Article published in InColor n°45 : American gemstones : new sources of inspiration for the European market
- Mar 19
- 5 min read
Updated: 21 hours ago
American Gemstones: New Sources of Inspiration for the European Market
The United States is quite well known to European gemologists and mineralogists. It is even a well-represented territory at European mineral fairs. However, the majority of European jewelers are still unaware of the immense creative potential of American gemstones, whether faceted or cabochon-cut.
One reason why these materials are relatively unknown in Europe is that gem dealers tend to favor major Asian trading centers like Jaipur or Bangkok, or countries producing high-value gemstones such as Burma, Sri Lanka, or Madagascar. Another reason stems from the rather traditional jewelry consumption habits in Europe. Finally, there is a lack of information about American gemstones, and many European consumers are even unaware of their existence.
I myself discovered American gems by chance: While working as a buyer for a major Parisian manufacturer, I went to the huge Tucson Gem and Gemstone Fair for the first time in the 2000s. One stone in particular caught my eye: a jasper from Oregon with incredible patterns in shades of blue-gray, the Biggs jasper. My passion for American gems had begun…
High-grade cabochons
High-grade cabochons are very popular in the USA, and there is a very active market for these stones, particularly through social media and online marketplaces.
There are many talented lapidaries in the USA. Some offer a wide variety of cabochon-cut gems, many of which are American. These cabochons generally have excellent symmetry, a superb polish, and a thickness suitable for jewelry. At European fairs, cabochons mainly come from Jaipur, India, and are often of much lower quality, although there are exceptions.
These lapidaries come from all over the country; even Mexicans do excellent work with American gems, offering beautiful cabochon-cut stones. These are family businesses with at most a few employees. The advantage for the European buyer is that they can easily learn the history of the stones they cut and sell. For these lapidaries, it's a true lifestyle choice, not just a way to make a living. It's therefore a pleasure to share this common passion for cutting and gemstones.
While a 2-3cm cabochon of average quality can be sold for less than $1 USD in Jaipur, it's rare for a cabochon in the USA to sell for less than $5-10 USD. In my opinion, the meticulous selection of the rough stone and the traceability of American materials justify these costs.
These costs, of course, influence the choice of distribution channels. It's easier to differentiate oneself with these materials among professional artisans who readily recognize the quality of the materials and the craftsmanship. However, it's more difficult for European dealers to achieve high sales volumes with the general public, who tend to favor inexpensive purchases (€2-20 maximum) when it comes to cabochons.
Indeed, a high-quality American cabochon will cost anywhere from €20 to over €300, which discourages consumers at trade fairs, where their budget is often limited or even very limited. High-grade cabochons are therefore currently, in Europe, aimed at an educated and knowledgeable clientele, but strong marketing and the involvement of major jewelry houses on Place Vendôme can help raise awareness and popularize these materials among the general European public.
Rockhounding & Rockhounders
When traveling in the USA, meeting rockhounders is essential. A rockhounder is someone who searches for minerals for personal enjoyment and perhaps to earn some extra money. Rockhounders have played a major role in the discovery of many ornamental stones in the United States. The GIA Museum in Carlsbad pays tribute to the Hauser family with a permanent exhibition showcasing part of their incredible collection (https://www.gia.edu/gia-museum-exhibit-hauser-mineral-collection).
Meeting them isn't always easy; you often have to venture beyond the comfort of the major American fairs to reach them. For example, you might have to go to Mitchell, a small town in central Oregon, in search of American jasper. You'll find that magnificent specimens are discreetly stored in these remote areas.
Rockhounding is very popular in the USA; there are many retirees involved, but not only them. They gather at various events, some larger than others, the most well-known being the Quartzite Meet in southwestern Arizona, held in January and February. There are also guides dedicated to rockhounding, such as "Gem Trails of…" published by Gemguides, or "Rockhounding" published by A Falcon Guide.
It's possible that one of the most famous rockhound collectors in the USA is… Swiss. This is Hans Gamma, now over 90 years old. He is one of the world's greatest collectors of American jaspers and agates. You can find some of his work on his website: https://www.worldofjaspers.com/. I have also met many other rockhound collectors who are always ready to help, such as Dale Rhode and Gary Wiersema.
Tucson, Las Vegas, Denver: Internationally Renowned Fairs
There are countless gem and mineral fairs in the USA. These range from simple village fairs organized by small mineralogy associations to large international showcases.
The most well-known, undoubtedly for European visitors, is the immense Tucson Gem and Mineral Showcase, comprised of more than 50 shows spread throughout the city and surrounding areas. (https://www.visittucson.org/visit/events/tucson-gem-mineral-fossil-showcase). Gems and minerals across all price ranges are represented. These are essential events for gem dealers, especially those specializing in American gems.
One show is even reserved for AGTA members (https://agta.org/agta-gem-fair-tucson/). I also enjoy visiting Denver, where you can meet many dealers from Colorado and surrounding states. Not forgetting the huge quartzite flea market at the beginning of the year.
Materials unique in the world and little known in Europe.
Thanks to lapidaries, rockhounders, and the various showcases across the country, there is strong potential for many materials little known in Europe. Some of them are found only in the USA, such as Utah red beryl or California benitoite. We can mention many internationally renowned gems like turquoise and peridots, but also many high-quality materials less familiar to Europeans, such as Montana sapphires, Maine and California tourmalines, Ant Hill (AZ) or Ramona (CA) garnets, Oregon sunstones, topaz, kunzite, beryls, etc.
There are also many ornamental stones with colors and patterns unique to the USA. Countless varieties of jasper and agate: Biggs, Deschutes, Bruneau, Wingate Pass, Palomino, Owyhee, Poppy Morgan Hill, Stony Creek, Willow Creek, Blue Mountain, Kaleidoscope, Montana, Yellow Feather, Morrisonite. But also many other unusual materials: Variscite (Lucin, Utah), Apache Gold (Arizona), Indian picture rocks, Paiute picture rocks, Native Copper in quartzite (NM), Azurite-malachite (Arizona), Malachite-chrysocolla (Arizona), Alunite (Arizona), Picasso Marble (Utah), Tiffany stone (Utah), Mohaukite, Youngite, Rainbow Rhyolites (Utah), Binghamite (Minnesota), obsidians, lepidolite, amazonites, etc. Not forgetting petrified materials: wood, coral, dinosaur bones, roots, etc. These are all innovative offerings for the European market.
Proximity and Traceability
For European gem dealers, there are numerous advantages to offering North American gems: it is relatively easy to access gem concessions without intermediaries and to negotiate directly with miners, who sometimes cut their own stones. This makes it easy to offer well-cut stones with excellent traceability in Europe.
Strict mining regulations in the USA also allow for the offering of eco-responsible materials, which are very popular with the new generation of jewelry designers. Finally, the US gem market does not have a reputation for money laundering or financing arms or drug trafficking. The USA is a geopolitically stable, democratic country with moderate corruption.
American gems present excellent business opportunities in Europe. Despite a high production cost, these stones possess many qualities: traceability, ethical practices, innovative materials, and high-quality cutting. Even though they represent a niche market in Europe with limited production, American gemstones can find an increasingly eager clientele for new, high-quality materials.
Translation of the article:
American gemstones: new sources of inspiration for the European market
Written by Emmanuel Thoreux (Me)
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