Luxury jewellery designer Stephanie Gottlieb has created a range of unusual diamond shapes for clients over the years from dogs to horses. So when popcorn…
Luxury jewellery designer Stephanie Gottlieb has created a range of unusual diamond shapes for clients over the years from dogs to horses. So when popcorn brand Angie’s Boomchickapop asked her to create a popcorn shaped diamond ring, she naturally said Yes!
According to the designer, she started with an 11-carat yellow diamond – to match the light, buttery colour people associate with popcorn. Then she worked with diamond cutters in Israel to facet and finish the diamond to its final shape, a 3.66-carat popcorn-shaped sparkler.
The stone is set in a simple rounded gold band so the focus is on the uniquely-shaped diamond. The Angie’s Boomchickapop popcorn diamond ring is available on Stephanie Gottlieb’s website for a limited time, with a retail price starting from USD $50,000.
Global jewellery giant Pandora has announced its plans to open its third manufacturing site, this time in Vietnam. The $100 million facility will the first…
Global jewellery giant Pandora has announced its plans to open its third manufacturing site, this time in Vietnam. The $100 million facility will the first of the company’s jewellery plants outside of Thailand.
Pandora announced that the move will create jobs of more than 6,000 craftspeople and have an annual capacity of 60 million pieces of jewellery.
The factory will be located in Binh Duong Province, near Ho Chi Minh City. Construction is set to begin in early 2023 and production is due to start by the end of 2024. It will be built according to the LEED Gold standard, a green building certification, and be powered by 100 per cent renewable energy.
Pandora will also expand its current site in Lamphun, Thailand, bringing the total investment to $160 million over the next four years. This will allow Pandora to grow its total crafting capacity by around 60 percent “and support the company’s long-term growth ambitions,” according to a press release.
“By diversifying its geographical footprint, Pandora will also become more resilient to potential supply disruptions,” the company stated.
In 2021, Pandora sold 102 million pieces of jewellery, hand-finished at the company’s two crafting facilities in Thailand. Both facilities operate on 100 per cent renewable energy and are on track to use only recycled silver and gold by 2025, according to the release.
CIBJO’s Jewellery Industry Voices webinar considers the effect and significance of the metaverse in the jewellery industry. The world stands on the cusp of the…
CIBJO’s Jewellery Industry Voices webinar considers the effect and significance of the metaverse in the jewellery industry.
The world stands on the cusp of the next technological revolution, which will permanently affect the way in which we live, interact, recreate and do business. Popularly referred to as the metaverse, it will develop not as the result of a single scientific or engineering breakthrough, but rather because of a series of simultaneous and interconnected advances, among them virtual and augmented reality, the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, 5G, blockchain, and the growing trade in cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
The metaverse that is being created is a shared 3-D virtual environment that people access via the internet. Wearable devices facilitating virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) create a sense of physical presence in a digitally-generated world, which increasingly feels like it is real. Unencumbered by their physical location, time zone and even the languages they speak and understand, individuals operating in the metaverse can meet, play with and compete with one another, collaborate, create and trade.
As was the case earlier with the introduction of the computer, the internet and the smartphone, no sector of the business community will not be affected or changed by the metaverse. And like those previous technological revolutions, the change will not just be adaptive, but fundamental – transforming the way in which businesses are structured, how their supply chains are monitored and managed, and how and what they design, manufacture, market and sell.
CIBJO‘s Jewellery Industry Voices webinar on May 26, 2022, focussed on the approaching technological revolution, considering its elements, impacts and overall significance. It is entitled “Jewellery in the metaverse: virtual, augmented and real.”
The webinar panel includes Mahiar Borhanjoo, CEO of UNI Diamonds, a data and technology company serving the international diamond industry. Elle Hill, the founder and CEO of Hill & Co., a diamond, gemstone and jewellery launch and growth consultancy firm, and Laura Inghirami, the founder of Donna Jewel, a firm providing consulting services to jewellery companies in the digital, marketing and creative fields, and who was named by Forbes Italia earlier this year as one of the top Under-30 leaders of the future also took part in the webinar. Erik Jens, the founder and CEO of LuxuryFintech.com, which focuses on blockchain and cryptocurrencies, examined reengineering banking and finance models for the luxury industry sector, and more particularly the jewellery and art worlds.
The webinar can be replayed from the CIBJO website, as can the many other Jewellery Industry Voices seminars. You can stay up to date with upcoming free online events with CIBJO by signing up on their website. www.cibjo.org
Britain’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) is currently in possession of a Fabergé Egg which was loaned to it for an exhibition. Russian oligarch Viktor…
Britain’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) is currently in possession of a Fabergé Egg which was loaned to it for an exhibition. Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg acquired the bejewelled egg some time ago but has passed the ownership on to a company in Panama.
