A Sapphire By Any Other Name…. The Alluring World Of Natural Fancy Colored Sapphires.

AT NO TIME IN RECENT MEMORY HAS THERE BEEN SUCH DEMAND AND AWARENESS OF PRECIOUS COLORED GEMSTONES- Sales of the three members of the gemstone royal family, ruby, blue sapphire and emerald are certainly brisk. The finer the stone, the stronger the demand. In fact, sales of gem quality specimens have been at historic levels with several breaking all-time records at auction. Even more meteoric has been the rise in sales of a relatively small, unknown, and esoteric group of color precious gemstones-fancy colored sapphires.

This group of all-stars, previously unknown to most high-end consumers, has taken the jewelry stage by storm. Any highly experienced international gemstone merchant, who is honest with himself, will even admit that fancy colored sapphires are now so sought after that they are taking market share away from the big three: ruby, blue sapphire and emerald. This author has recently seen dozens of emerald consumers opting for sapphires in the green tones. Many considering rubies have gotten excited and chosen vivid or pastel, pinks and purples. Countless traditional blue sapphire consumers have been lured by the plethora of natural, luscious hues that also occur in natural sapphires.

THE SIDE SHOW IS FIGHTING FOR THE MAIN STAGE- Yes, there has been help from the relatively new Madagascar sapphire deposits- So there is increased availability. But something much more serious is going on. There is a major and permanent seismic shift with consumers. The knowledge that consumers possess for the otherwise perplexing appreciation of precious color gemstones has grown exponentially. The thirst for the truly rare and collectible is at an all-time high. Consumers have fully recognized that to possess a fine precious color gemstone is to possess some of the earth’s rarest elements- Some of the earth’s most beautiful creations. Most importantly, precious color gemstones are truly one of a kind. No two are completely alike.

Colors, in all its applications, show personality, mood, style and individuality. Color has deep meanings in different cultures. For example, sales of yellow and golden sapphires are formidable mainly because of the Asian philosophy that these are the colors of wealth and prosperity. The Japanese consider red to be very auspicious and have traditionally supported sales of the high-end gemstones with reddish hues. It is interesting to note the very strong sales green sapphire and emerald in the Middle East. In this unique region covered with substantial deserts, the green color is associated with prosperity, national development and everything that is blessed and perfect (Think lush green oasis).

CONFIDENCE IS THE ULTIMATE IN STYLE- As a designer, I have also realized another reason why the market for color gemstones is on fire. My jewelry clients are some of the most well-travelled and distinguished individuals around.?They include numerous celebrities, several actresses and one of the most successful clothing designers in the world. And whether they are in Paris, San Paolo, Beijing or Moscow, the use of strong colors has become the norm not the exception. There has been a general maturation of tastes. Women are confident. They want to be noticed and certainly not by wearing the same old global luxury brand that makes hundreds or even thousands of the same design. By wearing jewels of unique and vibrant colors, jewelry is being noticed for its uniqueness, rarity, and mystery- Not because of their brand name. Women appreciate being noticed but not for the reasons they were being noticed years ago. Unlike years past, the last thing my clients now want is to walk in to a gathering and have everyone easily identify the gemstone they are wearing and the global design house that?created it (and many others like it). True exclusivity and magic happen when everyone in the room is thinking - What is that incredible piece? Where did she ever find something so stunning? And how can I buy a similar jewel?

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Rodney Rahmani is President of Brilliant Stars and a 3rd generation International Gemstone Merchant. He is considered a leading authority in the subjects of gemstones, jewelry, mineral economics and the global luxury consumer market. He is a noted speaker and author of many articles on these subjects. He may be reached at [email protected]