Trade shows - Jewelry Showcase Magazine

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Trade
White amber carving by
Starborn Creations (USA).
Multi-gemstone and
diamond pendant by
Green G (Hong Kong).
Gemstone and pearl earrings
by Mousson Atelier (Russia).
With the topic of lab-grown diamonds on many minds,
HRD Antwerp displayed its M-Screen (introduced last
September), an automated melee screening device that detects lab-grown brilliants and HPHT color-enhanced diamonds and simulants, at the rate of two to three diamonds
a second. HRD Antwerp also offered screening services
for melee diamonds at its booth.
Aside from fancy colors and white diamonds, customers
were interested in sliced, ice, and milky diamonds, stated
Sandeep Jain, owner of Thailand-based Deep Impex, who
expressed his satisfaction with the show.
Paraiba tourmaline
and diamond pendant
by Belford Jewellery
(Hong Kong).
citrine and morganite, as well as prasiolite and mint green
dendritic agates. Asian buyers seem to appreciate these
colors.” He added that, in general, prices were down somewhat, especially for tourmaline.
Brazil-based Tavares Gems, specializing in cats-eye
gems, reported that while demand for larger stones was
slow, the small and medium-size gems (up to ten carats)
were selling better. Similar sentiments were expressed by
Douglas Neves at Brazil-based Neves Gems, who indicated that five to ten-carat tourmalines fared better than
larger gems. He also explained that demand for green has
slowed, but rubellite remains attractive to Chinese buyers.
Rahul Jain, of Germany-based Caram, stated that a
number of Chinese customers came to see the company’s
Ceylon sapphires, adding that prices still are a bit soft.
Jain also offered a remarkable 65-carat Colombian emerald. Sailesh Lakhi, owner of USAbased Sparkles & Colors, reported
that prices continue to fluctuate for
sapphires while prices of Burmese
rubies remain high. Similar sentiments were expressed by Altaf
Iqbal, owner of Sri Lanka-based
Regal Gems, who showcased a variety of Sri Lankan gems, including
a lovely star ruby. USA-based John M. Bachman, Inc. also showed off a wide variety of Sri Lankan
gems, among them a beautiful 202.59-ct yellow sapphire
and a unique 440.48-ct green beryl.
Neil Kandira, of Japan-based Anjali Jewels, stated that,
while prices are soft for many gems, including tourmaline,
they were holding fairly steady for Burmese goods, especially ruby. “In addition to ruby, we are seeing a lot of interest in our fossilized opals,” he remarked, adding that they
are seeing less buyers from China and the USA, but more
>>
from the general Asian region.
Total Color
Joining the colored stone section this year was a special tanzanite pavilion sponsored by the Tanzanite Foundation. Among other exhibitors specializing in tanzanite
were USA-based AG Color and Intercolor. Hemant Phophaliya, AG Color
president, indicated that sales were ok
given the current economic climate.
Benjamin Hackman, director of Intercolor, added that, while prices were
still down for the blue gems, he sees
signs of recovery.
Elsewhere, every imaginable stone
and pearl were available, from alexandrite to
zircon, from freshwater to South Sea and Tahitian pearls,
passing by a wide range of uncommon gems such as blue
amber, fossilized opal and unusual dendritic agate, among
others.
Paraiba tourmaline was a standout, with its neon-blue
color a favorite of many dealers. “Everyone is asking for
Paraiba,” said Germany-based Constantin Wild, adding
that buyers from China and the USA were looking for this
particular gem. Wild also showcased examples of sphene,
which he called “a sparkling miracle of color that is iridescent in yellow and green when seen from different angles.”
Star ruby from Regal
Still in the green theme, Hong Kong-based Olynthos
Gems (Sri Lanka).
filled its showcases with lovely chrysoprase and imperial
chrysoprase in rough, faceted and bead forms, highly apCats-eye aquamarines
preciated by Chinese buyers.
from Tavares Gems
Also welcoming some buyers from China and even a
(Brazil).
few from the USA was Clement Sabbagh of Brazil-based
Sabbagh Bros. “We have been doing well with Madeira Center above: Multi-gem bracelet by Zorab Atelier (Thailand).
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