Fine, Extra-Fine Strong in Tucson

MARKET IN BRIEF:Feb. 10, 2005 … AGTA’s 2005 Tucson GemFair excited high-end colored-stone jewelry dealers. Demand was equally distributed and buying was concentrated at fine and extra-fine qualities.

Extra-fine-quality natural pink sapphires and other pinks (pink spinel, topaz, and morganite) fetched strong demand and prices. Blue sapphire, the U.S. market’s top-selling colored gemstone, continues strong. Untreated blue sapphire had better-than-expected availability.

The finest Chinese freshwater pearls produced to date offered retail jewelers beautiful natural colors, round shapes, and good value. The akoya harvest is much improved. The Tahitian pearl market, reenergized by vast quality improvements and smaller production, offers an array, including multicolors ranging from 8-15+ mm. Sales for 8-10-mm white South Seas are good, and 12-15 mms improving. Overall quality appears improved and production statistics are in line with last year.

Diamond: ¼-carat round

VS1 VS2 SI1 SI2
G $1,200 $1,150 $975 $850
H $1,100 $1,000 $925 $800
I $1,000 $950 $850 $750
J $950 $900 $800 $725

Diamond: ½-carat 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: ¾-carat 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-carat round

VS1 VS2 SI1 SI2
G $5,800 $5,500 $4,800 $4,200
H $4,900 $4,800 $4,400 $4,000
I $4,000 $3,800 $3,600 $3,400
J $3,600 $3,400 $3,000 $2,900

Pink topaz

Good Fine
1 to under 3 cts. $100-$300 $300-$600
3 to under 5 cts. $100-$325 $325-$650

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 $630-$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. $15-$40 $40-$60
3 to under 5 cts. $20-$50 $50-$100

Red Tourmaline (Rubellite)

Good Fine
1 to under 3 cts. $70-$120 $80-$120
3 to under 5 cts. $100-$160 $120-$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
8.0 to 8.5 mm $30-$60 $60-$120
10.0 to 10.5 mm $35-$90 $90-$150

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