Tom Keatinge, Director of Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies at defence and security thinktank RUSI, said that as Vekselberg had personally been sanctioned and the egg is a financial asset, the conditions of the sanction are fairly clear. “If you break it down, whether it’s an egg or a yacht or a house, it can be an asset of a sanctioned person. Be it a port, estate agent or museum, [everyone has] the same obligations,” he said.
The egg is made of solid gold and enamel, and stands just over two inches tall. Its two halves can be opened to reveal a golden yolk. Inside the golden yolk is a golden hen with ruby eyes. The egg was the first in a series of more than 50 such jewelled eggs made under the supervision of Peter Carl Fabergé for the Russian Imperial family. It was delivered to Tsar Alexander III and given to his wife Maria Feodorovna in 1885. The tsarina enjoyed the egg so much that Alexander III quickly placed a standing order with Fabergé to create a new egg for his wife every Easter thereafter, requiring only that each egg be unique and that it contain some kind of surprise within it.
UK sanctions against the oligarchs are set to remain in place until “the last Russian tank has left Ukraine,” according to Liz Truss, the UK Foreign Secretary. V&A may be holding the egg for a long time.
Even if the museum decides to risk returning the egg to the Fabergé museum, it may run into further obstacles with transportation, as there are no direct flights from the UK to Russia.
Vekselberg, an oil and gas tycoon with a fortune estimated at $18 billion, owns nine Fabergé eggs. He’s paid over $100 million for them since beginning his collection in 2004.
Each year, developments in CAD, CAM, and 3D printing push the boundaries of what can be designed, cast and printed. The ability to design with CAD has become quite affordable, as increasing automation in jewellery continues to push its uptake among modern jewellers. Here we spoke to four major players in the Australian jewellery tech scene to see how improvements to jewellery design and manufacture is positively affecting the Australian jewellery industry.
The state of the jewellery tech scene
All our contributors lauded the design and manufacturing potential that modern jewellery tech affords them. Evotech Pacific are the distributors of Gemvision and Asiga products in Australia and New Zealand, and its Director Anthony Nowlan said he’s seen some pretty big leaps forward in terms of jewellery design software capabilities.
“Gemvision (creators of the Matrix and CounterSketch software), acquired TDM (creators of the RhinoGold software), and have combined the best parts of all three software applications into the one – MatrixGold,” he said.
He said that with MatrixGold jewellery design software, jewellers can quickly and efficiently design pieces and utilise parametric history to easier adjust models if required.
“Rendering capability is also vastly improved enabling designers to create photorealistic images of their designs.” Chemgold is a family owned and run business with a proven track record of supplying the Australian jewellery industry with precious metal products and services for more than 30years. Its director Darren Sher said that their jewellery clients are becoming increasingly aware of the quality Chemgold can produce from CAD.
“Improved technology in printing allows finer and more intricate pieces to be printed and cast easily, when using the correct software and machine,” he said.
“The trend has continued with more lower priced point 3D printers entering the market which are suited to some businesses that want to view the prototype before production or being able to print the wax/resin themselves and send to us for casting.”
Production Manager Desmond Ambagtsheer at well-known jewellery supplier Peter W Beck said their company have always been at the forefront of jewellery tech.
“60 per cent of ‘retail ready’ products we produce would in some way employ CAD/CAM technology: CAD to develop new products or revamp old, CAM for product manufacturing using machines such as 3D printers, mills, lathes, and faceting machines,” he said.
DesignDrawCAD is a Sydney-based CAD jewellery design service headed up by CAD Jewellery Designer Helen Pusenjak who acts as a single, client-focused CAD designer. Helen said more and more jewellers are looking to take additional advantage of CAD’s potential to improve their business.
“This may be to create the new stock pieces, produce bespoke pieces more suited to the CAD/casting process or at a certain price point, set up a range of jewellery for ready modification or to simply increase output,” she said.
Huge uptake in CAD/CAM
Darren said that attitudes toward the technology has improved and become more positive as it continues to become more mainstream.
“I would estimate a huge percentage of jewellers and jewellery retailers now use CAD/CAM as an additional tool to design and manufacture jewellery.
“It has continued to increase with more jewellers and retailers purchasing CAD software for in-house use and our customers taking advantage of CAD-based libraries they can order from such as our JewelMount collection.”
