Gems
Gems (formerly Gem Shopping Network) is a US-based, 24/7 live TV and streaming shopping network that auctions and sells fine jewelry, colored gemstones, and designer pieces to US retail consumers via broadcast, streaming apps, and ecommerce.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersDuluth, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Gems does
Gems (formerly Gem Shopping Network) operates a 24/7 live television and streaming shopping network that sells fine jewelry, colored gemstones, diamonds, designer collections, and estate jewelry to US retail consumers. Founded in 1997 by Graduate Gemologist Frank M. Circelli in Duluth, Georgia, the company built its brand on live, on-air auctions combining entertainment, gemological education, and real-time bidding, reaching over 60 million US households through cable television and seven streaming platforms (Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, YouTube, LG, Android TV, Samsung). The company complements the broadcast with a direct ecommerce storefront (gems.com) and phone-order channels, and supports sales with in-house graduate gemologists, award-winning lapidary cutters, and a Quality Control Department that inspects every piece before shipment.
The core technology is an integrated live-shopping and bidding platform: registered customers log in to place real-time bids during on-air auctions, with parallel phone and online purchase paths. Inventory is curated through direct relationships with manufacturers and gemstone cutters under the proprietary 'Gem World Class' quality standard, with lab-tested certification for country of origin and weight. Distribution is strictly domestic — international shipping is not offered — and the customer base is mass-market US consumers of luxury and collectible jewelry, including estate-jewelry enthusiasts and gem collectors. The company is privately held, has no disclosed institutional funding, and earns revenue through transactional auction sales and one-time ecommerce purchases with no recurring or subscription component.
Gems firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Gems
- Legal name
- Gems, Inc.
- Website
- https://gems.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Gems (formerly Gem Shopping Network) is a US-based, 24/7 live TV and streaming shopping network that auctions and sells fine jewelry, colored gemstones, and designer pieces to US retail consumers via broadcast, streaming apps, and ecommerce.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Gems industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fine Jewelry Retail
- NAICS
- Jewelry Retailers (458310)
- SIC
- Retail-Jewelry Stores (5944)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Colored Gemstone Jewelry (CRAKAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Diamond Jewelry (CRAKAAAA), Bridal Gemstone Jewelry (Non-diamond center stones) (CRAKACAE), Made-to-Order Gemstone Sourcing & Custom Cutting Coordination (CRAKAHAF)
Keywords
Where Gems is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Duluth
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Gems business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Live Jewelry Auctions: Revenue generated through live television and streaming auctions where customers bid on and purchase fine jewelry, colored gemstones, and luxury items. The company operates on a 24/7 live show format with interactive bidding.
- E-commerce Sales: Direct online sales through gems.com website where customers can browse and purchase fine jewelry and colored gemstones anytime, anywhere
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Auction-based pricing for fine jewelry and gemstones |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Gems product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Gems is a direct-to-consumer retailer of fine jewelry and colored gemstones, selling its own curated and inspected inventory (diamonds, designer pieces, estate jewelry, and one-of-a-kind gemstone items) through a 24/7 live TV shopping network with interactive auctions, an e-commerce website (gems.com), a multi-platform streaming service ("Watch Anywhere"), and a toll-free phone order line, targeting individual U.S. consumers.
Product overview
Gems operates as an omni-channel live shopping platform for fine jewelry and colored gemstones. The company runs a 24/7 live TV shopping network (Gems Live TV Shopping) combined with an ecommerce website, allowing customers to purchase fine jewelry anytime via live broadcasts or online. The platform features unique one-of-a-kind pieces including diamonds, colored gemstones (Gem World Class™), designer jewelry, and estate jewelry. Gems integrates live streaming across multiple platforms (Watch Anywhere) including Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, YouTube, LG, Android TV, and Samsung Smart TV. Every piece undergoes rigorous quality inspection before sale, with gemstone lab reports provided for authentication.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Gems Live TV Shopping 24/7 live streaming TV shopping channel presenting fine jewelry, colored gemstones, diamonds, and luxury pieces; allows registered customers to participate in real-time interactive auctions and purchase unique items on air.
- Gems Ecommerce Website Online shopping platform at gems.com where customers can browse, search, and directly purchase fine jewelry, diamonds, designer collections, colored gemstones, estate jewelry, and one-of-a-kind pieces at any time.
- Watch Anywhere Streaming Service Multi-platform streaming distribution of the Gems live jewelry shopping channel across Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, YouTube, LG Smart TV, Android TV, and Samsung Smart TV, allowing viewers to watch and bid from their preferred device.
- Designer Jewelry Collections Curated selection of fine designer jewelry featuring 14-karat to 24-karat gold, higher-graded accent diamonds, and precision craftsmanship, available through the gems.com storefront and live shows.
