IndependentsDec 30, 2024
In Memoriam: Jewelry Industry Leaders and Innovators We Lost in 2024From groundbreaking designers to dedicated retailers, National Jeweler pays tribute to the colleagues we bid farewell to this year.
GradingFeb 12, 2019
System for Comparing Color in Gemstones Launched in Tucson
ColorCodex offers a way for the trade to communicate and compare the color of faceted gemstones using numeric values.
The new ColorCodex system features color “windows” attached to numeric values to provide a way to compare and communicate the color of faceted gemstones.
Tucson, Ariz.—A new color referencing tool launched in Tucson, designed to help the industry communicate and compare the color of gemstones in a consistent manner.
Chris Smith, developer of the system and president of American Gemological Laboratories, debuted ColorCodex during the AGTA GemFair trade show with a workshop event along with others who had a hand in the project.
The tool, built by gemologists for gemologists, allows industry professionals to compare and reference the color of faceted gemstones.
“Throughout my career in gemology, I’ve always marveled at how an industry that’s built on color is always struggling with how to communicate color and how to deal with color in stones,” Smith said during the Tucson event.
The ColorCodex concept originally debuted in beta form, so to speak, during the AGTA GemFair in 2017. Gem dealers, market analysts and major international laboratories have been testing it for the past two years.
ColorCodex consists of 13 color sheets of 40 color “windows,” each with a reflective and patterned foil to mimic the appearance of a faceted gemstone. Each window has a corresponding numeric code—without any color descriptors—so the designators can be used for many applications, developers said.
There is a total of 65 different hues.
In the system, each hue is represented by its own column, which is then divided into eight windows depicting the varying intensity or saturation of that specific color. 
The colors, or hues, are evenly numbered horizontally across the page from 10 through 138, while the vertical windows showing intensity are given odd numbers from 03 through 17.
Combining these two numeric values therefore defines not only a specific color but also its level of saturation.
Space also has been left between the color windows on each sheet to allow for when a gemstone’s color may fall in between two.
Developers addressed when gemstones also have an added tonal element to their color by designing gray overlay cards.
“In transparent faceted gems, cutting will create brightened reflections of brilliance and color as well as blackened areas of extinction,” Smith said in a press release. “The ColorCodex system was specifically engineered to mimic this appearance and present color more as we see it in gems.”
Smith
added in Tucson that he is purposefully not dictating ColorCodex’s use to allow “the industry itself to determine how it can be used and what the applications can be.”
But developers have a few suggestions.
Appraisers can use ColorCodex to assign color reference for value without relying on trade terms, gem dealers and suppliers can better match stones and fulfill orders, or new gemologists can be trained about the nuance of color in various gemstones and varieties.
Another area of possible use noted at the launch event is to help the industry set parameters for varieties that are defined by color; for example, setting borders to differentiate between ruby and pink sapphire, imperial and precious topaz, and the like. In this case, it could be useful to trade organizations and gemological laboratories.
AGL has started using ColorCodex internally to standardize color calls and structure its trade names, Smith said. He added that he has approached several labs about using the system as well.
The tool is priced at $2,000 and can be ordered online.
It includes 13 color referencing sheets, five overlay sheets and three plastic travel sleeves. It also comes with a guide on how to use the tool as well as how to apply it when it comes to zoned and bi-color stones.
At the ColorCodex launch event in Tucson, developers said they also would like to address the issue of changing color perception based on lighting conditions.
They will do this by creating their own light to go along with the tool, which will have the full spectrum with less UV, to allow for uniform lighting among all users.
Developers are still working on prototypes but are hopeful the ColorCodex lamp will launch soon.
But developers have a few suggestions.
Appraisers can use ColorCodex to assign color reference for value without relying on trade terms, gem dealers and suppliers can better match stones and fulfill orders, or new gemologists can be trained about the nuance of color in various gemstones and varieties.
Another area of possible use noted at the launch event is to help the industry set parameters for varieties that are defined by color; for example, setting borders to differentiate between ruby and pink sapphire, imperial and precious topaz, and the like. In this case, it could be useful to trade organizations and gemological laboratories.
AGL has started using ColorCodex internally to standardize color calls and structure its trade names, Smith said. He added that he has approached several labs about using the system as well.
The tool is priced at $2,000 and can be ordered online.
It includes 13 color referencing sheets, five overlay sheets and three plastic travel sleeves. It also comes with a guide on how to use the tool as well as how to apply it when it comes to zoned and bi-color stones.
At the ColorCodex launch event in Tucson, developers said they also would like to address the issue of changing color perception based on lighting conditions.
They will do this by creating their own light to go along with the tool, which will have the full spectrum with less UV, to allow for uniform lighting among all users.
Developers are still working on prototypes but are hopeful the ColorCodex lamp will launch soon.
More on Grading
The Latest
MajorsDec 30, 2024
Saks Global Finalizes Acquisition of Neiman MarcusThe retailer’s portfolio now includes Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Saks Off 5th.
