Kusam owner of K & K International in Vienna, VA. was a vendor at the 2016 AGTA GemFair™ Tucson. K&K International has been a premier source of rare colored gemstones, fine diamonds and custom-designed jewelry for over 30 years. Whether you are an avid collector looking for the rare piece that has eluded you for years or a gem enthusiast who is always in the market for something new and cutting edge.
Kusam discussed Wholesale Natural Colored Gemstones and shared some beautiful Gems from the K & K collection. Tucson is an exciting, suspenseful and nerve racking experience as everyone is looking for what is new and exciting. Foreign buyers have a 10 minute attention span so vendors need to have something exciting out and ready to show them.
Extra Fine Colombian Emeralds
The bench mark for Emerald quality is still the Colombian Emerald. With intense color, these emeralds are a bright green with an internal fire. In comparison to Zambian emeralds, which are darker bluish-green, have less brilliance, but make a less expensive alternative to the Colombian emerald. Emeralds contain inclusions that are visible to the unaided eye, which vendors and consumers must understand and accept. Eye-clean emeralds are especially valuable because they’re so rare. Wholesale prices Fine Gem Quality 5cts and up in size: Colombian Emeralds run $8K to $12K per carat. Zambian Emerald run $6K to $12K per carat.
Wholesale prices Fine Gem Quality Green Tourmaline 5 – 15 CTs run $350 to $500 per carat. Top quality as much as $850 to $900 per carat.
Extra Fine Natural Mint Green Tourmaline
Wholesale prices Fine Gem Quality Red Rubellite Tourmaline 5 – 15CTs. run $750 to $1k per carat. Sadly there was a lot of commercial medium grade Tourmaline (Red & Green) at the show with a value of not more than $10 to $20 per carat.
Rubellite Tourmaline
Few pure Blue Indicolate at the show, a lot of Blue-Green and Gray gemstones being called Indicolite, but that is an issue for AGTA to take up to ensure proper nomenclature is used by sellers. Wholesale prices of $200 to $250 per Carat. 5 to 15Ct. Fine Quality Green Tourmaline$350 to $500 per Carat.
African Paraiba Tourmaline Fine Quality at 1 to 2ct was $3,500 per carat, 4 to 6ct was$6k to $8k per carat. Pakistan Peridot was all poor to medium quality $10 to $30 per carat. Burmese Peridot Fine quality $375 to $450 per carat.
Saphire Fine Quality runs $12k to $30K per carat. Extra fine gemstones sell quickly even at these prices.
Extra Fine Natural Unheated Blue Sapphire
Natural Unheated Purple Sapphire
Additional gemstones Kusam shared with the DCGIA members.
There are a lot of treated colored stones out there, Natural “untreated” gemstones are available and demand the highest price. Always get a certificate from a LAB as treatment in colored gemstones must be assumed unless a certificate proves it is natural. K & K International is a proud member of the American Gem Trade Association “AGTA” – represents the leading colored gemstone and cultured pearl wholesalers, industry professionals, colored diamond dealers, estate jewelers, manufacturers and retailers. The AGTA has become the voice for the colored gemstone industry. Two of the most significant contributions to the trade have been the creation of the AGTA Code of Ethics and Principles of Fair Business Practices and the Gemstone Information Manual (G.I.M.).
AGTA Gemstone Enhancement Codes
Overall, pricing was up 25% on all colored gemstones, even poor quality stock, and significantly up on Fine Quality Gemstones.
Summary by Charles Marts
Photos by Kusam Malhotra & Melanie Marts
dcgia.org 