MAN ON THE MOVE - High turnout at Vicenzaoro, worries over war in Ukraine

21 Mar 2022

by David Brough (Jewellery Outlook)

VICENZA, Italy - Visitor footfall was high at the precious jewellery and watches trade fair Vicenzaoro, signalling buoyant orders, but worries over the war in Ukraine dampened sentiment.

More than 1,000 exhibitors from around the world showed off the latest in jewellery and watch designs, as well as machinery and packaging at the March 17-21 show in the Vicenza trade fair grounds in northeast Italy.

A new feature of Vicenzaoro was the VO'Clock exhibition in Hall 8, presenting the latest creations from contemporary watch brands including well-known names such as Zenith, Bell&Ross, Casio G-Shock, Junghans, Meistersinger and Ball Watch.

In the main jewellery halls, footfall picked up sharply on Sunday, March 20 (day four) as Italian retail jewellery shops were shut, enabling retailers to venture out to the trade fair.

Wearing masks was obligatory at the show, with hand sanitiser widely available due to the pandemic.

Daniel Vecht of supplier London Pearl, one of the few UK-based exhibitors at Vicenzaoro, spoke of slow business as his Eastern European retail clients visiting his booth in Hall 7, had expressed deep worries over the war in Ukraine.

Some buyers were cautious due to a climate of uncertainty over the future direction of the war.

Michael Hakimian of pearl jeweller Yoko London, also in Hall 7, the main luxury jewellery hall, was upbeat, reporting strong enquiries at the start of the fair in anticipation of a confirmation of orders later in the show.

He saw a trend for growing demand from European retailers for smaller sized cultured pearls in combination with diamonds.

NAJ member Dinesh Parekh of Just Diamonds with David Brough

Among UK buyers, NAJ member Dinesh Parekh of Birmingham-based Just Diamonds said he was impressed by the wide array of goods at the show, from the latest diamond jewellery creations to a large assortment of coloured gemstones, loose natural white and coloured diamonds, and pearls.

Visitors to the fair from the UK included Kelly Liu, a Masters jewellery student at Birmingham City University who came to look at the coloured gemstones on display.

Orders were filling fast in the "Essence" coloured gemstones, loose diamonds and pearls hall, with buyers seen cramming into the halls on the Sunday.

The machinery hall T.GOLD, which is located in a separate building a short shuttle ride from the fair, enjoyed a high turnout of buyers, with findings business Cobb-Ballou, whose European distribution business is located in Dublin, reporting healthy enquiries.

This edition of Vicenzaoro had been delayed by a couple of months from its original January dates due to concerns over travel restrictions caused by the pandemic.

Ruth Faulkner of Retail Jeweller and David Brough of Jewellery Outlook represented the UK trade press covering the show, with Brough co-moderating a panel discussion on March 19 looking at the future directions of sustainability in the jewellery industry.

The future of sustainability will be linked to further advances in technology that will limit waste of materials in the so-called "circular economy."

The Designer Room featured cutting-edge jewellery designs from talented jewellers such as Thailand-based Alessio Boschi.

Source: David Brough (Jewellery Outlook)