Tanzanite Temptations: The Gemstone Specialisms of the Royal Touch Group

On my global travels, I often meet gemstone dealers and mining specialists whose expertise covers the whole rainbow of mineralogical treasures. However, more often than not, these businesses have a focus – a passion project – that means they have particular expertise in a specific gemstone type. My recent encounter with the Royal Touch Group proved this point beautifully. Although its New York-based flagship brand, Royal Touch, offers a complete array of gemstones and fine jewellery, the company is well-known for tanzanite. To find out more, I spoke to Royal Touch Group Principal Ashish Rawat about his third-generation family business, its beginnings in emeralds, and its ties to the global promotion and distribution of Tanzania’s famed blue gem. 

The Royal Touch Group is a multi-faceted business with many brands and wholesale ventures under its umbrella. I was first introduced via its flagship wholesale brand, Royal Touch, which is a mine-to-market manufacturer of both loose gemstones and finished coloured gemstone jewellery. A big part of the company’s approach is centred on transparency and responsible practices, which is why it is a member of the Responsible Jewellery Council, the American Gem Trade Association, and the International Colored Gemstone Association, among others. 

The Royal Touch Group story began more than four decades ago in Jaipur, India, where Ashish Rawat’s grandfather built a reputation for offering only the finest gemstones, especially emeralds. Over three generations, Royal Touch has built long-standing relationships with major mines, which means it has the first right of refusal on any major, substantial new productions or ‘pockets’ before they are unveiled to others. Today, it channels all this knowledge into a range of luxury brands, which cater to almost every taste and occasion. 

Another thing that makes Royal Touch Group special is its vertical integration. You may have heard this term before, but in the context of the jewellery world, it means a business that combines all essential functions in-house, such as sourcing raw materials, cutting, polishing, designing and manufacturing jewellery. To do this, it has manufacturing locations across Asia, Europe, and Africa, which helps to demonstrate its global reach. “We are deeply committed to sourcing from sustainable mining groups and transforming raw gemstones into the finest cuts using cutting-edge lapidary techniques,” Ashish tells me. “Our strong affiliations with miners and industry leaders ensure our clients receive only the highest quality gemstones, crafted to perfection.”

I think what fascinates me most about Royal Touch Group, however, is its decades-long commitment to tanzanite. Ashish has been involved with this violet-blue gem since 2001 and has evolved Royal Touch into one of the largest organisations promoting and distributing tanzanite in North America, Europe, and Asia. The business sources tanzanites directly from the mines, cuts the gems in-house, and then produces jewellery to showcase its natural beauty. It also likes to remind us of the realities of tanzanite, such as the fact it’s only found in one place (an area no bigger than four square miles) at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro in Arusha, Tanzania. It may be 600 million years old, but Ashish tells me that tanzanite deposits are far from endless, and production may come to a natural end in 10 years’ time.

With these sorts of timelines in mind, it is no wonder that Royal Touch has expanded its remit over many years to incorporate other minerals. Ashish says: “Tanzanite was the foundation of our company, but today, it only accounts for a small percentage of our total sales across gems and jewellery. Our true focus is fine-cut exotic gemstones. What sets us apart is our direct relationships with mining groups worldwide. If a new gemstone deposit is discovered—especially in the Eastern African belt—our team is among the first to evaluate and secure the best rough stones, ensuring we always offer something exceptional to our clients.”

I think anyone with a passion for gemstones will find this idea of being ‘the first’ to see new supplies of raw materials quite intoxicating. However, as I am sure you can imagine, it’s not without its challenges. Ashish is a man on a mission to ensure that the luxury brands and designers that Royal Touch works with have “access to rare and high-quality stones that might otherwise be difficult to find”. And don’t forget that the gemstone industry is cyclical, like fashion. What’s trendy and in-demand for a decade may slip down the pecking order a handful of years later. Ashish tells me: “Recent trends, particularly from the Tucson (Arizona) show, have shown a strong demand for indicolites, rubellites and spinels. Bi-colour stones, especially watermelon tourmaline, have been a standout for us. These stones have been in high demand due to their unique colour variations and appeal among collectors and designers.”

With this incredible arsenal of minerals, Royal Touch Group has lots of options for fine jewellery production. I would say its pieces are elegant and refined, typically incorporating a large central gemstone with diamond accents or halo settings. The company’s designers travel globally, not just to jewellery shows but also to art and architecture exhibitions, to understand emerging trends and aesthetics. “This cross-industry inspiration helps us develop unique collections,” Ashish tells me. “When we design a new line, it’s not just a few random pieces—it’s a carefully curated collection of 75-100 designs that go through multiple rounds of refinement. From price points to customer feedback, we take everything into account, making sure each collection is meaningful and market-ready. This process takes about 12-18 months because we prioritise quality over speed.”

So, that’s a whistlestop introduction to the Royal Touch Group, which I am sure you will agree is a very impressive business. The world of jewellery is a big network made up of miners, artisans, cutters, polishers, traders, marketers, designers, supply chain specialists and so on… finding a company that can pull all these moving parts together into one operation is actually rarer than you might think. As Ashish says: “Our expertise goes beyond just offering beautiful gemstones—we focus on ethical sourcing, precision cutting, and creating pieces that stand the test of time.”