Zurich-based gemmologist Doris Hangartner has spent 13 years building a business around rare colored gemstones as an asset class.
Her GemWealth Portfolio provides investors an alternative to stocks, bonds, and traditional precious stones like diamonds. Clients acquire high-value specimens of spinel, tourmaline, morganite, tanzanite, and garnet—gems Hangartner describes as both emotionally powerful and financially stable.
The case for colored gemstones
Hangartner, who started in diamond dealing and estate jewelry, now focuses on stones outside the mainstream market. Paraiba tourmaline, a bright blue-green gem, plays a key role in her strategy.
Other stones in the portfolio have seen strong gains over the past 20 years due to scarcity, desirability, and lack of knowledge. Unlike gold or equities, these gems move independently of financial markets, offering protection during volatility.
Hangartner advises clients to place 80% of their allocation in Paraiba tourmalines, red spinel, and tsavorite garnets. The remaining 20% goes to rarer stones like mandarin garnet or lavender spinel. A minimum investment of 250,000 Swiss francs ensures top-quality specimens in ideal sizes.
A personal approach to investing
Hangartner combines gemmology with psychology in her work. She starts by understanding a client’s personality, then selects stones that align with their tastes—sometimes arranging them into mandalas or “crystalline portraits.” The goal is to make wealth management feel more personal than a typical transaction.
“Gems offer diversification because they are portable, discreet, and compact, holding significant value in a small form,” she explains. “They are rare and unaffected by market swings.”
Clients can store their stones in a vault or have them set into custom jewelry designed by Hangartner’s studio. The blend of aesthetic appeal and financial potential has attracted individual investors, family offices, and collectors focused on generational wealth.
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The strategy treats colored gemstones as both luxury items and long-term assets. Her Zurich studio, where trays of vivid stones are examined under natural light, resembles a gallery more than a trading space.
Paraiba tourmalines stand out in her collection. Original Brazilian mines are now exhausted, and new sources in Mozambique and Nigeria remain limited, preserving their scarcity.
One notable piece, the “Living on the Edge” Paraiba tourmaline, weighs 43.51 carats.
While diamonds and the “big four” gems have long dominated the market, colored stones have shown strong performance over the past two decades. Hangartner’s clients believe scarcity and demand will continue driving value, even in a niche market.
She warns that gemstone investing carries risks. “No investment is guaranteed,” she notes. For those open to unconventional assets, owning rare natural treasures may justify the uncertainty.
The studio also creates custom jewelry around the stones, such as the Paraiba Mermaid ring. The designs ensure the gems remain beautiful even as investments.
The approach appeals to those who view wealth as something tangible and meaningful. For these clients, gemstones represent more than financial value—they embody stories and brilliance.
