World Tour Asia: Exotic Copal

Tuesday, September 22, 2009 at 12:43pm

Greetings, everyone.

Thailand has dropped the VAT (Value Added Tax--a tax on the estimated market value added to a product or material at each stage of its manufacture or distribution) on all rough and cut gemstone material. This will improve the flow and ease of getting gemstones into this major cutting center where JTV has a large presence.

The first indication of this was a large contingency of rough dealers exhibiting at the show. One exciting new find for us was copal from Madagascar.

Copal from Madagascar

This amber look-alike is from the northeast coast near Sambava and is between 6 and 12 million years old. The color ranges are similar to its Colombian counterpart but you will be amazed at the abundance of plant and insect life captured for millions of years in this material. We are expecting this material to arrive within the next couple of months.

Jay and George with the Bangkok Team

I've got more "show and tell" for the next blog post. I'll give you the detailed explanation of why I say "Take advantange of the deals Jewelry Television and jtv.com are offering you today. The market is not offering us the same opportunities it did even six months ago, so get in on the low prices while you can, particularly in tanzanite." More on that next time.

Stay tuned to the broadcast for more up-to-the-minute reports from the road. Or watch us live online at jtv.com/live.

Until next time,

- George

George from Bangkok: State of the Gem Trade

Friday, September 18, 2009 at 8:24am

Greetings from Bangkok!

Our team is hard at work here at the Bangkok show. As we speak with more and more vendors, we're getting a solid feel for the state of the gem trade at the moment and as always, we want to keep our customers informed!

Like most other industries, the gemstone business has experienced major changes since September 2008. Mining production is down since cutting facilities worldwide have been downsized by half or closed and many cutters are seeking employment in other industries. Dealers have done the same, cutting overhead and buying only for orders.

What all this means is that the gemstone supply is far smaller than the demand. The correction was too swift and too deep. Orders have increased for the coming season and we are witnessing a drying up of closeouts and an increase in prices in both the colored stone and diamond sectors. We must assume that the ‘old standby’ called inflation is around the corner--the gold price increase is a typical indication of that.

The price of gemstones is heading north and this will continue for some time--there is no stopping it until mining and cutting facilities get back on track. The money to do this is not as easy to come by as in years past so we see this as a longer term situation than normal.

For the past 18 months JTV has been very busy positioning itself to gain further ground as the leader of the gemstone marketplace by focusing on buying rough and forming partnerships with gemstone mining companies and cutting facilities where we are actively involved in product control and management. This allows us to bring to you the largest variety of colored gemstones (with specialty cuts never before seen in the market) more quickly and less expensively than anyone else in the retail industry. Our position from the mouth of the mine to you allows us to act light years ahead of the brick and mortar operations that must plan inventories much further in advance. Our ability to get to market immediately allows you to see the latest gemstones and cuts far in advance of other outlets.

Stay tuned to JTV to see what’s new on a weekly basis rather than a seasonal one. We have ‘the best and most trusted jewelry/gemstone team on television’ bringing you news and information live from the marketplace. Stay ahead of the curve and take advantage of the gemstone trends as we make them on JTV live 24/7! More from the show soon, including a find between 6 and 12 millions years in the making!

- George

World Tour Asia! Jay and George on the Scene

Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at 12:32pm

Hello, everyone!

We're excited to announce the latest part of our Gemstone Journey: World Tour Asia! Join Senior Gemstone buyers Jay and George as they once again travel the globe in search of the finest gemstone and jewelry treasures. They begin their journey at the Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair before they set out to follow their leads to the next great buy! Keep checking our blog (jtv.com/blog) for all the latest.

And be sure to tune in daily through September 25th (or watch us live at jtv.com/live.) We will feature many exciting gemstone and jewelry items as well as broadcast live reports from Jay and George as they travel throughout Asia. Hear about the state of the gem trade today and what it ultimately means for you, the gemstone and jewelry customer.

It's World Tour Asia! Only on Jewelry Television and jtv.com!

- Dana, Community Manager, jtv.com

See more notes

Jewelry Television's Notes

World Tour Asia: Exotic CopalSep 22, 2009

George from Bangkok: State of the Gem TradeSep 18, 2009

World Tour Asia! Jay and George on the SceneSep 16, 2009

More and More Customers are using JTV Gold Exchange!Sep 7, 2009

Ancient Coin Jewelry on JTVSep 1, 2009

Ancient Coin Jewelry Shows on JTV: Widow's Mite and Alexander the GreatAug 25, 2009

JTV Welcomes David Levine: Ancient Coin Jewelry DesignerAug 24, 2009

JTV Gold Exchange: More Customer FeedbackAug 24, 2009

At the Refinery with JTV Gold ExchangeAug 17, 2009

Campbell Bridges 1937 - 2009Aug 13, 2009

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