Where the trade buys and sells in person: gem markets, trading districts, diamond exchanges and gem towns, with what is traded and when to go.
Gem town
Arusha, Tanzania
Traded: Tanzanite (traded in Mererani) and other Tanzanian gems
Arusha is northern Tanzania's gem trading and cutting city. Since 2021 the government has required tanzanite to be traded and processed in Mererani, where it is mined, about 65 km away, where an auction centre has been built.
Gem town
Ilakaka, Madagascar
Traded: Rough sapphire in every colour, and other gems from the surrounding deposits
Sapphire boom town since the 1998 discovery, where Sri Lankan, Thai and Malagasy buyers work from local offices. Much quieter today than in its boom years.
Places, not businesses: JewelLoop does not rank, recommend or endorse any dealer. Days and hours change, so check locally before you travel. Street markets also sell imitations, synthetics and undisclosed treatments: buy important stones with a report from a recognised laboratory, and follow the export and customs rules of every country involved.