<strong>2023</strong> International <strong>Jeweller</strong>y Fair | REWIND product development over the past 12 months for JAG, and there was strong interest from key retailers concerning EDOX.” As mentioned, change and evolution were important talking points among visitors and suppliers and for BECKS, this year’s fair was about reinforcing the significance of the company’s re-brand last year. BECKS managing director Greville Ingham said that he was proud of the effort his staff displayed on the trade show floor and during the preparation for the event. “From a show perspective, this year was about polishing the groundwork we’ve laid in the past 12 months,” he said. “We came out last year with a renewed strong brand image and said ‘hey, we’re still here.’ This year it was about making it clear that we are upholding the pillars of our business - quality, flexibility, innovation and delivery.” Nearby at Palloys, visitors were thrilled with the opportunity to hold the <strong>2023</strong> Lexus Melbourne Cup and gold bullion proving popular yet again. Internationals It was a mixed bag for the fair’s international exhibitors – with some reporting strong sales, while some struggled to get a foot in the door with local retailers. Many buyers felt reluctant to deal with international exhibitors who haven’t taken the time to showcase their products properly and/or advertise and promote their presence at the event. Among those happy with their reception in Australia were Diamonds On Call, which was constantly busy with visitors eager to learn more about their platform. “The aim of everything we do is to make business easier for retailers, and it’s great to have the opportunity to explain that in person," CEO Harshil Shah said. Fitz-Roy said that international exhibitors needed to be mindful of the market conditions for buyers. “I think what was clear for the international exhibitors was that Australian retailers are very wary of doing business abroad for a variety of reasons - whether it be because of supply chain concerns, or simply a lack of familiarity with the supplier,” he said. “Australians want to do business with companies that are willing to invest in the local industry by having a presence for three or four years. It’s about so much more than the prices, or the quality of your product.” Colour gemstones When it comes to colour gemstones, two exhibitors were in the spotlight. In 2021, SAMS Group acquired more than 400,000 carats of Australian rough sapphire at a FURA Gems auction in Thailand with plans for the launch of a major new collection. Two years later, and the Sapphire Dreams collection was a roaring success with visitors and CEO Steve Der Bedrossian was elated to see the hard yards pay off. “We are over the moon. Sapphire Dreams has been a labour of love for us for the past two years, we identified it as a category where we could bring something new, original, and KEN ABBOTT TIMESUPPLY “You always hope for the best, but I don’t think we could’ve anticipated that things would go this well. Every brand that we represent has been well received.” GREVILLE INGHAM BECKS GROUP “From a show perspective, this year was about polishing the groundwork we’ve laid in the past 12 months." PHIL EDWARDS DURAFLEX GROUP AUSTRALIA “While market conditions are challenging, the retailers attending were positive and open to buying and considering new brands.” ERICA MILLER IKECHO AUSTRALIA “We’ve received a lot of compliments about our stand which is really pleasing for everyone to hear. We are really happy with the design, we feel like it says a lot about who are and what we do.” JOSHUA ZARB INDEPENDENT JEWELLERS COLLECTIVE "Whether it be the proportions and layout, the ‘vibe’ or atmosphere, the promotions and special events, and the attitudes of participants, it’s been fantastic.” GLEN POCKLINGTON NATIONWIDE JEWELLERS “Our suppliers are happy and the members are happy, and that’s what matters to us at the end of the day.” fresh in terms of design and at this fair, all that hard work has paid off,” he said. “It’s a collection we are incredibly proud of and the feedback we’ve received has been very positive – retailers love the design, the colour, and the overall feel of our new collections.” Nearby at the LJ West exhibit, the emphasis was on unique and rare diamonds. The company has spent the past two years hoping to raise the profile of fancy colour diamonds in Australia. This included a partnership with Museums Victoria and a showcase of one of the world’s largest collections of fancy colour diamonds, including the iconic Argyle Violet. Managing director William Gant said it was ‘mission accomplished’. “We’ve achieved what we set out to do – making sure that these remarkable diamonds have a presence in the Australian jewellery industry,” he said. “We’ve made a lot of quality connections at the Sydney Fair and we’re grateful for the networking opportunities we’ve had, to make these diamonds well-known and to educate the market on what we do and what we offer.” Buying groups The Sydney Fair is a vital opportunity for the industry’s buying groups to work one-on-one with members. Nationwide <strong>Jeweller</strong>s general manager Glen Pocklington said that the importance of major industry gatherings had been reinforced. “The numbers on the floor have looked good. From what we’ve been told by suppliers, it seems like the foot traffic was slightly down, but the sales were strong," he said. Pocklington said that a number of suppliers who had participated in the annual Nationwide Timeout Conference in Fiji had reported that interactions at that event had produced orders in Sydney. “Maybe there’s some lag in the market, perhaps some hesitancy for the retailers given the economy, but these kinds of events are still very important," he explained. "Having the opportunity to meet face-to-face and build those connections is vital because you never know what’s going to change a few months down the track.” The feedback was similar from IJC CEO Josh Zarb, who said that he was overwhelmed with the feedback he has received from visitors. “From our perspective, it’s been a sensational weekend. We’ve met far more new people than we were expecting,” he said. “I’ve been coming to the Sydney Fair for the past 20 years and everything about this show was positive. Whether it be the proportions and layout, the ‘vibe’ or atmosphere, the promotions and special events, and the attitudes of participants, it’s been fantastic.” With the local jewellery industry’s largest annual gathering completed for another year, the attention for Expertise Events turn to 2024. Expertise Events is expected to finalise plans for next year’s industry events, including a number of new innovations, in the coming days. 40 | <strong>September</strong> <strong>2023</strong>
PROFIT OR PLAY...? DO BOTH! MARCH 24–25, 2024 GOLD COAST CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FOLLOWING BUYING GROUP MEMBERS’ CONFERENCE Supported by AUSTRALIA’S NO.1 JEWELLERY EVENTS Contact Nick Fewtrell via email at nicholas.fewtrell@expertiseevents.com.au Organised by Est. 1990
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