Rough diamond crystal. Transmitted and reflected light. Image by Gary Roskin. Diamond provided by AMGAD. | | |
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Issue 4, February 20, 2025
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And we are back from Tucson! | |
THIS WEEK
in the Roskin Gem News Report
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AGTA Joins Forces with Rapaport
Colored Gemstones now Listed on RapNet
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In a bold move by the American Gem Trade Association—one that we anticipated at last year’s Tucson Elevated Seminar Series featuring Martin Rapaport—the AGTA is taking the lead in helping its members promote and sell colored gemstones online on what is reportedly the world’s largest gem trading platform, RapNet. The timing of this initiative could not be more important, as demand for colored gemstones is at an unprecedented high.
During the opening seminar session at this year's AGTA Gem Fair Tucson, we listened to John Ford, CEO of AGTA, and Saville Stern, Chief Operating Officer of RapNet, discuss the new partnership. "We're looking to increase our members' ability to have market access around the world," said Ford. He went on to say, "Participating in this endeavor establishes that AGTA's code of ethics, principles of fair business practice, and our disclosure requirements are the standard for RapNet, as RapNet is going to be the standard for the world. That means, no matter where you are in the world, if you're going to trade on RapNet, you are going to follow our code of ethics and our disclosure requirements. And that makes AGTA the world standard."
Tap here for more on this AGTA and RapNet tour de force!
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International Gem Mining News | |
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What is Going On In Malawi?
Malawi Places Temporary Ban on All Mineral Exports
Malawi Suspends ALL Mining Licenses
Gemstone Industry Under Investigation
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First, Malawi’s government places a 21-day temporary ban on the export of all minerals - including gemstones - to allow the country’s Ministry of Mining "to streamline procedures."
The Daily Times reports that the ministry "wants to enhance regulatory frameworks that benefit both the industry and the country’s economic growth."
Then the following day, Malawi’s government suspends all Mining Licenses, claiming undervalued gems are at issue.
According to the latest Malawi News, Vice-President Michael Usi "has ordered the immediate suspension of all mining licenses in Malawi and demanded a thorough review of existing contracts amid concerns over undervalued gemstone exports that are costing the government millions in lost revenue."
Tap here to read more about Malawi's Gemstone Export Ban and Mining License Suspensions!
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Tucson wasn't all about fine gemstones, although the AGTA GemFair, GJX Tent, the Pueblo Show, as well as the 22nd street tents had plenty of fine gems to shop. Above, the annual hunt for a nice piece of Fordite was successful. Found at the Pueblo Show, Chasin' Gems, Carmine Allocca, Geology, Volcanology, Gemology. This one is complete with metal flake!
Photo by Gary Roskin
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Smithsonian to Acquire Winston Red | |
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Ronald Winston is Donating the World's Most Important Red Diamond to the Smithsonian Institute's National Museum of Natural History's Gems & Minerals Collection!
AND THERE'S MORE!
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The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History will unveil the 2.33 carat Winston Red Diamond along side the Winston Fancy Color Diamond Collection - 41 diamonds in total! - on Tuesday, April 1—no foolin’!—an extraordinary showcase of some of the world’s rarest and most beautiful fancy color diamonds!
The 41 breathtaking diamonds were gifted to the museum by Ronald Winston, the son of legendary luxury jeweler and extraordinary gem collector Harry Winston.
In 1958, Harry Winston donated the iconic Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian, laying the foundation for the National Gem Collection. Now, the Winston Red Diamond and Winston Fancy Color Diamond Collection will be featured in the museum’s Winston Gallery, offering visitors the rare opportunity to witness one of the finest collections of fancy color diamonds ever assembled.
Tap here to learn more about this amazing donation!
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International Gem Mining News | |
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Zambia Removes 15% Export Fee!
Gemfields, Grizzly, and the Emerald and Semi-Precious Stones Mining Association of Zambia (ESMAZ)
can Breathe a Sigh of Relief
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Minister of Finance of Zambia, Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, has suspended the 15% export duty on precious gemstones and metals by issuing Statutory Instrument No. 4 of 2025 on 18 February 2025 (the Customs and Excise (Precious Stones and Metals) (Export Duty) (Suspension) Order). This suspension is effective immediately.
