes the 2023 Bonanno Award Recipient.

The Accredited Gemologists Association invites all to celebrate their 50th anniversary as they kick off 2024 at the annual AGA Tucson Gemological Conference and Gala on Wednesday, January 31st!

Registration and participation options are available to gemological enthusiasts and guests globally.

Tap here for more information and to register!

The Tucson Fine Mineral Gallery is host to the Fine Gem & Mineral Show, with 19 exhibitors, showing exceptional gems & minerals, jewelry and gem objets d'art.

We enjoyed meeting and were greatly impressed with the TFMG exhibitors last year. We are additionally impressed this year by the number of events scheduled in the Gallery for 2024.

Tap here to view the TFMG booklet and schedule your visit.

It's time to visit the Los Angeles County Natural History Museum.

On display, in a special gem exhibit, is "100 Carats: Icons of the Gem World," bringing together over two dozen gems–a never-before-seen in public collection–each a stunning and massive representation of its kind.

Among them are a saturated deep blue aquamarine, a near-flawless emerald, a spectacular royal blue sapphire, and a rainbow-filled clear goshenite... all over 100 carats.

Tourmalines include a deep red rubellite, a vibrant turquoise-colored paraiba, and an exquisitely-cut 111 carat green. 

The centerpiece of the exhibit, the Jonker I Diamond, is the largest stone cut from the Jonker Diamond–the fourth largest rough diamond in the world when it was found in 1934–and weighs in at 125 carats, placing it among the largest cut diamonds in the world.

Are you ready to go to Los Angeles? Tap here for more information on this incredible exhibit!

Inspired by fresh snow glistening on a holly wreath at his Scarsdale estate, Harry Winston designed a diamond necklace.

What he designed was the iconic "Winston Cluster Necklace."

Using a minimum of platinum setting, set with marquises, pear shapes, and round brilliants, he created sculptural clusters. This defines the hallmarks of the House of Harry Winston.

Discover a world of frosted brilliance with this design. From Harry Winston and Only Natural Diamonds ...

Tap here to learn more about the Winston Cluster Necklace and how it became the iconic design.

An historically significant brooch, bought at a flea-market in the 1980s for less than £20, is to be sold at Gildings Auction House with a guide price of £10,000 – £15,000!

All of this happened after following its appearance on BBC One’s Antiques Roadshow on Christmas Eve. 

The silver, coral, lapis lazuli and malachite brooch was designed by the great Victorian Gothic Revival designer and architect William Burges, who is best known for designing Cardiff Castle and Castell Coch in South Wales.

There were actually three of these brooches - two of which were found, and one of those is in the V&A Museum.

Tap here to read the amazing discovery!

Fuli Gemstones, owners of the world’s largest known peridot deposit, will be hosting a masterclass presentation on Peridot at the Tucson Fine Mineral Gallery on Tuesday, January 30th at 7:30 pm.

According to their press release, the vision of Fuli Gemstones is to become a leading global producer and supplier of gem quality peridot, and to build the most innovative, creative, and environmentally responsible gemstone mining company in the world.

Joanna Hardy, international jewellery specialist, author and BBC Antiques Roadshow jewellery expert, will be the guest speaker for this event. Hardy’s CV shows more than 35 years of experience in the trade, including working for De Beers, Sotheby’s, and appearances as a jewellery specialist on BBC TV’s Antiques Roadshow.

Tap here for more information and registration!

Business Insider Magazine takes a closer look at a Uruguayan amethyst mine.

Check out this 12-minute video to see how the mine is worked.

Written and produced by Abby Tang and Clancy Morgan

for Business Insider Magazine, Nov 20, 2023, this is a close up of an actual mining operation.

Some of the world’s largest amethyst geodes come out of Artigas, Uruguay.

Sit back and enjoy the video here!