Gemporia
Gemporia is a British television and online jewellery retailer. The main television channel operated by the business is Gems TV, a reverse auction jewellery shopping channel, the first dedicated reverse auction channel in the UK. The channel is available on Sky, Virgin Media, Freesat, Freeview and online. The channel operations are based at Eagle Road Studios in Redditch, near Birmingham. As of 2018, the channel broadcast live 24 hours a day on television and online at gemporia.com.
| Gemporia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Launched | 8 October 2004 |
| Owned by | Gemporia Partnership Ltd |
| Picture format | 480i (SD widescreen) |
| Slogan | Always Genuine Gemstones |
| Headquarters | Redditch, United Kingdom |
| Formerly called | The Genuine Gemstone Company, Rocks TV, Coloured Rocks |
| Sister channel(s) | Gems TV |
| Website | gemporia.com |
Gems TV
Gems TV first launched at 4pm on 8 October 2004, after the channel was formed by the five founders of Eagle Road Studios and Thaigem. The channel replaced Factory Outlet on Sky channel 663. The reverse auction format for the channel was based around Eagle Road Studios now defunct sister channel, 'Snatch It!'.
The channel was an independent company until the merger of Eagle Road Studios and Thaigem, which formed 'Gems TV UK Limited'. The original founders left the company and in 2008 it was floated on the Singapore Stock Exchange and become a corporate company; Gems TV Holdings Limited.
The channel's original purpose was to sell affordable gemstone jewellery manufactured by its production facilities in Chanthaburi, Thailand. To reduce costs the parent company later reduced its own manufacturing and bought in jewellery from other suppliers.
Rocks TV
Gemporia US (formerly known as Rocks TV) is a former American reverse auction jewellery shopping channel which formerly was carried on American cable and satellite providers. The channel was launched on July 12, 2012 as Rocks TV, and operated from the United Kingdom from Gemporia's studios in Redditch, sharing Gems TV personnel. On December 1, 2015, Rocks TV was rebranded as Gemporia US.
The network was mainly available via DirecTV via a purchased channel slot, along with the paid programming channels of various cable providers. It was discontinued on December 5, 2016, when it ended traditional wireline distribution to convert to an online-only model.
Gemporia.com
Gemporia launched a new website in August 2013 where customers can browse and buy jewellery, read up on the history of jewellery and gemstones, and watch web feeds of Gemporia's output.