Gemstone companies at the Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show are reporting heightened interest in a wide variety of gems amid greater market instability. 

Morebelli Fine Gems is seeing strong demand from Chinese and Indian buyers at the show. The company, which specialises in coloured gemstones from Madagascar, had displayed two fine-quality Malaya garnets of 22 carats and 20 carats respectively. By the third day of the show, both had been sold, along with the company's other important stones, according to founder Guiseppe Pocobelli. 

“Aquamarines are generally our best sellers but at this show, we sold a lot of Malaya garnet, spessartite garnet and pink sapphires. People are gravitating towards pink and orange colours,” he said.

Over at Peter Valicek Gems, aquamarines and tourmalines moved well, particularly among buyers from North America and Europe. 

The Brazilian gem specialist is also casting the spotlight on its selection of imperial topaz, with pride of place belonging to a rare oval 4.26-carat purple stone, costing US$12,000 per carat. 

“Imperial topaz usually comes in shades of orange. Reddish-orange stones are highly desired as well. True gemstone connoisseurs would understand how rare and special this purple stone is,” said the company. 

Belmont Mine, meanwhile, is entertaining enquiries for a wide selection of its Brazilian emeralds, from calibrated sizes to bigger stones. 

Interest was strong among buyers from Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore and Russia, said Belmont’s Rafael Cohen. While traffic from mainland China was softer than at previous editions, Chinese buyers were still present and active at the show, he added.

Among the special stones glittering in Belmont’s display windows is an emerald-cut 15.55-carat stone with insignificant oil, which commands US$30,000 per carat. Another showstopper is a 22.13-carat cushion-cut minor-oil emerald certified by Gubelin Gem Lab, priced at US$10,000 a carat.

Brieuc Taymans, founder of Taymans Fine Gems, observed a market shift towards stones in unusual shapes and colours. Regular varieties are not moving as well as before, he said.

“Demand has strengthened for garnet, spinel and tourmaline are moving well. Lagoon tourmaline and Cambodian blue zircon are especially favoured at present. Imperial topaz has been much sought after as well since last year,” he continued. 

Damien Cody, president of the International Colored Gemstone Association, attested to the market’s growing penchant for colour. 

“We are seeing great demand still for the ‘Big 3’ – emeralds, rubies and sapphires. But aside from those, there are gemstone such as spinel, aquamarine and Australian opal, among other varieties, that are doing very well, too,” Cody shared. “Across the coloured gem market, there is new supply in new production every year. So we can always offer an amazing assortment of colours for the market.”
 

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