ICA Newsletter | May 2022 |
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The ICA Newsletter is a monthly publication chock full of gemstone news, including ICA member news, industry news, the latest from gem laboratories worldwide, gem mining activities, events and exhibitions in the trade, and celebrities donning the best gem-set jewelry creations. |
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The Rockefeller Emerald
Set with an octagonal step-cut emerald, weighing approximately 18.04 carats, flanked on either side by trapezoid and circular-cut diamonds, 1948, mounted in platinum, signed Yard for Raymond Yard.
Accompanied by report from the Gübelin GemLab stating that the origin of this emerald would be classified as Colombia, with no indications of clarity enhancement.
With report from the AGL American Gemological Laboratories stating that it is the opinion of the Laboratory that the origin of this emerald would be classified as Classic Colombia,
clarity enhancement: none - Christie's
Emerald - Birthstone for May
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SAVE THE DATES!
SEPTEMBER 23-25, 2022
Join us for the
ICA SHENZHEN CHINA CONGRESS
2022年金秋九月
国际彩色宝石协会深圳年会期待您的莅临！
... first ever hybrid ICA Congress event!
Watch for Registration coming in June!
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- Global Gems Pavilion (including ICA) June 9-13, 2022
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JCK Industry Fund Announces 2022 Recipients |
ICA News
The JCK Industry Fund announces the 2022 recipients.
The mission of the JCK Industry Fund is to support the jewelry industry’s long-term success and growth by providing grant funding to organizations with the vision and programming to drive sustainable improvements across the industry.
Companies, organizations, and nonprofit associations who have a project or initiative that will benefit the industry as a whole through commerce, development, consumer confidence, advancing business practices, or diversity and inclusion, are encouraged to apply.
“To give back to the artisanal mining communities that need our help is quite rewarding. And it just would not have been possible without the JCK Industry Fund grant.”
Gary Roskin
CEO, ICA
International Colored Gemstone Association
Supports the artisanal mining sector, helping to improve the lives of artisanal miners and their families, protect the environment and promote community sustainability.
Also on the recipients list:
American Jewelry Design Council
Black in Jewelry Coalition
Diamonds Do Good
Gem Legacy
Jewelers of America
Jewelers Security Alliance
Jewelers Vigilance Committee
Mercury Free Mining
MJSA
& Women's Jewelry Association
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A New Source in Tanzania Is Producing Cobalt-Blue Spinel |
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NationalJeweler.com
ICA member Mahenge Pte Ltd
The stones come from a deposit close to Mahenge and have been on the market for several months.
New York—Tanzania’s Mahenge region is known in the gem world for its beautiful red and pink spinel, but the area has begun producing another color recently—cobalt blue.
The newly discovered deposit is about 12.5 miles southeast of Mahenge. The spinel started appearing on the market late last year, according to wholesaler Mahenge Gems, which was established in early 2020 and has direct access to miners in the area.
The material began arriving in the Mahenge Gems office around late October/early November, Director Wez Barber said. At the beginning, they thought it was standard blue spinel because of the large size of the crystals. The leading source of cobalt-blue spinel is Vietnam’s Luc Yen District, known for its vibrant blue material, though those stones tend to be small.
This Tanzanian material, Barber said, is the “best of both worlds”—good quality, clean, saturated stones that are more than 1.5 carats in size, including some as big as 40 carats. The colors so far have ranged from a denim blue to a vibrant electric blue, Barber noted. “We bought as much of it as we could lay our hands on, and still are, because it was such nice material,” he said.
The company sent stones to a few different labs to have it confirmed as cobalt-blue spinel.
Caption: Examples of the cobalt-blue spinel from Tanzania (Image courtesy of Mahenge Gems)
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SSEF - Analysis of Cobalt-Blue Spinel from a Newly Reported Source in Tanzania
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ICA News
ICA member SSEF
BASEL, SWITZERLAND: MAY 16, 2022 – For several months already a supply of blue cobalt-bearing spinel has been appearing in the gem trade, including some stones of remarkable size –up to 40 carats – and quality. According to information from reliable sources, the source of the new find is a deposit located about 20 kilometres south-east of Mahenge, Tanzania, which for more than 20 years has been known for its red to pinkish red spinel of exceptional quality.
Detailed analyses of a selection of blue spinels from the newly reported source, conducted at the Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF, has revealed that they contain cobalt as a main colouring element (chromophore), in combination with iron. This is similar to cobalt-spinel materials from sources in Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Vietnam.
Interestingly, reported SSEF, cobalt-blue spinel from the source in Tanzania contains quite characteristic inclusion features, such as oriented geometric lamellae with interference colours (Figure 2), together with lines of fine particles. Similar inclusion features have been described in red Tanzanian spinel from Morogoro. Additionally, colourless apatite and clusters of small zircon inclusions were identified by Raman spectroscopy.
