Outperform gold and silver, what to look for?

Paraíba tourmaline, a neon blue gemstone that can be found only in northern Mozambique, Nigeria, and Brazil, is outperforming gold and silver. 

Gold price has experienced a 216.53 percent surge since the pandemic, while silver price increased by 469.55 percent. Although both gold and silver hit a record high of US$4,300 (HK$33,540) per ounce and US$67.65 (HK$527.67) per ounce last year, rare gemstones have taken over their value. For instance, Colombian emerald values have risen up to two or three times since the pandemic, which now cost US$5,000 (HK$39,000). The price of gold also rose by less than one-fifteenth of Paraíba tourmaline from 1991 to 2025. 

John Butler, who works as an independent investment adviser to wealthy individuals, said gemstone trade is highly influenced by trends in fashion compared to gold and diamonds. As a hard asset, they carry operational risks and are not fungible or uniform like gold, therefore, interested investors can look into exchange traded funds that can liquefy an otherwise illiquid sector, allowing would-be investors to diversify without worrying about the complexities of buying, insuring, and selling jewellery themselves.

Gloria Leung