Industry Outlook with David Brough: February

04 Mar 2024

By David Brough

Hong Kong, Milan and Munich in the spotlight.

HKTDC Hong Kong International Jewellery Show

Turnout was high from the outset at the HKTDC Hong Kong International Jewellery Show, running at the HKCEC convention centre until March 4, with buyers from around the world re-stocking goods from a vast offer ranging from one-off gem-set high jewellery to silver jewellery, machinery, packaging and accessories.

Some halls at the event, one of the world’s largest jewellery fairs, were packed out, such as the vintage jewellery hall. The overall mood was upbeat.

Some visitors from the UK delegation noted what they saw as “toppy” prices of coloured gemstones on offer at the show. A big focus was on the uptake of mainland Chinese buying against a backdrop of challenges to the Chinese economy.

The expanded Italian pavilion showed off a wide range of “Made in Italy” jewellery, including coral jewellery and cameo jewellery.

Hong Kong is a major hub for trade and export of jewellery. Hong Kong fine jewellery exports were up 23 percent year-on-year to HK$87.8 billion in 2023, and were up 40 percent since 2019, before the pandemic, said Winston Chow, chairman of the HKTDC (Hong Kong Trade Development Council) jewellery advisory committee.

A sizeable UK delegation of manufacturers, retailers and designers visited the Hong Kong show, including NAJ President Gary Wroe, of Birmingham manufacturer Hockley Mint; Himanshu Shah of Hatton Garden-based diamond jewellery supplier Andre Michael; Dinesh Parekh of Birmingham-based jewellery wholesaler Just Diamonds; independent retailers

Alexis Dove, William Cheshire, and Alexander Davis; and designer James Fairhurst.

“There is no other show that comes close to the Hong Kong show,” Dinesh Parekh of Just Diamonds told NAJ.

“We have done business with companies from Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Turkey, Japan, Thailand and India.”

Milano Fashion&Jewels

Turnout was high throughout the rebranded Milano Fashion&Jewels (February 18-21), featuring exhibitions to underscore fashion jewellery design creativity and innovation.

The February edition of the event, formerly known as HOMI Fashion&Jewels, at Rho-Fiera Milano, a trade fair complex on the outskirts of Milan, offered a vast choice of cutting-edge Spring/Summer fashion jewellery, fashion items and accessories, aimed at fashion and jewellery retailers, including multiples, from Italy and abroad.

The show brought out the synergies between fashion and jewellery, showing off the latest designs at regular fashion runways.

Many of the exhibitors were small-sized creative enterprises, as well as sole trader designers, including large contingents from Italy, Spain and Greece.

Exhibitions included the “Visionaries” jewellery design showcase, presenting work by some 80 designers on themes about Fun, and turning the Ordinary into the Extra Ordinary.

The latter category highlighted a necklace, for example, that incorporated brass, leather and other non-precious, unusual materials.

Another section of the fair was dedicated to “Contemporary Jewels”, including one stand featuring bold, chunky jewellery designs made from glass.

The latest designs in natural Baltic amber and in Mediterranean coral jewellery were well represented at the show, as was silver jewellery, and jewellery set in non-precious, base metals.

Milano Fashion&Jewels presented a comprehensive seminar programme, with talks by leading experts on themes such as Tik Tok social media marketing, and fashion and jewellery design trends.

The next edition of the show will take place from September 15-18.

INHORGENTA

INHORGENTA, whose 2024 edition ran until February 19, announced an agreement with India’s Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) that is expected to include an India Pavilion at the Munich show in 2025.

The agreement, signed at a press conference on the opening day of INHORGENTA on February 16, paves the way for India to boost its gem and jewellery exports to the German market and beyond, GJEPC executive Nirav Bhansali said.

The Munich show reported a 9 per cent increase in the number of exhibitors year-on-year in 2024 to 870, with visitor numbers expected to be stable year-on-year at around 24,000.

Turnover in the German watches and jewellery market rose to 5.32 billion euros in 2023, from 4.79 billion in 2019, before the pandemic, according to German trade association data.

Footfall was brisk at the 2024 edition of INHORGENTA, with trade buyers arriving from around the world.

The show featured a full schedule of discussion panels, including well-attended events about the future of jewellery retail and how to boost marketing via Instagram.

Source: David Brough (Jewellery Outlook)