Zaven Ghanimian discussed the value of human craftsmanship and where the implementation of artificial intelligence does work.
Gold Price Expected to Continue to Climb in 2020
The latest Reuters poll has the metal averaging more than $1,400/oz. next year, while some analysts predict the spot price could hit $2,000.

New York—Gold is expected to average more than $1,400/oz. next year, up from $1,360 this year, a recent Reuters poll shows.
Reuters publishes a precious metals price poll every quarter, combining predictions from two dozen or more analysts.
In the latest poll, done at the beginning of September, analysts predicted gold would average $1,393/oz. in the third quarter, $1,416 in the fourth quarter and $1,360 for the entire year.
The 2020 average for gold is forecast to rise to $1,425/oz.
The Reuters poll represents averages, not the actual price gold hits at any point during the day, and includes predictions from more than 30 participants, which is why it is less bullish than the note released by Citi analysts in mid-September, which predicted spot gold prices could top $2,000 an ounce in the next year or two.
Still, both sources point toward the gold price going up.
Unlike other metals, which are tied to market fundamentals such as supply and demand, gold is “very responsive” to certain macro-economic developments, said Johann Wiebe, a lead metals analyst on the GFMS team at Refinitiv.
Currently, those include the Federal Reserve lowering interest rates and the ongoing U.S.-China trade war.
“People are uncertain; that’s why the gold price goes up,” he said, noting the best example of gold prices reacting to macro-economic conditions was when it skyrocketed during the 2008 financial crisis, as investors lined up to buy gold investment bars and coins amid the global financial meltdown.
In the jewelry industry, the high price of gold led retailers to push buyback programs while swapping out gold for silver in display cases.
While Wiebe recognizes there is a lot of uncertainty in the world right now, he said Refinitiv is more modest in its exact forecast for gold and will need to see economic factors take a firmer hold before it predicts gold will breach $2,000 an ounce.
Platinum and Palladium Prices
Wiebe said platinum will remain less expensive than gold for the foreseeable future, though the Reuters poll has the white metal’s price rising next year too.
In the third quarter, the poll has platinum averaging $858/oz. and climbing to $880 in the fourth quarter, finishing the year with an average of $851.
In 2020, the poll has the average platinum price at $926/oz.
Analysts are also bullish on palladium.
Ten years ago, the white metal averaged around $300/oz., data supplied by Refinitiv shows (see chart below).
Supply is just not high enough, Wiebe said, and the market is in repeated, severe deficit.
In the Reuters poll, analysts predicted palladium will average $1,478 in the third quarter and $1,465 in the fourth, finishing the year at $1,448/oz. The predicted average for 2020 is only slightly lower, at $1,444.
Silver Shadows
The price of silver is expected to mirror that of gold in the near term, rising in the fourth quarter and again next year.
The Reuters poll has silver averaging $15.79 an ounce in the third quarter before increasing to $16.13 in the fourth. The metal’s average for 2019 is expected to land at $15.59.
Next year, the price of silver is expected to increase to an average of $16.73.
The Latest

Jewelers of America also revealed the recipients of the Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship and its own scholarship programs.

The British actor, known for his roles in “Twilight” and “The Odyssey,” will star in a campaign for the Master Control Chronometre.

Submit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.

The “Confetti Disco,” “Champagne Cheers,” “Tuxedo,” and “Classic Punk” jewelry collections each capture a distinct spirit of celebration.


Nelson Holdo of Newport Beach pleaded guilty to multiple counts of felony grand theft and writing bad checks and was sentenced Monday.

Cat ladies of the jewelry world, unite. Sandy Lerner’s “significant” collection of cat jewelry and other objects is going up for auction.

Retailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.

Arnaud Michon, the former Omega USA President, will now lead Messika’s Americas region during its international development.

The branding references the back-to-back jewelry shows that new parent company Forge will host in Miami's Coconut Grove this November.

The stainless steel Patek Philippe “Calatrava” watch from the 1930s sold for nearly $80,000 at a recent Hansons Cornwall auction.

Engagement rings are important but don’t ignore the customers who are buying jewelry “just because,” Emmanuel Raheb writes.

Former Pomellato CEO Sabina Belli has been named president of Kering Italia amid a shakeup of Kering's new Jewelry division.

The veteran luxury packaging executive was appointed to help the company grow its North American business.

Once the property of an Egyptian queen, the necklace was part of a larger exhibition of VCA jewelry at the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK).

The labs’ separate investigations each determined that the East African country is producing copper-bearing tourmaline.

“Chicago Collects: Jewelry in Perspective” at the Oshkosh Public Museum will feature works by Fabergé, Lalique, and Louis Comfort Tiffany.

The “Worn Well” collection is Catbird's take on classic men's jewelry.

This Buddha Mama butterfly is our Piece of the Week honoring the legend, who embraced the beautiful insect as her symbol.

The former De Beers CEO, and perhaps its next owner, will be a featured speaker at the event, slated for Sept. 4-7 in Italy.

The employee-owned jeweler was named a “Best Place to Work” in Maine, New Hampshire, and for women.

The second iteration of the jewelry collection was inspired by the zodiac and the four elements: earth, water, air and fire.

General License 104B supersedes General License 104A, which was set to expire on Sept. 1.

The package, intercepted in Indianapolis, contained fake Cartier, Tiffany & Co., and Van Cleef and Arpels jewelry.

The new location in Costa Mesa, California, marks the brand’s second store in the United States and fourth standalone location worldwide.

The fashion watch category was once threatened by the Apple Watch, but consumers are now opting for new wearables, said Movado’s CEO.

The association added the requirement to its revised "Code of Ethics" and released the 17th edition of its “Gemstone Information Manual.”























