JNA Mar 2020

市場情報 JNA Mar/Apr 2020 | 55 Single gems and calibrated sizes are still desired by traders and jewellery manufacturers while some buyers opt for very small-sized stones. Faceted blue sapphires are mainly supplied by Thailand and Sri Lanka while Madagascar and Nigeria are good sources of rough stones. Special stones from Kashmir and Myanmar are relentlessly popular but becoming scarcer, revealed Khunaprapakorn. Buyers on the lookout for deep blue, faceted variants meanwhile may seek out Australian and Chinese blue sapphires. Sourcing fine-quality sapphires isn’t the only challenge that industry players are facing, according to Markus Paul Wild of German gemstone trader Paul Wild. With a more discerning clientele comes the demand for more innovative designs and layouts, he noted. Other blue gems Apart from sapphires, the industry also offers other gem varieties bearing the colour blue in different hues such as aquamarine, blue topaz, lapis lazuli, predominantly blue Australian opal, blue spinel, blue zircon, Peruvian opal and turquoise, according to Clement Sabbagh, president of the International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA). These gems are available in a wide range of price points, from affordable to high- end goods. Tanzanites are also strong contenders in the blue gemstone cluster, with traders, collectors and jewellery designers actively seeking out these stones. While the world faces a deluge of macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainties, Sabbagh said he expects steady demand for gemstones and jewellery from the US, India and China. Business in Europe is likewise expected to pick up. This fascination for blue will also extend to other sectors, including the fashion industry. “We expect sturdy demand for these stones by jewellery houses,” commented the ICA official. “Blue gems in general have been among the best selling in our industry. Blue carries a calming effect, which is beneficial to the mind and body. It is also associated with faith and stability.” Opals likewise fall within the blue gemstone category, especially those that contain mainly blue tones and patterns. This type of opal will meld perfectly with classic blue fabrics and accessories, stated Andrew Cody of Australia-based Cody Opal. The gemstone trader also expects to see opals figuring a great deal in high jewellery collections this year alongside marine-inspired motifs such as jellyfish, octopus and fish. Sapphire ring by Caratell Caratell 的藍寶石戒指 Necklace layout from Paul Wild Paul Wild 的項鏈設計 Palm-inspired ring with demantoid garnet and benitoite by Caratell Caratell 設計的戒指，配襯 石榴石及藍錐石 (benitoite)