This Week in the Roskin Gem News Report

The Tally
Every year, we sort through the full lot of feature stories published over the past twelve months to see which pieces were the most important - to you.

Not by our editorial preference. And not by promotion.

Simply by what you chose to read.

Putting this list together is always fun, revealing — and rarely predictable.

Revealing, because it shows how broadly your interests land: important auctions, rare and historic gems, laboratory science, terminology, trade policy, ethics, and provenance.



Encouraging, because the results mirror exactly what we aim to deliver: enjoyable (and educational) international news with real-world trade importance.

Tap Here

You click when something makes you stop and look a little closer — a great stone, an interesting explanation of a lab report, or a story that connects the dots.

From red-carpet jewels to football championship rings.

From museum donations to tariff negotiations.

From spectacular color to highly technical questions of definition, disclosure, and trust.

That mix is what defines this year’s Top 25.

So now, let’s start the countdown.

Here they are — the Top 25 most-read features of 2025, counted down from #1 to #25, based entirely on reader engagement. (Links are included if you missed any along the way.)

ENJOY

Tap here to see our Top 25 most-read features of 2025

We just reviewed our copy of the latest Journal of Gemmology, Gem-A's premier gemmological publication, (Volume 39, No. 8, 2025).

Highlights include a feature article that describes the successful applications of unsupervised machine learning algorithms to the geographic origin determination of Copper-bearing tourmaline.

Other feature articles include taking a closer look at the Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire and its wealth of gemstones and pearls, as well as the limitations of using trace-element signatures for distinguishing the geological and geographic origins of gem quality corundum.

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Editor-in-chief Brendan Laurs FGA, who was recently announced as the recipient of the 2025 Antonio C. Bonanno Award for Excellence in Gemology from the Accredited Gemologists Association (AGA), notes that “This issue closes the year with an important application of machine learning to the origin determination of gem materials, rounding out a trend we’ve been seeing regarding the increased use of artificial intelligence for addressing complex gemmological challenges. The Journal continues to be a valuable resource for keeping track of exciting new developments in the science of gemmology.”

Tap here for more info - 
and to download your copy - with membership.

The 2026 Accredited Gemologists Association’s Tucson Gemological Conference and Awards Gala will take place at the Tucson Marriott University Park on Wednesday, February 4, 2026.

This premier global conference is for gemologists—connecting leaders, advancing knowledge, and shaping the future of gemology.

Here is the full speaker lineup for the upcoming AGA Tucson Conference!

Conference Speakers:

• Aaron Palke, PhD, GIA GG — Research Scientist, GIA
• Clemens Schwarzinger, PhD — Associate Professor at Johannes Kepler University Linz, owner of Clemens Schwarzinger Gemstones e.U.
• Damien Cody — President of International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA) Managing Director at Cody Opal Australia Pty Ltd
• Kerry Gregory, FGA, DGA, GIA GG, EG — Head of Shiny Stuff at Gemmology Rocks
• Sarah Caldwell Steele, FGA, DGA — Director of The Ebor Jetworks Ltd, Doctoral Researcher at Durham University
• Brendan Laurs, MS, FGA, GIA GG — Editor-in-Chief, The Journal of Gemmology

Tap here for more AGA Conference details



A beautiful shot of the octahedral face of a rough diamond crystal, showing the classic trigon growth markings. Examining and cataloging the surface condition of rough crystals never gets old. We love this shot.

"In this photo, the diamond is displayed on a polarizing filter that sits on the well of the scope. Fiber optic light is reflecting off the surface to show trigons!" The diamond itself weighs in at 0.97 carats, and shows a light green color.

Fiber optic and dark field illumination.

Field of View - 10mm.

Rough crystal courtesy of David Baker. 

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Melissa Scarani, GG (GIA), FGA, ASA, is the founder of Gemology Resources, and Houston Gemological Lab in Houston, Texas. Her images have been seen on the cover of Gems & Jewellery magazine, as well as the leading international gemological magazine in Italy, IGR, the Italian Gemological Review. We are honored to feature her images here in the Roskin Gem News Report.

Tap here to see Melissa Scarani's images
here in the Roskin Gem News Report.

#1.) The Return of Jonker VI!