Events & AwardsDec 30, 2024
Registration Now Open for JIS Spring 2025The jewelry trade show is set for March 9-11 in Miami.
Brought to you by
A Diamond Is Forever Celebrates "Forever Present" Holiday CampaignA Diamond is Forever hosted a holiday celebration in honor of their new marketing campaign, ‘Forever Present.’
IndependentsDec 30, 2024
MJSA Elects New Board ChairEdward N. DeCristofaro, who served as MJSA’s board chair from 2012 to 2014, is returning to the role.
Weekly QuizDec 27, 2024
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsDec 27, 2024
Buccellati to Expand Workforce by 500 Employees Over Next Three YearsThe Richemont-owned company is investing in its jewelry production and watchmaking workshops.
SourcingDec 27, 2024
IDCA Announces 2025 Board MembersManoj Bhandari, a principal of RMC Gems Inc., is the new president of the Indian Diamond & Colorstone Association.
Brought to you by
De Beers Group Launches Holiday Campaign for Natural Diamonds‘Forever Present’ campaign revives the iconic A Diamond is Forever tagline and celebrates the diamond dream.
Events & AwardsDec 27, 2024
18 Designers Graduate from WJA’s Jewelry Loupe ProjectThe designers participated in a six-month business development and mentorship program to develop and launch their jewelry collections.
MajorsDec 24, 2024
Nordstrom Family, Partner to Take Retailer Private in $6B DealMembers of the founding family have partnered with Mexican retail company El Puerto de Liverpool to acquire Nordstrom.
MajorsDec 24, 2024
Boucheron Bets on Las VegasThe brand has opened its second U.S. location in the Fontainebleau resort and casino.
EditorsDec 24, 2024
The Spectrum Jewels I Want to Find Under the Tree Associate Editor Lauren McLemore highlights pieces from the AGTA Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards she’d be thrilled to unwrap on Christmas.
SourcingDec 24, 2024
Gemfields to Temporarily Suspend Emerald MiningThe move is one of several cost-cutting measures outlined by the company as it faces a weaker luxury market and other challenges.
IndependentsDec 23, 2024
Philadelphia 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey Stars in The 1916 Company’s New CampaignThe retailer’s “On the Clock” campaign celebrates how time, precision, and purpose come together.
EditorsDec 23, 2024
My Favorite Piece of the Week Jewels of 2024Associate Editor Natalie Francisco chose her 12 favorite Piece of the Week picks from the year gone by.
Events & AwardsDec 20, 2024
Two Participants Complete Inaugural Ella Klein InternshipJamie Dunton and Gabriella Botelho are the first graduates of the program, created by the WJA Foundation and Julius Klein Diamonds.
CollectionsDec 20, 2024
Piece of the Week: Retrouvaí’s Ring for CharityIn the spirit of giving, Retrouvaí will donate $4,000 from the sale of this ring to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.
IndependentsDec 19, 2024
Michigan’s DeVries Jewelers Unveils New Location in Time for the HolidaysCo-owner Dan DeVries shared what it’s like moving into a space triple the size of its old store and how it feels to be a “real jeweler” now.
CollectionsDec 19, 2024
State Property Transforms Spain’s Generalife Gardens into JewelryAlong with the latest “Gardens” collection, the brand has released limited-edition designs offering more indulgent pieces.
CrimeDec 19, 2024
Alleged Jewelry Thieves Attempt Rowboat EscapeThe man and woman are accused of stealing jewelry from a shipping container then trying to flee by paddling a small boat out into a bay.
SourcingDec 19, 2024
The Second-Largest Diamond Ever Found Now Has a Name The 2,488-carat diamond recovered from a mine in Botswana has been dubbed “Motswedi” while its 1,094-carat sibling is “Seriti.”
SourcingDec 19, 2024
Gemfields Reports Record Ruby Auction Results Despite Challenges at SourceThe average price per carat hit a record high for the miner, which said it remains unaffected by the conflict in Mozambique.
AuctionsDec 18, 2024
Alexandrite Ring Sells for Record-Setting $1.9M at Sotheby’sThe nearly 17-carat stone made history for the color-change gem that, according to the auction house, is experiencing a “notable surge” in the market.
WatchesDec 18, 2024
Historic Titanic Pocket Watch Winds Its Way Back to Tiffany & Co. More than a century after survivors gifted a Tiffany timepiece to the captain of the ship that rescued them, the jeweler has reclaimed it.
TechnologyDec 18, 2024
Picchiotti Utilizes AI in ‘Spotlight’ Video CampaignThe videos highlight how pieces from the “Xpandable” and “Reversible Xpandable” collections put the wearer in the spotlight.
IndependentsDec 18, 2024
Industry Veteran Steve Feldman Set to RetireFeldman reflected on 45 years in the jewelry industry and clarified that it’s not a total retirement.
Events & AwardsDec 17, 2024
Chanel to Receive Gem Award for High Jewelry ExcellenceThe luxury brand is being honored for excellence in high jewelry design in its “Haute Joaillerie Sport” collection.
