Multifaceted Investment

Creating the ultimate jewellery collection depends on who-and what-you know, as much as hard cash. We can help with the first two.

- Jill Newman

WHEN A MIDDLE EASTERN royal recently let it be known that he was looking to invest upwards of US$100 million in gemstones, word spread quickly and soon more than one wellconnected dealer was jetting to the region with heavily insured valises. What might be most intriguing about this royal’s request is not the nine figures at play or even that all that cash was to be stashed in diamonds, rubies and the like, but rather that this kind of high-dollar venture is not uncommon; in fact, it’s a growing trend. Top brokers say that since the start of last year, which was marked by chaotic global events, more and more clients have been looking to invest in hard assets—namely jewellery and loose stones.

Jewellery, after all, has long been a safety net. When currencies were devalued and stock markets plummeted, a top-quality diamond or other precious gem remained global currency. That still holds true today. “With bank and crypto failures and inflation, I definitely see more interest from clients who are thinking of jewellery as a store of wealth,” says Lee Siegelson, the current proprietor of the century-old New York dealer specialising in vintage pieces and rare stones that bears his family name.

When someone has tens of millions to invest, historically experts have advised putting it into fancy-coloured diamonds and untreated rubies, emeralds and sapphires— essentially the equivalent of blue-chip stocks. For those who have followed that advice, relax. Their stability hasn’t changed. But as the number of billionaires expands exponentially and people who were never serious collectors seek to diversify their portfolios with jewels, the most prized gems are becoming scarcer.