A Heartfelt Thank You to the Government and Ministry of Finance
“We, the Emerald and Semi-Precious Stones Mining Association of Zambia (ESMAZ), wish to express our deepest gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Zambia, through the Ministry of Finance, and the able leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema for demonstrating good governance and responsible leadership,” writes Victor Kalesha, President, ESMAZ.
Tap here to find out more on this turn of events!
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Another affordable find in Tucson, a doubly terminated rock crystal quartz with central interrupted growth, from Pakistan. A bit roughed up from its travels from the mine to Tucson, we gave it a PhotoShop face-lift in honor of our friend and gem photographer Tino Hammid, Jan. 6, 1952 - Jul. 11, 2015, who would later use PhotoShop to create gem photo art.
Photos (and PhotoShop) by Gary Roskin
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The 2025 Critics Choice Awards
Lauralee with Who Wore What Jewels
Highlights Stunning Jewelry Moments!
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Founded 28 years ago by Joey Berlin, Rod Lurie and 42 founding members, the CCA is now the largest critics organization in the U.S. and Canada, with more than 580 members representing the broadcast, radio, online critics and entertainment journalists who view films, documentaries, and scripted and unscripted television.
The CCA was officially formed in 2019 with the merger of the Broadcast Film Critics Association and its sister organization, the Broadcast Television Journalists Association.
Announced on the Critics Choice Association website, “Anora” won Best Picture, while “Emilia Pérez”, “The Substance” and “Wicked” each took home three trophies overall in the film categories. “Emilia Pérez” won Best Foreign Language Film, Best Supporting Actress for Zoe Saldaña, and Best Song for “El Mal”. “The Substance” won Best Actress for Demi Moore, Best Original Screenplay for Coralie Fargeat, and Best Hair and Makeup for Stéphanie Guillon, Frédérique Arguello, and Pierre-Olivier Persin. “Wicked” won Best Director for Jon M. Chu, Best Production Design for Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales, and Best Costume Design for Paul Tazewell.
Tap here to see Red Carpet moments at the Critics Choice Awards, courtesy of Who Wore What Jewels!
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Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl of Jewelry
Who Wore What Jewels at Half-Time!
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The BIG game in New Orleans a few weeks ago, the Super Bowl, may have been about football, with the twice champions Kansas City Chiefs against the underdog Philadelphia Eagles (Go Eagles!), but the half-time show featuring superstar rapper Kendrick Lamar, was a runway of beautiful jewels!
"The Super Bowl is always packed with excitement," writes Lauralee in her WhoWoreWhatJewels.com online Magazine, "but this year, the jewelry was making some major statements! Chains, rings, brooches — all dripping with diamonds and full of hidden meanings. From celebrities in the stands to performers on stage, we’re breaking down the standout jewels they wore."
Tap here to see the Super Bowl of Red Carpet Jewelry from WWWJ!
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Special Colored Gemstone Report Bundle
International Gemological Institute (IGI) USA
Debuts GemPass
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IGI Press Release -
The International Gemological Institute (IGI), a full service gemological laboratory, announced the launch of GemPass by IGI during the AGTA GemFair, Gem & Jewelry Exchange, and Out-of-the-Jewel Box (OJB Experience) trade shows in Tucson, Arizona.
GemPass provides clients a choice to purchase bundles of 50 or 100 colored gemstone reports, convenience with significant cost savings. With GemPass, each report is priced at a discounted flat rate fee, regardless of the stone's carat weight or gem type. These bundles remain valid for 12 months from the purchase date.
Only in the U.S.
GemPass is available exclusively at IGI USA laboratories in New York City and Los Angeles. "IGI USA's new GemPass product combines efficiency and affordability while building on our decades of expertise in colored gemstone grading and analysis," said Tiffany Stevens, IGI's new Chief Business Officer and Head of Sustainability at IGI USA. “We're excited to introduce this solution where the colored gem world gathers!"
Tap here for more information on what GemPass offers!
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The Tucson Effect - "There's SO Much, we can keep looking ... "
There was a time when you couldn’t walk through the Tucson gem shows without seeing piles of blue topaz! It was everywhere. And after days of roaming the shows, you’d start feeling overwhelmed by how much blue topaz was available—and yet somehow, there was never much to be found back home in the jewelry store.
