Pakistan's gern and jewellery exports have boomed in recent years but rniliiant violence, a crippling power crisis and outdated proauciion methods are taking their toll in Peshawar, vi/here tradlers say business has slumped alarmingly in the past 12 rnonths.

     Traders like Shenzad Sabz Ali say business is collapsing, and foreign buyers in parlicular have been scared off — a major problem in a sector where exports account for 95 percent of the market "I have been in this business for the last 25 years but that we are witnessing these days of unrest and Talibanisation is uprecedented," he said.

     The buyers from the United States, Thailand, France, Germany and Dubai who once thronged the packed market are largely a thing of the past. "The bomb blasts and suicide attacks have turned our businesses upside down, leaving us no option but to interact Online dealing may be the thing of the built on generations of salesmanship and relationships, feel it is ineffective. For fellow trader Sheharyar Ahmad, the and Lahore where foreign buyers ruby and sapphire."

     Most of Pakistan's gemstones are found in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, northern Gilgit-Baltistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Pakistan administered Kashmir region and Baluchistan. The reserves of precious and semi-precious stones in Pakistan are vast, according to Peshawar-based gemmologist llyas Ali Shah. But much of this potential remains uptapped as the stones lie buried in the seven restive fribal areas along the Afghan border, where militancy and poor infrastructure have restricted access, "Pakistan could triple its gemstone exports if these reserves are fully tapped, "he said.

     While the quality of stones from Pakistan is good and they sell well at international trade shows, Peshawar trader Sheharyar Ahmad said, the local cutting and polishing techniques are not up to international standards. “That is why when our stones go to Thailand, they are re-faceted and polished again."

     Shah, who heads the Gem and Jewellery Training and Manufacturing Centre in Peshawar, said the manual equipment Pakistani traders are still using did not allow the same precision and delicacy of workmanship as modern machinery. His training centre aims to bring Pakistani jewellery techniques up to date. “Our institute has been set up to train traders in cutting and polishing of gemstones through scientific means and we have so far trained over 1,000 students in Peshawar," he said.

     The government-run Pakistan Gems and Jewellery Development Company (PGJDC) is also trying to raise skill levels to allow the country to compete better with the likes of Thailand and lndia.

     Gem and jewellery exports have risen enormously in recent years to stand at $1.3 billion in 2013, and PGJDC general manager Khalid Aziz said they were aiming for a target of $1.7 billion by 2017.

   Diamond and gold are helping to fuel the Central African Republic's (CAR) religious violence accordin g to news reports.

   The Ndassima goldmine, which is owned by the Canadian mining company Axmin and which was overrun by the mainly Seleka rebels more than year ago, forms "forms part of an illicit economy driving sectarian conflict, " the report says. Axim suspended activity at the mine in late 2012 after it was occupied by the rebels.

  Despite a ceasefire being signed last month many fear that the warlords on both side will resist resources, especially the gold and diamond mines.

   "Commanders on both sides are profiteering from this conflict. Both the anti-balaka millitia and Seleka are involved in gold and diamonds," Kasper Agger, field researcher for the Enough Project, a to make peace , we need to offer them an economic alternative."

    Last year, the Kimberley Process imposed an export ban on the CAR. The transitional government of President Catherine Samba Panza is trying to enforce a "traceability" scheme to prove that diamonds are not mined in rebal territory. Despite the ban, diamonds from the CAR are still being traded, "(D)iamond fields around Bria and Sam Ouandja provide revenue for rebels, who extract protection money and sell diamond to dealers in Sudan and Chad, expects say. From there, the gems are trafficked to Antwerp, Dubai or India."

  The industry has been warned against buying goods from CAR. "Illicit trading in diamonds from the CAR not only undermines the efforts of the international community to restore peace in the country, but it challenges the repulation of the Kiberley Process Certification Sceme and the efforts of our industry, government and civil society to eliminate the trade in confict president , Edward Asscher, said.

   The paper said the Zimbabwean government was taking measures to counter the sactions by slashing diamond exports in a bid to add value by having the stones polished locally, and in the process creating at least 1,000 jobs, "A processing centre will be set up on Harare's outskirts, and the initiative - which received cabinet approval last month - will see government earn returns of up to five times what it has got from selling rough diamonds, "the paper said.

   Seven Zimbabwean diamond mining firms last month sent parcels totaling 960,000 carats to the two-week Dubai Daimond Exchange auction in the United Arab Emirates where they hopes to earn over $100 million.

   He said the goverment wanted to reduce sales of raw jade to promote value-added products, which would be more profitable. "The goverment told traders to Myanmar goverment expects to earn 2 billion euros in jade sales at the major gems emporium in Naypyidaw last month, although a smaller supply of jade stone was available compared with previous years, an official from the Ministry of Mines says.

