Premium Zambian emeralds continue to command attention, with Gemfields reporting $26.8 million in revenue from its latest higher-quality rough emerald auction. Held in May, the sale saw 36 of 37 lots sold—accounting for 99% of the stones by weight—at an average of $146.08 per carat.

Adrian Banks, Gemfields’ Managing Director of Product and Sales, observed that while geopolitical tensions and a depreciating Indian rupee injected a degree of caution into the market, the appetite for the very best stones remains unyielding. “Competition and pricing for the top-tier emeralds remained particularly strong,” Banks stated, “reflecting the rarity and continued desirability of exceptional gems.”

The exceptional rough stones, sourced from the Kagem mine in Zambia, were viewed privately in Bangkok before being auctioned on Gemfields’ specialized online sealed-bid platform.