We all want something no one else has – it’s human nature. With younger consumers increasingly prioritising individuality and personalisation when purchasing jewellery products, it should be no surprise that colour gemstone jewellery sits firmly in the spotlight.
Humans have always desired unique possessions. From an evolutionary perspective, rare and scarce resources mean power and a survival advantage. From a social vantage point, exclusivity reaffirms identity and meets the deep-seated desire to stand out in a crowded world.
Proudly owning a piece of jewellery that no one has, or at least is uncommon and unique, ticks all the right boxes. Younger consumers are finding what they’re searching for in the increasing variety of colour gemstone jewellery available today.
Diamonds hold a powerful position in jewellery as universally recognised symbols of enduring love and commitment, cemented by iconic marketing campaigns.
With that said, as industry analyst Edahn Golan recently explained in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, “Today’s millennials did not grow up with strong diamond marketing. The industry is now paying the price.”
Diamonds may be the ‘default’ selection for jewellery; however, younger consumers are looking for personalisation and finding it in vibrant rubies, enchanting emeralds, and sparkling sapphires.
“Diamonds are a girl’s best friend—or at least, they used to be. Today, hopeful fiancés are pinning on being proposed to with a tourmaline, an emerald, or a sapphire instead,” writes Orianna Rosa Royle for CNBC.
“Despite Gen Zers and Millennials claiming to be the most conscientious generations yet, none of the jewellers CNBC spoke to mentioned climate change as a factor behind their shifting preference from clear diamonds to colourful gemstones.
“Instead, they cited a movement towards individuality and a more personalised approach, with birthstones becoming an increasingly popular choice to propose.”
A recent report from Harper’s Bazaar explained that Millennials prioritise housing, travel, and other experience-related expenses over traditional engagement rings.
With that in mind, these young newlyweds are turning to affordable colour gemstone jewellery.
Emotional significance
Australian jewellery industry veteran Terry Coldham once explained to Jeweller that while beauty, rarity, and durability are typically described as the key purchasing motivations for colour gemstones, significant change has been identified in recent years.
The perception of the ‘story’ behind the gemstone and what it means to the consumer on a personal level has become critical. This sentiment was reflected in a recent interview with jeweller Rachel Boston.
“It’s less about replicating tradition, and more about reflecting the individual," she told MSN.
"Coloured stones give people space to tell their own story. They can offer our couples a personal and expressive alternative to traditional diamonds."
Indeed, it’s remarkable to consider the various ways colour gemstones can be used to memorialise key moments and milestones.
Significant points in time can be highlighted with birthstones and anniversary stones, and it’s not uncommon for astrological associations to be represented with specific gemstones.
Chrysolite is linked to Libra, symbolising beauty, balance, and harmony. Beryl is associated with Scorpio, which represents passion, transformation, and intuition. Citrine is a popular choice for Sagittarius, symbolising optimism, enthusiasm, and luck.
Many colour gemstones have cultural and religious significance. While opinions may vary considerably, many attribute specific beliefs and sentiments to certain colour gemstones.
It doesn’t have to be spiritual – these gemstones represent idealised traits for some people. Sapphires are said to represent nobility, sincerity, truth, faithfulness, and royalty.
Rubies represent a variety of powerful concepts, including love, passion, courage, and protection. Emeralds symbolise many positive attributes, including love, growth, renewal, wisdom, healing, and wealth.
Consumers can form a specific attachment to a colour gemstone in the form of family heirlooms because it represents a connection to loved ones, past or present. Finally, it might just be a matter of taste and a preference for a specific colour.