Quantifiable outcome
- $2+ billion in fine jewelry and gemstone sales
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Gems
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Gems technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
Feature2 records
Gems partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- AGTA (American Gem Trade Association)coreIndustry association partnership. Gems displays AGTA membership/recognition indicating compliance with ethical standards in the colored gemstone industry.
- ICA (International Colored Gemstone Association)coreIndustry association membership. Gems maintains ICA affiliation as a leader in colored gemstone fine jewelry.
- AGA (American Gemological Association)coreIndustry association partnership showing commitment to gemological standards and certification.
- Jewelers of AmericacoreIndustry association partnership demonstrating adherence to ethical business practices in the jewelry retail industry.
- JVC (Jewelers Vigilance Committee)coreCompliance and ethics partnership ensuring adherence to legal and ethical standards in jewelry sales.
- BBB (Better Business Bureau)coreAccreditation partnership demonstrating commitment to customer satisfaction and ethical business practices.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Gems competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Blue Nile: Large online fine-jewelry retailer (now owned by Signet) specializing in diamonds and engagement jewelry. Comparable as a digital-first fine-jewelry merchant with strong ecommerce scale, though it does not operate the live-TV broadcast model that distinguishes Gems.
- HSN (Home Shopping Network): Long-running live TV and digital shopping network with a fine jewelry assortment. Comparable in distribution channel (live broadcast + ecommerce) and customer base, but operates as a broad-line general merchant rather than a gemstone specialist.
- Tiffany & Co. Iconic luxury jewelry brand (LVMH-owned) with strong diamond and bridal positioning. Comparable in fine jewelry and gemstone merchandising, though it operates primarily through premium retail stores and high-end ecommerce rather than live TV auctions.
- Brilliant Earth: Publicly traded online jewelry retailer focused on ethically sourced diamonds and fine jewelry. Comparable in digital fine-jewelry positioning and growth orientation, with significantly larger capital base and marketing reach than Gems.
- QVC: Large incumbent in TV and live-stream shopping with a meaningful jewelry category. Overlaps in the live-shopping format and customer demographic but serves a much broader merchandise portfolio (fashion, beauty, home) rather than specializing in fine jewelry and gemstones.
Direct peers
- ShopHQ: Live TV and digital home-shopping retailer carrying jewelry alongside other lifestyle categories. Comparable in live-broadcast commerce model and multi-platform streaming distribution, with a smaller but directly overlapping jewelry offering.
- Jewelry Television (JTV): The closest direct competitor — a 24/7 live TV and streaming home-shopping network dedicated to fine jewelry, colored gemstones, and diamonds, with similar omni-channel distribution and auction/fixed-price hybrid formats targeting US consumers.
- Shop LC: Live TV and online jewelry and lifestyle retailer with strong gemstone and value-jewelry positioning. Closely matches Gems' live-shopping distribution model and direct-to-consumer fine-jewelry focus, though Shop LC skews more toward lower price points.
Emerging players
- Ross-Simons: Multi-channel jewelry retailer offering fine and fashion jewelry through ecommerce, catalogs, and limited retail. Comparable in colored gemstone and diamond assortment and value-to-luxury price positioning, though it does not operate live broadcast shopping.
- 1stdibs: Online marketplace for luxury jewelry, watches, and collectibles including estate and unique pieces. Comparable in offering authenticated, one-of-a-kind jewelry and gemstones online, though it operates as a third-party marketplace rather than a vertically integrated retailer.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Gems social profiles
Digital presenceGems financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Gems leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Gems funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Gems M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Gems
What does Gems do?
Gems is a direct-to-consumer retailer of fine jewelry and colored gemstones, selling its own curated and inspected inventory (diamonds, designer pieces, estate jewelry, and one-of-a-kind gemstone items) through a 24/7 live TV shopping network with interactive auctions, an e-commerce website (gems.com), a multi-platform streaming service ("Watch Anywhere"), and a toll-free phone order line, targeting individual U.S. consumers.
Is Gems a public or private company?
Gems is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Gems founded?
Gems was founded in 1997. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Gems based?
Gems is headquartered in Duluth, United States, in the North America region.
How does Gems make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Live Jewelry Auctions are the primary driver. The others are E-commerce Sales.
Who are Gems's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Blue Nile, HSN (Home Shopping Network), Tiffany & Co., Brilliant Earth and QVC. Direct peers are ShopHQ, Jewelry Television (JTV) and Shop LC. Emerging players are Ross-Simons and 1stdibs.
Does Gems have an API?
No public API is recorded for Gems.
What industry is Gems in?
Gems's product category is Fine Jewelry Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAKAAAB, Colored Gemstone Jewelry, with a secondary code of CRAKAAAA, Diamond Jewelry. Its NAICS code is 458310 and its SIC code is 5944.