Gem Pricing

Staff -- JCK Online, 4/1/2006 2:00:00 AM

Market in brief:Feb. 24, 2006 . . . The colored-stone market is heating up. Tourmaline, garnet, and yellow and purple sapphire are in demand. Designers are mirroring color schemes embraced by the fashion industry. Expect peridot green and citrine yellow to remain popular. Fancy sapphire and the yellow and pinkish brown varieties of Tanzanian zircon will be well represented in custom designs.

Cuprian tourmaline from a new Mozambique deposit is generating excitement in Europe. Designers, who first saw it in Tucson, Ariz., are the strongest buyers. The material offers vivid reds, greens, and blues, and other classic colors. Producers are asking prices rarely seen.

Diamond prices are mostly stabilizing, for now. Old-cut diamonds are hot. Michael Goldstein, antique-cut diamond dealer, attributes the recent demand “to increased exposure in both the trade and media.” Use of old cuts in contemporary designs is increasing. The strong antique-jewelry market continues to fuel reproduction demand. Rose and mine cuts are being produced in overseas markets to meet demand.

Diamond: 1/4 ct. round

	VS1	VS2	SI1	SI2
G	$1,300	$1,200	$1,100	$950
H	$1,150	$1,050	$1,000	$900
I	$1,100	$1,000	$900	$850
J	$1,000	$950	$850	$800

Diamond: 1/2 ct. round

	VS1	VS2	SI1	SI2
G	$3,200	$2,800	$2,400	$2,000
H	$2,800	$2,400	$2,200	$1,800
I	$2,200	$2,100	$1,900	$1,700
J	$1,900	$1,800	$1,700	$1,600

Diamond: 3/4 ct. round

	VS1	VS2	SI1	SI2
G	$3,800	$3,600	$3,300	$2,900
H	$3,500	$3,300	$3,000	$2,800
I	$3,200	$3,000	$2,600	$2,200
J	$2,500	$2,300	$2,100	$2,000

Diamond: 1 ct. round

	VS1	VS2	SI1	SI2
G	$6,500	$6,100	$5,000	$4,300
H	$5,500	$5,300	$4,600	$4,100
I	$4,200	$4,000	$3,800	$3,600
J	$3,800	$3,600	$3,200	$3,000

Fancy Pink Diamond: 1 ct. radiant

VS	SI	I1
$55K–$75K	$40K–$70K	$27K–$38K

Red Spinel

	Good	Fine
2 to under 3 cts.	$150–$400	$400–$850
3 to under 5 cts.	$250–$500	$500–$1,100

Blue Sapphire

	Good	Fine
1 to under 2 cts.	$125–$420	$420–$1,250
2 to under 3 cts.	$275–$630	$275–$1,750

Akoya Pearls (by the strand)

	Fine	Extra-Fine
18-in. strands, 6 to 6.5 mm	$650–$850	$1,000–$1,200

Nigerian Spessartite Garnet

	Good	Fine
1 to under 2 cts.	$75–$90	$90–$120
2 to under 3 cts.	$90–$125	$120–$160

Blue Zircon

	Good	Fine
1 to under 3 cts.	$20–$50	$50–$75
3 to under 5 cts.	$35–$75	$75–$150

Tanzanite

	Good	Fine
1 to under 2 cts.	$175–$325	$325–$425
2 to under 5 cts.	$250–$400	$400–$500

Round Tahitian Black Pearls

	Good	Fine
8 to 8.5 mm	$30–$60	$60–$120
10 to 10.5 mm	$35–$90	$90–$150

Pink Topaz

	Good	Fine
1 to under 3 cts.	$100–$300	$300–$600
3 to under 5 cts.	$150–$350	$350–$700

Prices shown represent actual wholesale memorandum prices paid by retail jewelers on a per-stone basis. All prices are per carat except for cultured pearls. No responsibility or liability is assumed for the consequences of the use of any information in this report, nor for errors or omissions. The terms Commercial, Good, Fine, and Extra-Fine are general classifications developed and used by The Guide. Each represents a range of individual quality grades. When they are used in conjunction with proper grading, one can accurately pinpoint a price from within the listed range.

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