THE NEXT BIG GEM ? On News from Baselworld Show 2019, Switzerland

Sometimes, Constantin Wild, owner of Constantin Wild, is rather loathe to see his gemstones sold, because they have been so difficult to find – carefully collected over decades, and chosen for their most wonderful colours. But as the Idar-Oberstein-based gemstone dealer so succinctly puts it: “They will be the love of a lifetime for their future owners, and so I part with them”. 

What are the strengths of Constantin Wild?

Constantin Wild: Traditional cuts such as ovals, cushions and octagons. The most sought-after sizes right now are five to 15 carats, because they are well-suited to rings, pendants and earrings. Unusual colours and off-colours make for excellent buys – greyish and bluish shades, for example in spinels.

What are your own favourite gemstones?

My favourites remain the Imperial topaz from Brazil in shades of yellow, orange, pink and red, demantoid garnets from Russia with a lovely chrome-green and horsetail inclusions and some excellent pear-shaped Paraíbas, of which we have brought several to Baselworld. I always prioritise colours and beauty, because we excel in the intensity and variety of colours.

What are your bestsellers? 

Aquamarines and rare stones like yellow canary tourmalines, red and pinkish-red spinels, blue spinels, garnets like the green tsavorites and the mandarin garnets from Africa and Nigeria, and finally, exceptional blue zircons from Cambodia. Right now I have a set of four low-temperature heated blue zircons that have an electrifying colour, even comparable to that of Paraíba tourmalines. I say they are double-refracting for double the sparkle. They are the largest and best quality zircons I have seen in my career. The large zircon of the set will make the centrepiece of a magnificent creation; whether it is set in an important necklace, tiara or a ring. My suite of three green tsavorite garnets from Tanzania is special because of the colour saturation, perfect match and brilliancy of the gemstones. 

What will be the next trend colour in the market? 

From the Asian market, I get more and more requests for aquamarines, ever since the wedding of Meghan Markle to Prince Harry, whose mother, Princess Diana, wore an emerald-cut aquamarine flanked by diamonds set in a large ring during a stay in Sydney. Aquamarines in octagonal cuts display not only a delicate water blue, but almost the whole colour range of the sea, from a subtle blue via greenish-blue shades to an intense, almost dark, blue.

Source: https://www.baselworld.com/en/news/news/constantin-wild-interview