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Coloured gemstones, such as rubies, sapphires and emeralds are this year’s must-have gems, according to Bonhams.
The auction house said that this demand was thanks to their being sported by A-list celebrities such as the Duchess of Cambridge, Beyonce, Naomi Watts, Rosamund Pike and Mila Kunis.
Jean Ghika, head of jewellery in the UK and Europe at Bonhams, said: “I think there is a new move towards colour. Women are bolder in their choices and looking at alternatives to diamonds when it comes to engagement rings and everyday jewellery.
“They are not afraid to experiment with colour. Women are also in constant pursuit of something truly original, and a coloured stone, where every example is different they are able to have something unique.”
Bonhams also said that coloured gemstones are also proving a “canny investment” having outstripped other stones in price gains – some have risen in price by 2,200% over the past decade.
In December 2014, Bonhams sold a pair of Cartier art deco ruby and diamond clip brooches, circa 1930, for £482,500 on a pre-sale estimate of £80,000 to £120,000, while a single-stone ring by Van Cleef & Arpels sold for £350,500 to a Hong Kong buyer.
Experts at Bonhams are expecting the strong market to be reflected during sales in London at its fine jewellery sales in London and New York in April and Hong Kong sale in May.
Ghika added: “While diamonds are typically seen as the more ‘robust’ area in the gemstone market in terms of seeing a return on investment, figures over the last decade demonstrate that coloured stones have actually overtaken diamonds in terms of growth.
“Each gemstone is slightly different so small differences in shade, tone, body colour and transparency can have a huge difference in price.”