Caption: Cobalt-blue spinel from a newly reported source southeast of Mahenge in Tanzania, together with a vivid pinkish red spinel from a deposit in Epanko, which is close by to Mahenge, Tanzania. Photo: © SSEF
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ICA Pavilion Members in the JCK Las Vegas Show
June 9-13
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ICA News
For those traveling to Las Vegas for the JCK Show, June 9th-13th, please stop by the ICA Pavilion for all of your gemstone needs. In the pavilion are 25 of our members listed below.
For more information on our pavilion exhibitors, stop by the ICA booth, L2-16, and pick up your ICA ShowGuide.
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Advanced Quality ACC Ltd
BBGEMS
Brazil Paraiba Mine
BRG Gems Ltd
Cody Opal (Australia) Pty Ltd
Miranda Group Co Ltd
DUARTE & BASTOS LTDA.
Emerald Mines Co. Ltd.
Fine Gems Collection
Gem India Exports
Gem Stones Ltd
Gemerald Ltd
Gemstones Corporation Private Limited
KO (Thai) Impex Co. Ltd
Lunawat Gems Corporation
MBERNARDES
Nash James Enterprises LLC
Noor Gems Japan Co. Ltd
Ramos & Campos
Sant Enterprises Co Ltd
SUNLIGHT GEMS
Sunny Gems Co
Tavares Gems Ltda
The Opal Corporation
Tsarina Jewels Co Ltd
tar).
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Record-breaking Emerald Chipembele Showcased at Gem Geneve |
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MiningWeekly.com
ICA members Gemstar and Gemfields
The emerald recovered at Gemfields' Zambia-based Kagem mine – which broke the Guinness World Record for being the largest uncut emerald ever found, as verified on April 22 – was showcased during a special ceremony of the gem and jewellery show Gem Geneve this month.
The special ceremony was held on May 5 to honor ICA member Gemstar and its founder Avraham Eshed, and was followed by a champagne toast and presentation of the certificate of the Guinness World Records title.
Caption: At Gem Geneva with Chipembele and the Guinness World Record certification, from the left are Liran Eshed (ICA member - Eshed – Gemstar), Elena Basaglia (ICA member: Gemfields), Avraham Eshed and Lior Eshed (Eshed – Gems
tar).
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Cannes – Carats, Couture and Caroline |
Exclusive for ICA by Nina Hald
With actor Tom Cruise being presented with an honorary Palme d’Or and six minutes of standing ovations for his much anticipated (and pandemic premiere-delayed) film “Top Gun: Maverick” on Wednesday May 18th, the Cannes Film Festival is up and running at full speed again. ICA has interviewed Chopard’s co-president and artistic director, Caroline Scheufele, about her love of colored gemstones.
For the past 25 years, Chopard has dominated the Cannes Film Festival as official partner, purveyor of the prestigious Palme d’Or’ trophy, and preferred supplier of precious jewelry to attending Hollywood actresses and other A-listers.
“For me, it is more than enthusiasm: I am fascinated by colored gems! They inspire me strongly; they speak to me! And truly, all colored stones have stories to tell. Mixing colored gemstones with colorless diamonds simply magnify the gems’ wonderful saturations”, says Caroline Scheufele one busy afternoon, before that evenings’ first mounting of the steps to the Festival Palace.
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2022 JCK Colored Stones Report: Flip Book |
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jckonline.com/magazine
In this special edition, JCK covers:
^ Gem-studded pieces for all tastes and budgets.
^ The stones driving demand in this red-hot market.
^ Trends from Tucson and what to hunt for in Las Vegas this year.
View the Colored Stones flip book on JCKonline
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Magnifica, a High Jewellery Collection from Bulgari |
russh.com/bulgari-magnifica
Bulgari is in the business of making history. Comprising of over 150 unique pieces, the Bulgari Magnifica collection made its way to Australian shores this month for a week-long residency in Sydney. Needless to say, it's the first time the particular High Jewellery collection has touched down on Australian soil.
Unveiled during an intimate soirée hosted by Bulgari Oceania’s Managing Director, Andrew McLaren, it was within the storied ballroom of heritage-listed Swifts Mansion in Darling Point that guests received their first glimpse.
The showstopper? A dazzling platinum Imperial Spinel necklace, where a 131.21 carat spinel gemstone acts as its beating heart. The gemstone itself is the fourth largest in the world by carat weight and set amongst a cascade of 122 diamonds and 27 emerald beads.
Found in Tajikistan, the spinel gemstone holds a rich history, one with stories of kings and queens woven into its tapestry. It's a fitting inclusion for the Magnifica collection, one that honours the most precious and rare gems found across the globe. The Imperial Spinel necklace is in good company too. It shares the spotlight with two other eye-catching necklaces: the Diva's Dream laded with a cabochon-cut rubellite set in pink gold and swarmed by buff-top cut rubies and tourmalines, and the Le Magnifiche necklace, which boasts an antique cushion-cut Colombian emerald.
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LankaWeb.com
Kamalika Pieris
Sri Lanka is one of the top gem bearing countries in the world. It has the highest density of gems in the world and is known the world over as a destination for over 75 varieties of precious and semi-precious gemstones.