CAPTURE YOUR CUSTOMERS
Captivate, Educate & Inspire When jewellery store windows sparkle in the street with colour gemstone jewellery, consumers can't help but look inside. This is your chance to captivate, educate and inspire consumers - all at once! Here are some ideas to make passersby stop and stare with desire. Living Rainbow Display Arrange jewellery in a shifting spectrum under colour-changing lights. Livestream the window on social media, and let followers vote on tomorrow’s featured hue. Sparkling Gemstone Story Set Piece Set up miniature worlds — think ruby forests or sapphire oceans — with jewellery heroes. QR codes let onlookers unlock additional content online. The Colour Gemstone Journey Craft a visual timeline in your window tracing a gemstone’s path from rough to polished piece. Include props like uncut stones, sketches, and 'workbench' tools for a behind-the-scenes feel. It's an opportunity to provide your consumers with education, position your business as informed, and provide a 'from mine to market' perspective. Instant Colour Gemstone Makeovers Set up a digital “try-on” station beside your window. Shoppers snap selfies and see themselves adorned in top gemstone picks — then share their new look on social media. Legends & Myths Tableau Colour gemstones are linked to myths and legends due to their rarity, vibrant hues, and natural beauty, inspiring beliefs in healing, protection, power, and spiritual or magical significance across cultures. Theme each display around the ancient legends or mystique behind gemstones — think Cleopatra’s emeralds, the 'curse' of the Hope Diamond, or birthstone superstitions. Add dramatic props and handwritten legend cards for each piece. |
Divided market presents opportunity
Australia’s retail market has been described as increasingly polarised, with cost-of-living pressures and other economic factors encouraging specific demographics to pursue more affordable options.
This has been reflected in the increasing popularity of ‘affordable luxury’, and colour gemstone jewellery allows retailers to cater to budget-sensitive and high-end consumers.
Among consumers seeking affordable luxury, aesthetic charm and personalisation are prioritised over technical perfection and rarity.
These consumers seek jewellery that reflects their individuality without compromising on beauty.
At the same time, colour gemstone jewellery can still appeal to consumers seeking high-end luxury products. This divide in the market allows retailers to provide differing price points while still delivering meaningful and eye-catching designs.
In an interview, London-based jeweller Bear Brooksbank suggested that consumer knowledge of colour gemstones has increased significantly in recent years.
“I think the desire and market for coloured stone engagement rings has grown as knowledge and information about coloured stones —besides the obvious big players like ruby, blue sapphire and emerald — has entered the mainstream,” she told Vogue.
“The trend requires a large stone to really max the look, so a large diamond may not be possible, but a large coloured stone may well be.
“Most significantly, gone are the days of people feeling shy that their friends didn’t know the name of the stone in their engagement ring. It’s a badge of honour to have something that not everyone has heard of, let alone seen.”
Jewellers have their say
Working with colour gemstones is a unique and exciting challenge for jewellers. With such a broad variety of colour gemstones, it becomes an exercise of creativity and technical ability.
For jewellery retailers, offering distinctive and meaningful pieces that set their products apart from competitors is an additional opportunity.
For the past 10 years, Jeweller has travelled around Australia and given a voice to those ‘behind the scenes’ of the local jewellery trade with the monthly My Bench column.
Reviewing the profiles from the past four years highlights the remarkable passions Australian jewellers have for colour gemstone jewellery. While many jewellers continue to nominate diamonds as their stone of choice, it’s clear that the love for colour gemstones burns bright.
Sapphire is a durable and versatile gemstone. It is often considered a practical alternative to diamonds. Its hardness, vibrant colour, and appeal make it suitable for everyday wear and special occasions.
Sapphire was by far the most commonly reported favourite gemstone outside of diamond, and yet, interestingly, the explanations vary greatly. Sydney’s Danica Roderick said the range of colours available was remarkable.
“Hands down, my favourite gemstone is a sapphire. Purely because of the range of colours that they come in, their lustre and how hard they are makes them a joy to work with,” she explained.
“They are so much fun when you show a client outside in daylight; the way the sapphire throws colour back and changes colour in the sunshine is just brilliant.”
Australia is a critical source of sapphires, which was a consideration for Brisbane’s Richelle Perks.
“I visited the Australian gem fields, and it was amazing to see where the sapphires come from,” she explained.
“Peter Brown from Rubyvale Gem Gallery and his family gave me a wonderful insight into the whole process, from mine to beautifully cut gemstone, and I now have an even greater appreciation for Australian sapphires.”
For other jewellers, it was impossible to look beyond the appeal of another Australian gemstone – opal. The captivating one-of-a-kind play of colour makes it a striking alternative to diamond jewellery.
“My favourite stone is an opal, as every piece is different, and it adds to the uniqueness of a custom design,” explained Brisbane’s Matthew Alexander Crooks.
“There’s nothing better than seeing the fire in a high-quality opal!
When asked about his favourite gemstone, Nathan Kettle from York Jewellers identified black opal specifically: “The flashes of different colours in each stone that make them all unique and all equally as mesmerising!”
