By Jennifer Heebner, Editor in Chief
Are you a retailer headed to Las Vegas next week? You’ve got plenty of company! AGTA spoke to store owners with plans to visit Sin City about what’s on their shopping lists. Here’s what they’ll be on the hunt for.
“We’re looking for higher-end—not commercial quality—Big Three gems, African Emeralds, Tanzanite, and Alexandrite. We’ll buy heated stones, but nothing filled, and no lab grown. Color is huge for us, accounting for 40% of our business. We’ll also be looking for mountings. While we don’t sell a lot of color in engagement rings, of those we do, 2 ct. Sapphires are what some clients go for. In Vegas, I’m hoping to find no-heat Rubies and Kashmir-origin Sapphires in larger sizes. Our business is doing well now; it’s as good now as it was during the COVID years.”
“My brother Luke will be going; this will be a first for our family. We are the fourth generation and taking over the store from our parents. We do a lot of custom color jobs. We sell a lot of the Big Three but also Tourmaline—including Paraíba—Morganite, and we even sold some rose Quartz the other day. We have a 5.5-foot case just for colored stones, so he’ll be looking for one-off pieces and unique gems. Our more established customers already have suites of everything, so they want something different.”
“We’ll be looking for mountings in yellow gold with colored stones that are fashion forward. We sell high-end Big Three gems and Tanzanite and will be looking for loose goods to make our own pieces. We’re looking for high end and price point gems, including Tourmaline, Spinel, and Zircon, that we can put in our Christmas catalog. Business this year is good so far and strong across all categories. Though there’s not been a lot of resistance to the rising cost of gold, we see more of an interest in platinum. We’ve been upping our game in color and are gaining a lot of custom jobs. We have a lot of younger customers entering the jewelry market who like lighter fashionable layering pieces. Instagram has been helpful to spark interest in color, and clients come in with questions about it, getting an education from our sales team. It’s just a matter of finding what color speaks to them and educating them—there’s a lot of misinformation in the market. But there’s also a lot of interest from those who want something different and unique.”
“We’re on the fence about going to Vegas, but we’re also looking for new fine colored gems. We buy a lot of loose because we have four full-time goldsmiths who stay really busy. Though parts of the market now are taking a hit, our custom department and repairs have not. Unheated corundum sales and fancy colors of Sapphires and Alexandrite are always hot, so I curate selections of those. Garnets are also really hot, so I have all flavors—colors!—of different types of Garnet, too.”
Fine & Finished
Find all your loose gems at AGTA GemFair (here’s a directory of exhibitors by gem), but there will be plenty of finished jewels as well. (AGTA members have those, too!) Find these members for jewelry across the various show floors.
AGTA GemFair Las Vegas at JCK
May 30--June 3, 2024
The Venetian Expo, Halls C & D
A. B. C. Gems, Inc. A31054
A G Gems & Jewelry, Inc. A33054
ASBA USA, Inc. A29052
Akiva Gil Company, Inc. A31050
Best Bargains Division of 2747111 Canada, Inc.
BRG Gems Company A31078
DSL Pearl, Inc. A34047
Equatorian Imports, Inc. A30057
Gerardu Gems & Jewelry A32078
Kho International, Ltd. A30054
Kimberly Collins Colored Gems A29059
Manak Jewels, Inc., A29053
Mason-Kay Jade A28061
Pearl Exporting Co. A31052
Reiko Enterprises, Inc. A27059
Roally Gems, Inc. A28078
Samuel Sylvio Designs A33079
Sheahan Stephens Sapphires A33060
SPB Gems, Inc./SBP Creations A27052
Taj Jewelry A34057
Takat Gems USA, Inc. A31066
True Blue Opals and Gems A28079
United Color Gems, Inc. A27060
COUTURE
May 30--June 2, 2024
The Wynn Las Vegas
Alex Sepkus, Inc. #109
Assael #113
Barbara Heinrich Studio, LLC #445
Bayco Gem Corporation #119
Euro Pearl Inc DBA Yoko London #235
Goshwara #200
Gumuchian, Ltd. #226
Leigh Maxwell #607
Mark Patterson #110
Monica Rich Kosann #517
Temple St. Clair, LLC Villa #212
Suna Bros. Inc. #102
Suzy Landa Jewelry #431
Platinum Born #331
Oscar Heyman & Brothers #120
Robert Procop Exceptional Jewels Villa 107
JCK Las Vegas
May 31--June 3, 2024
The Venetian Expo
Belle Brooke Designs, LLC D119
Goldstein Diamonds 4102
India Gems 43008
John Atencio 15030
Manak Jewels, Inc. 7065
Quality Gold, Inc. PC-230
Royal India USA, Inc. / RIU Jewels 10113
Stuller, Inc. 13089, 52097
Takat Gems USA, Inc. TITIAN-2202
ZDNY & Co. 12050
JCK LUXURY
May 29 (Invitation Only)--June 3, 2024
The Venetian Expo, Level 2
Alishan LUX401A
Artistry, Ltd. LUX605
BELLARRI LUX723
Jack Abraham – The Precious Collection LUX213
JBStar LUX415
Jye’s International, Inc. LUX303
Lika Behar Collection LUX201
Novel Collection LUX403
Omi Gems, Inc. LUX702
Oriental Gemco dba Nigaam Jewels LUX926
Parle Jewelry Designs/Idaho Opal & Gem Corp. LUX730
Sophia by Design LUX205
Yael Designs LUX412
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