   At the 2014 Gems Emporium, buyers perused 7,160 jade lots, owned by the government and private miners, compared with 10,000 jade lots last year and 15,000 in 2012. They can also about 400 lots of other gemstones and 200 pearl lots. More than 4,000 traders from China, Hong Kong, Thailand and Japan attended the emporium..

   "The jade lot sales rate last year were at 2 biliion euros, so we expect to reach the same amount this year, though we have fewet lots this time," said Min Thu, assistant director of the ministry's Myanmar Gems Enterprise.

  He said the government wanted to reduce sales of raw jade to promote value-added products, which would be more profitable. "The goverment told traders to reduce raw jade sales and to improve technology for value-added gems and jade. Now the Gems Entrepreneurs Association is working with Chinese technicians to raise the value of jade and gems, to have a better price in the future."

   Win Maung, a gems merchant from Mandalay, said in the past raw jade was sold to Chinese traders who processed the stones in China. "Chinese are better at adding value to the jade materials," he said, noting that Burma lacked the sophisticated technology required to process gemstones. The Burmese government last year said it planned to establish a jade and gemstone centre in Naypyidaw, where it hoped traders and investors would open stores and processing industries.

   Burma produces the majority of the world's jade. Most is sourced from Hpakant, 350 km north of Mandalay, in the conflict -torn mountains of Kachin State. Trade in jade is controversial. Competing claims over the jade mines have helped fuel a war between the government's army and the Kachin independence Army (KIA). Historically, gem sales have been a major source of revenue for Burma's rulling elite as well as the Kachin rebels. The government and the KIA controlled the jade mining industry in Hpakant between a ceasefire deal in 1994 and 2011. After fighting resume in 2011, the overment suspended large-scale mining operations in the area. Small-scale miners and hand-pickers moved in illegally to try their luck.

   At the emporium, many merchants who are no longer exploring jade in northern Burma are showing off old jade lots that have remained in their possession. "I still can''t say when the government will allow them back to explore jade in Burma. I heard a better gems policy needs to be approved-explorers and merchants are waiting for this law to be approved, " Min Thu said.

   In February this year, during a meeting with President Thein Sein, Burmese tycoon Tay Za called for a better gems policy. Tay Za, who chairs the Myanmar Gems and Jewelry Entrepreneurs Association, urged the government to investigate the mining situation in Kachin state, where he has extensive business interests, He told the president that Burmese citizens of Chinese ancestry were heavity involved in the mining industry and were exporting gems over the border to China. As a result, he said, value-added industries had developed in China but not in Burma.

   The former military government started selling gems and jades at three emporiums per year in the early 1990s. The Ministry of Mines says more than 526 million euros worth of jade and gems were sold at 49th Gems Expo in 2012, compared with more than 2 billion euros in 2013. Gem sales have slowed, however, after the Chinese government doubled import taxes on Burmese jade. The raw stones are often smuggled over the border to China through unregulated trade, without ever being taxed.

   The Gem and Jewelry Institute of Thailand (Public Organization) or GIT has organized the judging for the 8th Edition of GIT World's Jewelry Design Awards 2014 with the theme of "Battle of COlors:The Design Your Eyes Can't Ignore" The judges have selected the 6 finalist designs, and these are being made up as actual pieces of jewellery , to be displayed by leading models at the final judging of the winners. This will take place on 26th November 2014 in the Eden Zone of the Central World Shopping Centre, Bangkok.

   Ms. Pornsawat Wathanakul, Director, GIT, says that in arranging this 8th edition of the GIT World's Jewelry Design Awards 2014, the Institute has for the first time ornanized the contest as an event at world level. This stems from the film belief that creating value-added in products through design must be regarded as the key to success in the key to success in the gems and jewellery business. At present, the industry is still short of highly skilled Thai jewellery designers. At the same time, the new generation designers do not have adequate forums where they can display the power of their creativity and unbounded imagination.

   This year, GIT has elevated the Awards contest to the world class level. There have been international submissions from all countries such as Thailand, USA, Italy, England, Dubai, Iran, India, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Altogether 303 entries were submitted, there being 85 designs of gentlemen's jeweller, and 218 designs of ladies' jewellery.

  In the first around of judging, Ms. Pronsawat explains that entries were separated into the two categories: gentlemen's jewellery, and ladies' jewellery, The designs were judged for beauty, distinction, creativity, and their harmony with the theme of the contest: Battle of Colors : The Design Your Eyes Can't Ignore," There were 7 highly qualified experts making up the judging panel.

