News you can use
AKS Industry Brief
Concise updates for the bead, gem and jewelry community—focused on business opportunities, market developments and important show news.
Updated September 7, 2026This week’s update
What buyers and vendors should know
New stories are published each week.
01
Gemstone Market
Colorful gemstones gain attention as traditional favorites tighten
Tighter supplies of diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires and pearls are encouraging collectors and jewelers to look more closely at colorful alternatives. Tourmaline, spinel, garnet, kunzite, peridot, tanzanite and unheated sapphires are among the stones receiving increased attention.
AKS takeaway: This is good news for gem-show vendors with distinctive natural stones beyond the traditional big names. Tell buyers what makes each stone special—color, origin, treatment, rarity and cutting—rather than relying on the gem's name alone.
Read the source: Financial Times ↗02
Design Trend
Western-inspired jewelry rides into 2026
Jewelry designers are revisiting the American West with horseshoes, spurs, arrows, buckles, bolo ties and open-road imagery. Contemporary interpretations pair these familiar motifs with gold, colored stones and traceable materials such as Montana sapphires.
AKS takeaway: Western styling is especially relevant for Texas and Oklahoma audiences. Vendors can participate without changing their identity by highlighting turquoise, silver, leather, warm-toned stones and handcrafted pieces that naturally fit the look.
Read the source: Financial Times ↗From the previous brief
Earlier updates
Jewelry discovery is digital, but trust still closes the sale
A Jewel360 industry report found that social media strongly influences what customers request, while the great majority of surveyed jewelers still close nearly every sale face-to-face.
Source: Jewellery Business ↗Independent jewelers grow sales as buyers spend more per purchase
July gross sales at thousands of U.S. independent jewelers increased from a year earlier as the average sale rose. Colored stones and pearls were among the bright spots.
Source: Edge Retail Academy ↗