(PRESS RELEASE) HONG KONG — International buyers are ready to hop onto planes to attend Jewellery & Gem WORLD (JGW), which is returning fully in-person for the first time since 2019 in Singapore. The fair will present the newest products of around 1,000 exhibitors from 30+ countries and regions from 27 to 30 September at the Singapore EXPO.
The iconic B2B jewelry show – previously known as the September Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair – is temporarily relocating from its Hong Kong home base to the Lion City, a destination currently more accessible to overseas buyers and exhibitors. Unlike Hong Kong, which still subjects travelers to a seven-day mandatory quarantine in a designated hotel among others, Singapore welcomes fully vaccinated visitors with a seamless quarantine-free and test-free travel experience.
Prior to the Singapore buying event, Informa Markets Jewellery will organize a special-edition fair in Hong Kong catering mainly to domestic trade and jewelery lovers from 16 to 19 September.
International B2B buyers
A one-off special arrangement applicable only in 2022, the unprecedented venue change was enthusiastically received by overseas buyers and exhibitors, many of whom would be traveling to Asia for the first time since the lockdowns of 2020. Trade buyers from around the world are anticipated to attend the event, including hosted visitors from ASEAN-member countries, Europe, the Middle East and South America.
“Many jewelers from Poland are interested in JGW Singapore simply because it is the best platform to contact Asian suppliers,” said Piotr Lachowski of Adamas Jewellery of Poland.
“Polish jewelers are looking forward to meeting with established suppliers of colored gemstones, pearls and exclusive jewelry with precious gemstones,” Lachowski continued.
Ahmad Al-Muhaisen of Al-Muhaisen Jewellery of Saudi Arabia said he and his team “long to visit an all-in-one show” once again.
“It is time for the industry to start thinking big in order to help the sector recover from a tough three years. JGW will definitely be an attraction for me, as for other jewelry professionals from around the world,” Al-Muhaisen said.
Cesar Ouzounian of Ouzounian Jewellery of Lebanon and the UAE noted that the choice of Singapore as an alternative venue for JGW could have an energizing effect on the industry.
“Singapore is a beautiful country, and hosting an exhibition for jewelry in such a place will be very inspiring I believe,” Ouzounian said. “This year’s JGW experience should be unprecedented and will revive in our minds the comprehensive show we used to visit in Hong Kong.”
Extraordinary times call for bold measures, and this year’s dramatic configuration of JGW is one of those, said Mauricio Okubo of Julio Kubo Joias, a retailer based in São Paulo, Brazil.
“Congratulations to Informa Markets Jewellery for this initiative. COVID has challenged us to be more creative, improvise and move forward, and the Singapore event embodies all that. We are looking to the future with optimism,” Okubo said.
Staging an industry-benchmark event against the backdrop of another world-class city is an added bonus for buyers eager for the resumption of face-to-face interactions, added Florencia Boskis of Argentina-based retailer, Floboskis Stad.
“Singapore and JGW will make a great combination,” Boskis said. “I can’t wait to experience this buying event.”
Gislaine Rial added that the creative staging of JGW this year underscores the power of physical exhibitions. Rial is at the helm of her eponymous retail brand, which operates out of Porto Alegre, Brazil.
“I am looking forward to it,” she said. “Imagine experiencing a different but still an opportunities-packed September Fair in a city famous for its warm hospitality, diversity and safety. It’s definitely the event to experience this year.”
Yvette Garcia of Peru-based Carre Joyas agreed, noting that the industry is excited for the return of the September show after nearly three years of Zoom meetings. “It will surely be a success,” Garcia said.
Product sourcing opportunities
Buyers will discover a wealth of resources at JGW, which will be segmented into 20+ pavilions for easy navigation. The impressive list includes pavilions representing the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC), Colombia, Germany, Hong Kong, International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA), India, Israel Diamond Institute (IDI), Italy, Japan, Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey and the US, among others. Also a must-see for retailers, brands and high-net worth buyers are the Premier Pavilion, a space that brings together some of the top names in luxury jewelry and gemstone manufacturing, and product pavilions featuring extensive displays of loose diamonds, pearls, colored gemstones, fine jewelry, antique and vintage collections, jadeite jade, pre-owned jewelry, silver creations, lab-grown diamonds and packaging and technology solutions to name a few.
“JGW gives us the opportunity to discover the latest products and innovations that our industry peers have worked on in the past several months, meet some new faces from far-off places and reconnect with friends and colleagues we have lost touch with or have only seen through endless Zoom calls for close to three years,” said David Bondi, Senior Vice President of Informa Markets in Asia. “It’s time we get together and energise our market. I am calling on our industry partners to join us in Singapore this September and return home with fresh ideas and inspiration for their business.”
JGW aims to bring global buyers and sellers together in the most efficient, productive and secure way possible, added Celine Lau, Director of Jewellery Fairs at Informa Markets Jewellery. “Our mission is to deliver an engaging sourcing experience where relationships are strengthened and new partnerships are forged,” Lau said. “Through our platform, we want to help everyone to better their business, be it through product discovery, networking or education.”
Also new to Informa Markets Jewellery this year is Jewellery & Gem ASEAN Bangkok (JGAB), which is debuting from 2 to 5 November at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC). JGAB is a B2B cash-and-carry event that allows buyers from Southeast Asia and beyond to instantly replenish their stocks for the busy Christmas and New Year selling season. The Bangkok fair is positioned as the industry’s last wholesale buying fair of the year.
Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, preparations are in full swing for JGW Hong Kong Special Edition, which will be held from 16 to 19 September at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). Customized to adapt to Hong Kong’s restrictions on international arrivals and cross-border travel, the sourcing event aims to generate cross-market opportunities and onsite sales for suppliers by opening its doors to jewelry lovers, in addition to its core trade audience comprising wholesalers, retailers and brands.
About Informa Markets Jewellery
Informa Markets creates platforms for industries and specialist markets to trade, innovate and grow. Our global jewellery vertical, Informa Markets Jewelry, offers in-person and web-based sourcing experiences, digital solutions and dedicated B2B platforms that bring international buyers and quality sellers together in the fine jewelry, gemstone, and fashion jewelry and accessories markets. Our resources, industry experience, influence and focus as a partner are enhanced by our global jewellery portfolio consisting of fairs and events in key cities; a powerful digital platform – JewelleryNet; a dedicated Jewellery Media team, led by flagship publication, JNA; an education-based program – Jewellery & Gem Knowledge Community, and the industry’s most prestigious awards programs – Jewellery World Awards (JWA) and its regional edition, JWA Dubai. To learn more, log on to imjewellery.jewellerynet.com