   Initially, 36 designs were judged again and point scores, thus becoming the finalists: 3 designs of gentlemen's jewellery and 3 designs of ladies' jewellery. These 6 finalist designs are being made up as real jewellery. This manufacturing project Factory by Beauty Gems Factory Co., Ltd. Concept Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Cifac Co., Ltd., Marvel Jewelry Co., Ltd. and Pranda Jewelry Public extended by Benson Jewelry Co., Ltd. Lee Seng Jewelry, Pandora Production Co., Ltd. and Primier Gems Trading Co., Ltd.

    The 6 finalist jewellery pieces will be worn by leading male and female Thai superstars, competing for top position in the final around of judging on Wednesday 26th November 2014. In the Eden Zone, 1st Floor, Central World Shopping Plaza, Bangkok.

    At the same location there will be on exhibition of the designer's drawings of the 30 semifinalists and design drawings by GIT students, together with jewellery products. This exhibition will held 25-26th November 2014, during 10.00-19.00 hours.

    GIT invites interested people join the vote for Popular Design Award 2014 on GIT website http://www.git.or.th within 21st Movember 2014, and those voting will be eligible for a prize.

    For 15 years Rusgems Company has been known in the jewellery market as a manufacturer of synthetic raw materials. We can say without exaggeration that with regard to the range of offed goods. Rusgems are unrivalled. Products we offer include such popular materials as cublic zirconia, corundum and quartz, as well as exotic crystal such as TIO2, Muassonite, YAG, etc. 

  The demand for Rusgems' materials keeps steadlily growing, which is clearly evident now, during the world economic crisis. It is not surprising that a customer has become for more careful in his/her choice of high-priced jewellery and is putting economy in first place. All jewellery producers have to face the same problems. On the one hand the prices of natural gemstones both precious and semiprecious are steadily rising due to inflation and production cutbacks. On the other hand a customer isn't willing to spend as much as he could afford to before the crisis, in such a manner customers are, so to speak, pushing companies to cut prices. This situation inevitable forces the producer to seek synthetic counterparts. Let's see what one can find on the market nowadays:

   -Glass, Variety of colours and moderate price could be counted as advantages. Disadvantages are not so few; poor hardness, bad optical indexes, existence of internal bubbles, impossible to use the"moulding with stones" technique. Therefore in no way glass could be considered as a good imitation of natural stones.

   -CZ this is the most popular material since it has high optical rates, good hardness, and wide colour scale. It is also relatively cheap. But over the years CZ became "boring" to the customers and more and more people tend to consider it to be "bad form" for its unnatural gloss (as Europeans say, it"impudently shines"). As such, CZ is regarded to be similar to the group of goods which includes glass costume jewellery (intended only for single use) 

  -Corundum, Colour range is limited to 6-8 tints. It is generally popular as imitation of ruby and blue sapphire . All options with the exception of ruby are rather expensive. Corundum has very high hardness. Therefore, there are difficulties woth its processing. The crystals are limited in size (the thickness of blue colour crystals doesn't exceed 9 mm) and often have non uniform colouring. As a result, the manufacturer faces the problem of high quality faceting.

   -Spinel. All aspects relating to corundum refer to this material as well. Blue crystals are generally used.

   -Quartz. The colour scale includes 6 tints. Quartz is significant as a material that is used for imitation of natural amethyst, citrine, smoky and green quartz, Synthetic raw material that is used for imitation of natural amethyst, citrine, smoky and green quartz. Synthetic raw material itself is rather material itself is rather xheap. However, there are some difficulties when it comes to polishing, which affects the cost of the facetted stones. B esides, these cystals cannot be heated. Thus, the manufacturer of jewellery can only use manual clip of stones, which obviously increses the price of the product.

   Till recently there was no material that completely matched all specified criteria. Today we are glad to introduce NANOSITAL. We developed it at Rusgems as a product that entirely fulfills existing demands.

   NANOSITAL is an optically transparent polycrystal material that is produced by crystallization of glass that has certain chemical composition. Compared to glass, NANOSITAL has higher physicochemical characteristics. NANOSITAL falls under the group of glass ceramic materials which have been known for over 50 years and have wide rangers of compositions and applications.

   Rusgems adapted existing technology to the needs of jewellery producers and managed to create the optimal gem material. The multi-component high temperature composition is based on two oxides SIO2 and Al203. It's well known that these oxides are the main components of most of the natural gemstones.

   The other NANOSITAL components are selected in order to meet requirement concerning optical characteristics, density and hardness. Our technology allows modifying components of composition in various ways to achieve perfect correspodence between NANOSITAL and its natural counterpart.

   It is common knowledge that the idea of "beauty" is essential for the jewellery business. It's a more or less a subjective criterion which in our case embraces both colour and gloss.

