Gem Pricing Report

By JCK Online Staff

This story appears in the July 2009 issue of JCK Magazine.

The gem industry is seeing a slight uptick in activity. However, this has been most evident among custom jewelers and designers. Unusual gems and lower price points remain the focus of consumer spending. Sales of standard stock items are very slow. Credit remains a factor as banks have tightened their lending standards.

Retailers and wholesalers alike continue to adjust to the current market challenges. There is business to write, but one has to work hard to cultivate it. Dealers interviewed after The JCK Show ~ Las Vegas said that the types of requests they received indicate that buying remains centered on custom orders and repairs and not inventory building. It is a reality of the current market that retailers will refrain from building inventory until consumers start buying in larger numbers again. It is not clear when that degree of comfort will return to the market. However, what many analysts do agree on is that the bottom has been defined, and the economy is moving off of it.

Mining operations that had been idled earlier this year are coming back on line. This is encouraging and offers a much needed opportunity for the arrival of new material that the market can get excited about once again.

	VS1	VS2	SI1	SI2
G	$1,430	$1,325	$1,125	$1,050
H	$1,300	$1,190	$1,050	$920
I	$1,170	$1,050	$950	$900
J	$1,100	$1,000	$900	$850

	VS1	VS2	SI1	SI2
G	$2,775	$2,350	$1,875	$1,500
H	$2,400	$2,050	$1,725	$1,425
I	$1,950	$1,750	$1,500	$1,350
J	$1,575	$1,500	$1,350	$1,200

	VS1	VS2	SI1	SI2
G	$6,075	$5,400	$4,575	$3,975
H	$5,100	$4,650	$4,350	$3,825
I	$4,125	$4,000	$3,800	$3,600
J	$3,800	$3,600	$3,200	$3,000

	VS1	VS2	SI1	SI2
G	$12,300	$10,900	$9,400	$8,100
H	$10,200	$9,400	$7,900	$7,200
I	$8,700	$8,000	$7,200	$6,700
J	$6,800	$6,300	$5,900	$5,500

VS	SI	I1
$60K–$85K	$45K–$75K	$30K–$43K

	Good	Fine
2 to under 3 cts.	$150–$500	$500–$800
3 to under 5 cts.	$250–$550	$750–$2,500

	Good	Fine
1 to under 2 cts.	$125–$420	$420–$1,250
2 to under 3 cts.	$325–$750	$750–$2,000

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

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

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

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

	Good	Fine
1 to under 2 cts.	$175–$325	$300–$400
2 to under 5 cts.	$250–$450	$400–$475

	Good	Fine
1 to under 3 cts.	$125–$350	$350–$700
3 to under 5 cts.	$180–$425	$425–$900

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 Gem 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. A one-year subscription to The Gem Guide includes six diamond issues (bimonthly); six newsletters (bimonthly); two colored-stone issues including pearls, opals, and jade (biannual). For more information, contact Gemworld International Inc., 2640 Patriot Blvd., Suite 240, Glenview, IL 60026; (888) GEMGUIDE or (847) 657-0555, fax (847) 657-0550. U.S., Canada, $205 complete per year. Elsewhere $275 complete per year.