Coloured Gems Outperform Gold in China Jewellery Exhibition

At the Shanghai International Jewellery Exhibition held in September, coloured gemstones outperformed gold. More people went to see the exhibits showcasing jewellery with coloured gems – from rubies and sapphires to tourmalines and jade. As a result, sales figures increased by five or six times compared to last year. The most popular stones included sapphires, rubies, tanzanites and tourmalines, all of which were in high demand. Rough jade recorded more than a sevenfold increase in price, pushing up the prices for finished jade. Exhibitors also estimated that high-end jadeite prices will go up by 30% at the end of this year. Opal has also become a more popular choice of gemstone in China. High-quality gems are seen as valuable investment items, and gem collection has gone up 20% annually. Demand for special jewellery items grew by 30-50%. In the past few years, coloured gemstone jewellery became the third best-seller following gold and diamond jewellery. Source: http://www.jewellerynewsasia.com/en/most_view/8874/Gemstone-outshines-gold-at-Shanghai-International-Jewellery-Fair.html