By Invitation
India: A colour gemstones powerhouse
The future for India colour gemstones industry is bright. The next five years will be great for India’s colour gemstones industry: Nirmal Bardiya
Nirmal Bardiya, MD-RMC GEMS and Regional Chairman- Rajasthan Region,GJEPC is an icon in the colour gemstone industry. His exemplary leadership and deep domain expertise of the colour gemstone industry has seen him ably leading his enterprise RMC GEMS, as well as GJEPC for Rajasthan region. Nirmal Bardiya has been honoured with “Gem Dealer of the Decade” award by Indian Diamond and Colour Stone Association (IDCA), USA in 2010.He spoke to JEWELBUZZ on India’s might in the global colour gemstone market, export and domestic market overview and other aspects of the colour gemstone sector.
Overview of Indian colour gemstone segment
The domestic colour gemstone market was a bit slow in the last few months , but now there’s an uptick , and there will be further spike with purchase for the forthcoming marriage season. Also, the dip in demand for diamonds has aided the growth of coloured gemstones segment.
Indian colour gemstones exports are mainly to the US, Europe, Russia and China. 7The slowdown in China has greatly affected the quantum of exports. Exports have slowed down, but we should see an increase, especially for the US region driven by demand for the forthcoming Christmas season. October onwards there will be uptick in both domestic and exports segment.
Market Trends
Besides emeralds and rubies, which have always been best sellers, the stones that have gained popularity are rubellite, tourmaline, kunzite, peach morganite and tanzanite. There are also stones like paraiba , which are in the premium category; they are expensive and not within reach of all consumers.
Designers are increasingly emphasizing on gemstones. In India, US and other markets, diamonds+colour gemstones combination is a hot trend.
Challenges
Speaking of challenges or problems,there is raw material supply shortage for most colour stones besides emerald; emerald supply is steady.
Certification
Certification provides consumers with confidence in the authenticity of their purchase. Currently the certification system for gemstones is not regulated. Many of the labs are not adhering to standards and their certification has no value. GJEPC is working with the Indian government to establish uniform certification standards and ensure that only certification from authorized labs (a mix of government and private labs) will be considered valid. Currently government labs are based in Mumbai, Delhi and Rajasthan.
Sustainability and ethical sourcing
Sustainability and ethical sourcing is a very important issue. it is essential for exporters to show they comply with sustainability and ethical sourcing norms, else they will lose global customers.
Exports oriented in Sitapur export zone are regularly audited for sustainability and ethical sourcing. Exporters are also obtaining Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) certification.RJC’s Code of Practices is a landmark standard for the jewellery supply chain and addresses a wide range of supply chain issues, including business ethics, human rights, social and environmental performance.
India jewellery designing
India is known for its expertise in gemstone cutting and jewellery designing and manufacturing. In our current jewellery designers we see traditional craftsmanship meeting modern design.With regard to our current jewellery design education and training, I feel it needs to be strengthened further to make us truly competitive globally.
GJEPC’s aggressive promotion
GJEPC has been aggressively promoting the colour gemstones segment.Initiatives include exhibitions, marketing outreach and advertising campaigns. GJEPC’s International Gem & Jewellery Show which features only select foreign buyers is a great buyer-seller platform to drive colour gemstones exports.
India: A colour gemstones powerhouse
India, renowned for its rich heritage in gemstone mining and jewellery making, is capitalizing on a global resurgence in demand for coloured gemstones.India is seen as a powerhouse in the colour gemstones segment. Jaipur and Bangkok , the two main colour gemstones markets control 90 percent of the global trade.Jaipur is truly a global capital for colour gemstones jewellery.
The future for India’s colour gemstones industry is bright: both, domestic sales and exports will see steady growth. The next five years will be great for India’s colour gemstones industry.
By Invitation
Artisan Perspectives: Rethinking Craft In The Age Of Lab-Grown Stones
Prapanjj S K Kota
Founder & CEO at Réia Diamonds
- Traditionally, diamond value was driven by rarity, origin, and size, with craftsmanship playing a secondary role.
- With the rise of lab-grown diamonds, abundance is shifting focus from rarity to design and craftsmanship.
- Jewellery-making is returning to a craft-first approach, placing artisans at the core of value creation.
- Skill, precision, and finishing quality are becoming primary differentiators.
The rarity of diamonds has historically dictated their market value, and most of the conversation surrounding a diamond’s value has revolved around where (and how rare) it came from, and how large it was. While craftsmanship has always been important, it has often remained secondary, simply supporting the diamond rather than receiving the buyer’s focus.
As lab-grown diamonds begin to enter the market in greater numbers, the conversation surrounding them is also changing. With an increasing supply of diamonds, being a differentiating factor in jewellery becomes much more about design, craftsmanship, and the quality of work than about rarity.
For artisans, this shift means that the focus of making jewellery has returned to the craft itself.
From a technical perspective, lab-grown diamonds do not affect the fundamentals of jewellery making. They will continue to have the same hardness, brilliance, and structural properties that natural diamonds do; therefore, using traditional setting techniques, including precision settings, pavé work, micro-setting, and polishing, will be just as essential. While the tools may be more modern, the knowledge to work with diamonds continues to be based on many years of training and experience.
The major change comes with the new opportunities presented by working with lab-created stones.
Designers are utilising the increased access to stones to try new layouts incorporating a greater focus on symmetry, scale and intricate detail. As jewellery changes, so does its craftsmanship. Today, with designs that involve numerous stones, layered settings, and modern silhouettes, artisans must have an intentional focus on the structural integrity and balance of the pieces being created, elevating their role more than ever before.
As we see craftsmanship play a supporting role to design when jewellery becomes design-centric, the specifics of how stones are aligned, how strong the setting is, and how well metal surfaces are finished will have an impact on how a piece looks, feels, and holds up over time; and therefore, they cannot be replicated with technology alone.
This change also highlights the importance of India’s historical craft traditions. Surat’s experience in the production of diamonds has established it as a leading force in the world of fine jewellery. This industry relies heavily on a team of talented craftsmen and manufacturing expertise, which plays a very important role in the overall development of jewellery that uses natural as well as lab-grown diamonds.
The introduction of lab-grown diamonds offers a fresh new direction for many artisans, as well as introducing something new into the world of fine jewellery. As it becomes less critical to know where a stone comes from, knowing the quality of the craftsmanship around a piece of jewellery will become increasingly essential. Design integrity, structural engineering, and finishing standards will all contribute to defining the real value of a finished piece.
Therefore, there is an opportunity for artisans; thoughtful design with precise execution requires a high level of technical proficiency. The better the craft, the more evident the difference is.
With the rise of lab-grown diamonds, the discussion about value will slowly evolve to include what has always been considered great jewellery: the skill, time, and craftsmanship it takes to create a piece of art from a design.
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