Sri Lanka is best known for the following gemstones: Agate, ,Amethyst, Aquamarine, Citrine, Cymophane(Cats eye), Garnet, Moonstone, Rose Quartz, Ruby, Sapphire, Spinel, Topaz, Tourmaline and Zircon. Sri Lanka, is specially known for blue sapphire, yellow sapphire, ruby, Alexandrite , Cat’s-eye and Garnet, experts added. The Sri Lankan origin of the gemstone is determined by certain characteristics, they said.
It has been estimated that nearly 25% of the total land area of Sri Lanka is potentially gem-bearing, making Sri Lanka one of the countries with the highest density of gem deposits compared to its landmass. Nearly all these gem formations are located in within the Highland and to a lesser extent Southwest complex, with a few in the Eastern Vijayan Complex. About 30 years ago people in Passara and beyond realized, quite by accident, that they were living on rich gem land, said Milroy Ratwatte in 2004.
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Pink City Gets New Museum of Rare Gems and Jewellery |
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The Times of India
JAIPUR: The Pink City has got another address for tourists, Khazana Mahal, a museum that takes one through the history of gems and jewellery, crafts, heritage, folklore, and a lot more.
Set up in a 100-year-old heritage haveli, the museum displays more than 2,000 pieces of natural and rare gemstones and jewellery covering over 50 different types. Each of these, be it an historical artifact, rare gem, ancient statue, or a mesmerizing painting, comes with a story that defines its unique character.
The tour of Khazana Mahal starts with an introductory audio-visual show not only to familiarize you with what is in store but gives one insights into the journey of a stone to a beautiful jewel, and would also arouse curiosity about the many facets of the beautiful place.
In addition, one can also see the largest finger ring in the world, a piece of a real shooting star, the incredible floating stones used by Lord Ram, and replicas of the famous Kohinoor diamond. The world's largest and most unique collection of stamps and postcards that commemorate a gem or a jewel are also a part of the attraction.
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Member Resources & Initiatives |
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It is intended that members who undertake this accreditation process will understand more fully their duty of care within the gem and jewelry supply chain. It is designed to be a practical self-audit and a voluntary pledge on responsible sourcing. |
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We want to make a difference by providing assistance to artisanal mining and cutting communities, which will focus on the key areas of concern: safety, human rights, fair work, inclusiveness, environmental impact, resource sustainability and community amenity. |
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Images of colored gems from around the globe, plus all aspects of the colored gem industry including mining, cutting, manufacture, gemmological research, education, marketing, design and retailing. |
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The NEW Members Portal on the ICA's website is open and active. Members have been able to network easily and it's not just for catching up with old friends and making new ones, but for making new business too.
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Promote your business in ICA's website. It has over 40,000 pageviews per month. There are several placements and special prices.
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Promote your business in ICA's Newsletter, it goes out to over 10,000 subscribers every month. Get a monthly banner and be seen by the industry.
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Emerald
Emerald is one of the most storied gemstones in history. For 6,000 years, it has been cherished for its color, and its lore is endless. From ancient Egypt where the first emerald mines were discovered, to today's important deposits in Colombia, Brazil, Zambia, and elsewhere, emeralds have always been a prized possession.
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Emerald
"For spring, no precious stone is more appropriate than the emerald. Its beautiful color is that of Nature, for Nature clothes herself with green when she awakens from her long rest of winter. Having decked herself with green of the various tints and colors, she has selected a background by which a contrast is made for the flowers that come in the spring and summer and ripen into fruit and seeds of autumn. To be a seasonable gem it must be rare, and the emerald is rare. Whether found in the mines of Bogota, whether mined in ancient times at Zabarah in Egypt, or in the past century in the Ural Mountains, it has never been found in abundance. It is softer in color than the ruby and less hard in structure."
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May 2022
Greetings from ICA
Still navigating the global Covid, humanitarian and economic challenges, ICA members remain focused on social responsibility: sustainable, ethical, and economic business practices.
ICA is moving forward with creating greater communication amongst the membership, which means generating greater use of the members portal. For those who are interested, we have just initiated a GemWomen's Group. With over 75 women members, we anticipate that this group will be an active force for the ICA and the global natural colored gemstone sector. We are also excited to be working with the Shenzhen Congress to make sure everyone is able to participate, even though travel into China is still uncertain.
Travel into Las Vegas is somewhat easier, and so we are looking forward to seeing members in Las Vegas for the JCK show. There will be a press conference announcing our first Gems Keep Giving project, Kamtonga. Mark the day and time, Saturday June 11, 11 am, Venetian Murano room 3202. If you will be in Las Vegas, we hope to see you there.
As always, if we can help with anything from the office, do not hesitate to contact us directly.
On behalf of the President, the Board of Directors, and the ICA office staff (myself, Claudiu and Maggie),
Best wishes, keep healthy and stay safe,
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Gary Roskin
Chief Executive Officer
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