   At Rusgems we cherish the desire to produce material which would fascinate every customer. This goal was reached by inventing NANOSITAL. The new materials completely different from anything else that could be found on the market. Any comparison would prove it to be best of its kind.

   To gain such high performance we not only use Rusgems' own state-of-the-art techonological equipment but also latest research and development achievements but also latest research and development achievements in the field of material production.

   NANOSITAL is synthesized at a temperature of 1700 degress Celsus. Its main chararcteristics in comparision wuth well-known materials are shown in the table. It is evident that NANOSITAL is quite similar to topaz in many ways. NANOSITAL's transparency and wide range or colours allows it to initate alomost all types of coloured natural stones from topaz and garnet to emerald and sapphire.

   We should mention that there have already been some efforts to produce the material which is similar to NANOSITAL on the market. The producers of glass-ceramics, for instance, announce that they can provide a variety of coloured imitations. Nevertheless, it turns out that there are only a few options. And though the name Sapphire or London Blue is used, it means nothing else than blue colour. Still, as started above, the exact reproduction of the colours is what matters to a customer, which means that the stone should not be merely blue, but has to be sapphire blue or the shade of London Blue Topaz. 

   As for NANOSITAL, it surely meets the challenge, Photo1 and 2 demonstrate NANOSITAL raw material of London Topaz colour in comparison with natural analogues, Photo#3 shows the corresponce between a well-known gemstone called blue corundum (#34), and our NANOSITAL ("Blue Sapphire") Two versions of cut stones are presented in the photo#4. Those are the natural London Blue Topaz and its NANOSITAL imitation. It's next to impossible to see the difference between them. In addition, their densities are also alomost identical. Today Rusgems offers 50 variety of coloured NANOSITAL, which would satisty any exacting taste. For instance, there are imitations of peridot that reproduct specific details that enable to distinguish stones obtained from different fields(Pakistan, China,etc). We can even produce such exotic stone as "Paraiba Sital or "Zultanite Sital" (Photo #5), which is very popular at the moment.

   Furthermore, Rusgems is always ready to produce the exclusive stone of the unique colour using the sample given by a client. Another special thing about Rusgems is that we are the only company capable of making colour-change NANOSITAL, as well as bicolour stones.

   Taking market demand into account, Rusgems products wide range of colours of quartz group, It has recently become possible to use the so-called "wax casting" technology for such popular colours as citrine, smoky and green quartz, etc.

   It is important to note that NANOSITAL has good optical properties. Its gloss corresponds to that of the most attractive natural stones, namely sapphire, ruby and topaz, which becomes especially apparent when medium and large stones are viewed. Comparison of NANOSITAL with any other nanomaterial (photo#6) reveals advantages of the former, since the latter is hararcterized by cloudiness and cheapglass glare.

   To sum it up, Rusgems has created a unique material with unrivated charactistics. It keeps all the best features of its prototype (colour, purity, glass and beauty), leaving drawbacks (processing difficulities unstable colour, and most important -high price) behind.

   During these ambiguous times we all have to make bold and innovative business moves. That's why right now is the best time to bring into the world our new material refined with your jewellery design.

     Notable Stones
     Attemping to explain the enduring popularity of the stone, famous. There's Princess Diana's blue sapphire engagement ring. Consider also Liz Taylor. She not only owned a Bulgari Sautoir necklace with a 52.72 carat blue sapphire as its centrepiece - it sold for almost $6 million at a Christie's auction in 2011 - she even launched a fragrance line called " Diamonds and Sapphires" in 1993.

     There is also its fashion appeal, "Blue sapphires, with their endless range of blue tones, from a jazzy pastel to endlessly rich intense royal blues, complement a woman's fashion choices and do not compete with those choices,"Preus explains.

     Shaun Ajodan, president of Shaun Gems International of New York City, status that the fashion appeal extends to men, "If you think of the ties in your wardrobe, which one are you most likely to wear? The blue tie", Asked what specific buyers are looking for in a blue sapphires, Ajodan says,"European want medium cornflower blue. In the Far East, they want royal blue, In the U.S., they want good value,"

     Prices Trending Up
     But that value is becoming more expensive. According to Couch, blue stones smaller than 1 carat have risen 15 percent in price in the past year, and 35 percent in the past three years. Stones 1 carat to 3 carats are up 40 percent in the past year for blues, and 25 percent for othercolours. CHinese buyers represent 50 percent of this increased price pressure." They come in with hundred dollar bills and don't even want a receipt," Couch says,"Chinese clientele are playing top dollar. They are looking for Kashmir blue, cornflower blue,"Despite the price hikes, dealers remain confindent that the love affair with sapphires will continue. "Definitely," says Caplan. "It's a beautiful stone, and realistically, everything has gone up. So there's no doubt in my mind that sapphires will return the number-twoselling stone."