Viewers who got a glimpse of KDKA-TV news anchor Patrice King Brown's purple necklace last Tuesday night may have considered it simply a piece of pretty jewelry.

But to James Schuster, the amethyst and tanzanite adornment -- a gift from Ms. Brown's brother -- is also a sign of the times.

The chic gemstone strand "just represents what all of my customers are looking for now," said Mr. Schuster, owner of Crystal River Gems in Fifth Avenue Place, Downtown.

Gemstone jewelry is enjoying renewed popularity, with gems and raw minerals showing up in home decor, conversation pieces and simple objets d'art. Gem-encrusted jewelry and accessories are a key look for fall and winter as onyx, marcasite and other black gemstones complement shiny and metallic fabrics, and gemstones in shades of blue, purple, red and yellow match the profusion of colorful clothing and accessories.

The gemstone jewelry trend isn't just national -- it's international.

"The world is becoming a smaller place today," said Helena Krodel, spokeswoman for the Jewelry Information Center, a New York-based trade group. "Trends are no longer local, they are global. With the Internet and the abundance of travel that people do today, jewelry has become influenced by all of the many cultures who have long appreciated jewelry as part of their culture."

Crystal River Gems has a steady stream of browsers and buyers, thanks largely to an estimated 4,000 women who work in the retail and office complex or within a few blocks of it.

"We've learned that if you put something in the window that sparkles, it catches their eye when they walk by," said Mr. Schuster.

Customers can buy any of the approximately 30 pieces of jewelry available on any given day -- and made right there in the shop by artisans -- or choose loose gemstone beads from among 500 to 1,000 varieties for a custom-ordered look.

Currently, the most popular stones range from amber in various browns to red coral, Mexican fire agate and watermelon tourmaline mined in Brazil and Africa.

Celebrity style trends and the growing popularity of organic and natural living have helped to popularize gemstone jewelry. Mr. Schuster and other gemstone jewelry retailers such as Robert Patak have found that the stories behind the stones also lure customers.

Ms. Brown said her brother gave her the necklace several years ago when she was having throat problems because legend has it that tanzanite has a positive effect on the voice. He also told her that there as a finite amount of tanzanite available, and he wanted the important women in his life to own some.

"A lot of customers come in and ask about different stones," said Mr. Patak, owner of Shadyside Mining Co. "The Internet and all the jewelry programs and channels now are really educating the public on different colored stones."

He got interested in gemstones at age 6 and learned to work them at the feet of his father. He started the business 20 years ago on the South Side.

Mr. Patak buys stones from around the world at trade shows and fashions them into works of art. He makes most of the items for sale in his Copeland Way shop and will launch a Web site this fall.

"Cutting gems is what I like to do because you can take a rough piece of rock and make something spectacular out of it," he said.

"This is definitely my passion," the Oakland native said. "I fell in love with this thing. Everyone should love what they do. I think this world would be a better place."

Post-Gazette fashion editor LaMont Jones can be reached at ljones@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1469.