These days, blue topaz has taken a backseat to Ethiopian opal. Everywhere we looked, there were piles and piles (and even more piles) of beautiful rough and polished Ethiopian opal. After seeing so much of it, we started to wonder—will any of it sell?
Do you have any back home in the shop? Not much? Hmm... Maybe you should have bought some when you had your chance.
Yonas Amare - Ethiopian Opal, Addis Ababa - at the Pueblo show.
Photos by Gary Roskin
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AGTA Cutting Edge Award Winners on display at the AGTA GemFair in the Tucson Convention Center. Here we see Adam Gil's 33.89 carat untreated Sphene with that unmistakable dispersion on the left! Top right we have Lee Haynes' 54 carat mixed cut Aquamarine! and center bottom is John Dyer's 33 carat Rock Creek Montana Sapphire - "The Montana Sun Sapphire"
Photos by Gary Roskin
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Lucara Sells the 549-carat Sethunya
and the 1,080-carat Eva Star
for $54 Million!
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Lucara Diamond Corp. ("Lucara" or the "Company") is delighted to announce
the successful sale of two extraordinary diamonds from its world-class Karowe Mine in Botswana.
According to the press release from Lucara, "the final payment for and delivery of the legendary 549-carat Sethunya diamond and the magnificent 1,080-carat Eva Star diamond has been completed, marking one of the most significant diamond sales in recent history."
BIG Diamonds
Using the TOMRA XRT, the Karowe Mine has been producing stunningly large diamonds for the past several years. (You can follow our reports in the Roskin Report here, and here.)
"The Sethunya, recovered in 2021, and the Eva Star, discovered in 2023, showcase the remarkable quality and size of diamonds consistently produced from the South Lobe of the Karowe kimberlite. These exceptional stones underscore Karowe's position as one of the world's most prolific sources of large, high-value diamonds."
Tap here for the full story about these diamonds
and the Karowe Diamond Mine!
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No shortage of amethyst geodes! Here we see some samples from Rockology (rockology.net), and Era Mineral (from Uruguay).
Photos by Gary Roskin
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From Style Art Stone Craft, Governador Valadares, MG, Brazil, all hand crafted works in natural gem materials.
Photos by Gary Roskin
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Let Us Help You Get Noticed! | |
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Do you know why we buy more Lindt chocolates this time of year than almost any other time?
Because they advertise!
We make advertising easy (and very affordable) - just click the Ad package you like, and then send us your artwork. It just that simple - like eating chocolates!
Tap the box here to start advertising before your next showing!
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Trade Shows
POST TUCSON
The Melbourne Jewellery Expo
Melbourne, Australia
– February 1-3, 2025
Inhorgenta Munich
Munich, Germany
– February 21–24, 2025
Feninjer
Sao Paulo, Brazil
– February 10-13, 2025
Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair
Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand
69th Edition – Bangkok, Thailand
– TBD
Thailand Gems & Jewelry Fair (TGJTA)
Impact Challenger, Bangkok Thailand.
– TBD
HKTDC Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show
Hong Kong, China Asia World Expo
– March 2-6, 2025 AWE
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AMBERIF
The Rare Gem
Bear Essentials
FACETS SRI LANKA
Allerton Cushman & Co.
Flawless: Blue White & D Flawless
GIA - Gemological Institute of America
The Canadian Gemmological Association
ASA - the American Society of Appraisers
AGTA - the American Gem Trade Association
AGA - the Accredited Gemologists Association
Gem-A - Gemmological Association of Great Britain
NAJA - the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers
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Tucson was ... Tucson!
Looks like everyone we know is back from Tucson (with the exception of those who actually live in Tucson!).
We received our eBlast from Gemworld International, ePrism from the AGTA, and have seen too many LinkedIn and Facebook posts since returning a week ago.
Yes, we have been back a week and yet we are all still unpacking and going through hundreds of notes, emails, images, audio notes, business cards, and texts.
It was a whirlwind of Shows, Conferences, evening activities, breakfast meetings, and more.
Our reports for the next several weeks will include more from Tucson, intermingled with international news. Hang on tight and enjoy the ride!
Didn't see something that you expected to read about? Call or text us at:
+1-610-269-0121 Text/WhatsApp
In the meantime, stay informed and keep in touch. We’d love to hear where you’ve been and what gems you’ve discovered!
As always, we 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
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Want to contribute?
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
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+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 | |
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