Sotheby’s New York Presents
a Year-end Auction
Led by the Rediscovered Jonker VI,
and an Exceptional Lineup of Fancy Colored Diamonds

Colored Gems-set Jewels were impressive as well!



By Gary Roskin

Roskin Gem News Report

On December 9, at Sotheby’s new New York home in the Breuer Building, an impressive lineup of diamonds, important colored stones, and signature house creations took the stage — led by the reappearance of a long-missing piece of diamond history, the Jonker VI.

The Return of the Jonker VI

The star of the sale (in our humble opinion) was the Jonker VI, a 22.85-carat D-color, VVS1, Type IIa emerald-cut diamond whose whereabouts had been unknown for nearly ninety years.

The Jonker History
Initially fashioned by Lazare Kaplan (the man, not the company) in 1936 from a 53.95-carat section of the 726-carat Jonker rough, Jonker VI emerged as a 24.91-carat emerald cut. (That is number VI out of XII, one marquise and eleven emerald cuts from the 726-carat rough).

Now recut to 22.85 carats, Jonker VI re-enters the public sphere for the first time since its creation. The Jonker VI was estimated to sell between $1 & $1.5 million, and did, plus the buyers premium, totaling just over $2 million.

Tap here for our review of this week's auction!

#2.) AN UPDATE – The Stolen French Crown Jewels



Better Images of What Was Taken

BONUS! The Smithsonian's French Crown Jewel?
(No, Not THAT One!)

Gary Roskin
Roskin Gem News Report

Over a Month Later…

It has now been over a month since four men, disguised as construction workers, bright orange vests and all, drove a compact ladder truck up to the Louvre, extended the lift to a third-floor balcony of the Galerie d’Apollon, cut through a window, and in under seven minutes stole eight pieces of France’s Crown Jewels.

What felt, at first, like a surreal movie plot has since hardened into a sobering reality: seven of those jewels remain missing, and the investigation has exposed significant cracks in France’s museum-security armor.

Arrests & Investigations

French authorities have now arrested nine individuals, with four formally placed under investigation for organized theft and conspiracy. Among them, reportedly, is a former Louvre security guard, a revelation that understandably raises concerns about insider knowledge. One suspect was detained early on at Charles-de-Gaulle Airport attempting to leave the country.

A Smithsonian Connection

Like all good stories, this one comes with a surprising twist from Washington, D.C.

Curator Emeritus Jeffrey Post has confirmed that one of the jewels in the National Gem Gallery was once part of a French Royal Jewelry collection. And while some of you may be thinking of the Hope Diamond — yes, it was King Louis XIV's French Blue before being stolen during the revolution (during the reign of King Louis XVI) and recut into the Hope — that is NOT the piece we’re talking about here.

This story centers on a diadem.

Tap here to find out more, and see some much better images!

#3) Unearthed: Raw Beauty

See some of the rarest and most spectacular mineral specimens ever discovered.

Los Angeles Natural History Museum 

December 14, 2025 through April 18, 2027

A Not-to-Be-Missed Exhibition at the NHM

If you’re heading through Los Angeles anytime soon, put the Natural History Museum on your must-see list. Their newest exhibition, Unearthed: Raw Beauty, brings together some of the rarest and most extraordinary mineral specimens you’ll ever encounter — many of them making their public debut.

Gems, Jewelry, and Minerals

Billed as an exhibition that takes you “underground,” it offers a deeper look at how minerals and crystals form, why they behave the way they do, and where they appear in everyday life — from remote caves, to your kitchen countertop, to your jewelry.

For those of us who marvel at nature’s work, several of these beauties will have you leaning in for a better, closer, and longer look.

In short: Unearthed: Raw Beauty is that rare exhibition that’s as visually spectacular as it is scientifically engaging. If you’re anywhere near Los Angeles — downtown in the Jewelry District — near Pershing Square — or even just passing through on the 10 or the 110 — trust me: go!

Tap here for details and a sneak peek at Unearthed: Raw Beauty.

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trade shows



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◈ Tucson
◈ Sao Paulo

◈ Bangkok ...

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Tap here to Order yours today!

Questions: Contact us at Gary@RoskinGemNews.com

Looking forward to helping you promote your business!