gemstone jewelry

Natural gem-quality diamonds are among the world’s rarest mineral materials. Most diamondbearing ore bodies have a diamond content that ranges from less than 1 carat per ton to only about 6 carats per ton. The major gem diamond reserves are in southern Africa, Canada, Russia, and Western Australia. Estimation of a reserve base is difficult to determine because of the changing economic evaluation of near-gem materials and recent discoveries in Australia, Canada, and Russia. In 1999, the U.S. gemstone market exceeded an estimated $9 billion, accounting for at least one-third of world demand. The United States is expected to dominate global gemstone consumption well into the next century. Synthetic gemstones jewelry will gain a larger share of domestic jewelry sales. China may emerge as a major new gemstone jewelry market in the next decade. Total U.S. gemstone jewelry output has decreased in recent years owing to a decline in foreign demand for freshwater shell, a major component of the domestic industry. Domestic gemstone production also included amber, agates, beryl, coral, garnet, jade, jasper, pearl, opal, quartz, sapphire, topaz, turquoise, and many other gem materials.