Fast moving markets

Life ain´t easy for gemtraders, as ardent followers of our news items might well know.

In the international gem trade markets sometimes move surprisingly quick. Prices skyrocket and gems, which had seemed to be in endless supply, vanish from the markets within weeks. Explaining this to customers is a difficult task.

A current example for how fast things can change is Morganite.


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At the beginning of the year we sent a postcard entitled "Underestimated?" to our Austrian customers, in which we noted, that Morganite was one of the very few gemstones, whose price has not gone through the roof within the last couple of years.

Now, due to it´s brownish tinge, Morganite never was a hot selling item in Austria.
However, in spring this changed rather abruptly. Sales soared and we urged our Brazilian supplier to send more Morganite fast.

Until then the good man had been getting on our nerves with frequent e-mails, advertising Morganite by the kilo. So, we guessed, refilling our diminishing stock should be a piece of cake.

Far from it! In the meantime demand had risen dramatically in the US, as well as in some European and Asian countries and the Brazilian market had been swept clean in no time at all.

Instead of the intended 50 pieces, we only managed to secure 5 (!) pieces.