GEMSWORLD | 9 | 2019/20 精辟洞见 Rubies, sapphires and emeralds have led the coloured gemstone market for decades, he added, noting that unheated Burmese pigeon’s blood rubies, unheated sapphires from Kashmir and Sri Lanka, as well as no-oil Colombian emeralds are “branded” goods sought after by gemstone lovers. “These three have become an asset class to a great number of people – some appreciate these gems for their aesthetic value, but others buy these for investment since they have seen how the prices have gone up,” he commented. These gems have also become so rare that it is now impossible to find two gemstones with the exact same exceptional quality such as a 15-carat stone, remarked Vickie Shek, chairman of Jewellery Asia at Christie’s Hong Kong. Gems above 5 carats are also rare these days. Owing to their rarity and continued popularity, demand for and prices of toprange gems will remain on a steady rise, noted Shek. According to Yvonne Chu, acting head of the Jewellery Department at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, there is also increasing demand for Mozambique rubies as buyers become more aware of the stone. The gems must be of high quality to attract investors’ attention, she added. Coloured gemstones’ dazzling performance over the years has caught the attention of buyers and investors worldwide. Commenting on Knight Frank’s Luxury Investment Index Q1 2019, Andrew Shirley, head of luxury research at the global consultancy firm, said, “Coloured gemstones are outperforming the wider jewellery market with some significant sales taking place already in 2019.” These included highly favoured gems at Bonhams auctions such as a 17.43-carat Kashmir sapphire ring, formerly owned by a European noble family, which fetched £723,063 (around US$901,334) and far exceeded estimates, at a London sale in April 2019; and a transformable necklace by Spanish jeweller Grassy that dates to around 1935 and features a 34.59-carat unheated Sri Lankan sapphire, which sold for £287,562 (around US$358,460). Gemfields CEO Sean Gilbertson was also quoted in the report as saying, “The past decade has seen the world record prices for an emerald and ruby surpass that of a colourless diamond on a per carat basis. It surely can’t be long before sapphires overtake diamonds, too.” The ‘Big Three’ In an interview with Gemsworld, Gilbertson expressed optimism about prospects in the coloured gemstone market. “The biggest cutting and trading markets for rubies are Thailand, Sri Lanka and India, while the largest consumer markets are China, the US and India,” he noted. “Gemfields is seeing a surge in demand for Mozambique rubies from Asian markets – particularly China, where there is a long history with gemstones, especially jade, and a traditional fondness for the ruby’s vibrant red colour. Raising awareness and demand for emeralds in this market is a key focus for the future.” Paul Redmayne, former head of Sales - Jewellery at Bonhams (Hong Kong) Ltd, meanwhile said encouraging auction results prove that despite a challenging global economy, demand for rare and high-quality coloured gemstones remains strong. Ring with a 17.43-carat Kashmir sapphire and diamonds. This item fetched £723,063 (around US$901,334) at Bonhams’ London sale in April 2019 | 本年4月邦瀚斯在伦敦举 行的拍卖会上,此枚镶有17.43克拉喀什米尔蓝宝石及钻石的指环以723,063英镑 (约901,334美元)成交
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