Business beat expectations at the annual IIJS

Prior to the start of the India International Jewellery Show, held July 17–21 in Mumbai, India, exhibitors had low expectations for the event, coming as it did on the back of a slow market. By the end of the fair, however, most participants concluded that business was better than expected, and that they had encountered “serious buyers” at the show.

“Gold jewelry companies did fabulously well; loose diamonds moved, too, and diamond jewelry did all right,” says Nirav Bhansali, convener of exhibitions for Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council, IIJS’ organizer.

In the diamond ­jewelry segment, lower-priced items appeared to fare better than more substantial, expensive pieces. Jewel Goldi, for example, introduced the Chandelier collection, which comprises more than 500 designs that feature smaller diamonds and delicate styling with large-sized earrings—one way of creating an impressive look at a more economical price.

Kama Schachter debuted its Chimera ­collection to Indian retailers at the fair. The line is based on the concept of creating a solitaire-like look for a center stone composed of several smaller diamonds, and retails from $2,199 to $9,999.

Enamel has come into its own, judging by the innovative designs at Kama Schachter: unique earrings and pendants fashioned with a shallow bowl-like base worked over in colorful enamel, seen through a lattice of gold embedded with diamonds or a trellis design in diamonds ($800–$5,000 retail).

The Halo collection from Gold Star Jewellery featured another twist on enamel, with flat enamel “halos” following the erratic outlines of diamond earrings and pendants in vibrant pinks, blues, and greens.

All in all, the show ended on an upbeat note. “We have found clients who are an excellent fit with our product and our company,” says ­Shreyans Dholakia, director of marketing at Shree Ramkrishna Exports.

But the show wasn’t all business. For the first time, GJEPC organized a Jewellers for Hope charity dinner in association with Gemological Science International. The industry raised more than $166,000 for Make-A-Wish India, which aids children suffering from terminal cancer.