Interestingly, many jewellers pointed to tourmaline as a favoured gemstone. It is known for its ability to display a wide range of colours. Sydney’s Troy O’Brien suggested that tourmaline was of great interest to collectors.
“Tourmaline is a gemstone of such high quality and diversity, from the exceptionally rare Paraìba tourmaline to the uniquely beautiful bi-colour tourmalines,” he explained.
“Each gemstone holds its own unique beauty and rarity, which makes them highly valued by discerning collectors. I love sourcing tourmalines and genuinely get excited by their divine colour and beauty.”
KEEP IN STOCK
Timeless Dazzlers
|
 |  |  |  |
RUBY & SAPPHIRE
The fiery brilliance of ruby is associated with love and vitality, while sapphire’s deep blues are connected with wisdom and nobility. | TANZANITE
The deep, vibrant blue shade of tanzanite is becoming more popular for engagement rings. | AQUAMARINE
A pale blue gemstone, evoking the sea, symbolising tranquility, clarity, and calming energy. | GARNET (Rainbow)
Garnet is a popular gemstone, associated with passion, protection, and strength, often linked to love and available in multiple colours. |
 |  |  |  |
EMERALD
An enduring classic, consumers are always passionate about the deep green of emerald. | TOURMALINE
Tourmaline is a vibrant, multicoloured gemstone that represents creativity, healing, and emotional balance across its many hues. | OPAL
Demand for Australian opal has been rising over the past decade, particularly overseas. | SPINEL
Grey, grey-blue and lavender purple are among the more popular variations of spinel. |
These are just a handful of the many colour gemstones nominated by Australian jewellers as personal favourites, with garnet and spinel also popular choices – and as Sydney’s David Hollanders explained, it’s always challenging to look past the vibrancy of a beautiful ruby.
Considering the increasing popularity of colour gemstone jewellery, the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) recently published a letter providing advice for retailers looking to generate more sales in this category.
 |
Sapphire Dreams |
The first suggestion was to ensure staff recommend colour gemstone jewellery to consumers seeking engagement rings.
It’s a simple but critical idea – customers can’t buy your product if they don’t know it exists!
“If you’ve been reticent to suggest anything but a diamond in an engagement ring, this is your sign to do an about-face now in sales — suggest colour!” the AGTA advised.
“Die-hard fans and proponents of colour gemstones have been a small but vocal segment, lobbying for years for a higher profile for the colour gemstone category.
“It’s taken some recent instability in the diamond market to fuel the popularity of colour gemstones in engagement rings, but it’s an idea whose time has finally arrived.”
The next suggestion was to ensure that colour gemstone jewellery is a focus in marketing campaigns, particularly on social media.
Social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook can be ‘gold mines’ for directly reaching engaged couples, and colour gemstone jewellery should be showcased with high-quality images and videos.
“Jewellery experts and influencers alike have weighed in with many a post promoting colour gemstones, and the likes are multiplying,” the AGTA suggested.
“Colour excites, fascinates, is deeply personal, and is a powerful driver of emotions that captivates viewers on social media. colour gemstones are often compared to candy with good reason —their colours are joyful and playful, and look good enough to nosh on!
“This appeal is instant and perhaps the best sales tool because the images do the talking and market themselves. There is no need for hard sales tactics when it comes to colour.”
Beyond targeted advertising, there’s always room to think outside the box—behind-the-scenes content, contests, and giveaways can all be used to ensure that your business is part of the conversation among local consumers during wedding preparations.
Younger consumers are increasingly seeking individuality and affordability in jewellery, and more attention is turning to sapphires, emeralds, rubies, tourmalines, and opals for their uniqueness, aesthetic appeal, and symbolic significance.
Rather than replicating tradition, modern consumers prefer jewellery that reflects their individuality. This trend aligns with broader cultural values and economic pressures, and colour gemstone jewellery is an affordable luxury that doesn’t compromise on beauty.
Australian jewellers report a strong appreciation for local gemstones such as sapphire and opal for their physical properties and the personal stories they can carry.
Social media and increased consumer knowledge have helped boost awareness and interest, and retailers are encouraged to adapt to the changing landscape.
With colour gemstones resonating as a vibrant, personal, and meaningful choice, the jewellery industry is experiencing a significant shift, and tradition is meeting creativity as individuality takes centre stage.
VIEW SHOW & TELL