In addition, Darren reported that an increasing number of jewellers have invested in the CAD software themselves.
“This has been an incredibly helpful tool to show their customers how the new technology provides them with their desired piece of jewellery.
“Jewellers benefit by viewing CAD/CAM as another tool at their disposal to save time, money and simplify the process in manufacturing, not replacing their skill but rather assisting where possible.”
Anthony reported that the COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in software uptake from clients who were previously undecided.
“The ability to continue working and designing with efficiency whilst in lockdown has been very appealing to many of these new clients.
“Desmond said that Peter W Beck customers use CAD/CAM to produce their own products on their own 3D printers and mills for casting and/or engraving.
Pushing boundaries with cutting edge design and manufacture
Advances in new software or updates in existing software means that for Chemgold and their clients it has become increasingly more efficient to design and offer their clients designs that were previously not possible or unaffordable. Darren said the latest software releases have made the design process smoother, sometimes easier, that still requires some skill to master, but now cuts design time in half compared to five years ago.
“We have also found that with the introduction of 3D scanning items, that the possibility of replicating pieces become much faster, and creating fitted wedding bands is no longer a headache to the designer, as we can scan the engagement ring and simply build around it.
“…organic designs have also been more popular in the past few years, and we have advanced our team with the software and knowledge required to assist with the growing demand for these.”
Anthony said that jewellery design software’s potential to design delicate, complex, and/ or organic shapes has always been a major drawcard for many designers and jewellers, and it’s for these reasons that jewellers and designers have invested in the tech. However, he said he felt that the ability to adjust those designs easily has at times been difficult and cumbersome, sometimes causing the designer to completely redesign those parts.
“The latest version of MatrixGold makes this task easier and less likely that a part will need to be completely re-designed from scratch.”
Desmond said that CAD/CAM has opened many new opportunities in product design and the services they supply to their customers.
“Customers want the freedom to design their own individual pieces: CAD/CAM allows us to communicate precisely with the client and then produce the part to their tolerances.”
3D printer go brrr!
Improvements in printer resin and wax qualities has also improved the quality of pieces for CAM users and their clients. Anthony said that printing resins have advanced greatly and produced pieces with better surface finish and quicker build times.
“Better formulas with resins and investment powders used within the casting process have also lessened the likelihood of a negative reaction with the investments used within the casting process, improving the result greatly.”
He also lauded modern printing technology’s ability to reduce turnaround time.
“…it depends greatly on both the resin and the geometry being printed…but we have seen the latest Asiga Resin (SuperCast X) create a full build plate of standard height rings in around 2 hours.”
Desmond said their company is always investing in the latest technology and the newest software.
“Keeping up to date allows us to push the limits on design and increase our capabilities and efficiencies,” he said.
“Our latest innovation would be the use CAD/CAM to directly machine metallic components, lasering and milling products and having the ability and flexibility to use multiple CAD/CAM platforms to create a single product.”
Darren said that Chemgold’s leading technology and wax printers ensure customers receive the absolute best surface finish from their CAD files, along with the highest quality castings.
Jewellery tech helps keep it Australian made
In an increasingly globalist scene, the trend for some major jewellery companies over the past few decades is to outsource manufacturing to countries with low labour costs and operations such as China and India. This helps the companies from domestic economic downturns, but at the expense of potential local manufacturing jobs. Fortunately, from Helen’s point of view, an increasing number of jewellers are opting to advance jewellery wholly produced in Australia, bringing work back from overseas.
“They (the jewellers) profit from improved communication resulting in an accelerated process and superior models.”
Darren said that with the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent issues with freight, a lot of manufacturers and retail stores opted for Australian-made.
“Not only is it a great selling point for most of the market, it also reduced their turnaround time greatly by having something made locally and delivered much quicker than any overseas competitor.”
He said this has had the flow-on effect of manufacturing roles opening throughout the industry over the past few years with jewellers, setters and CAD designers being in high demand across the country.
“This shows that there is a lot more interest in bringing manufacturing back to Australian shores and keeping it here.”
Anthony said that due to the increased pricing in outsourcing work overseas combined with their inherent communication breakdowns and their subsequent blowout in design time, Evotech Pacific have had quite a few clients who have recently purchased their own licenses of MatrixGold.
“For many of these particular clients, it has been more economic (financially and in time), to learn the software/hardware and keep everything in house.”
The revolutions of tomorrow
When asked to speculate on what the future holds in the jewellery tech scene, our contributors predicted improvements in software design capabilities, faster job turnaround times, and greater uptake in the technology. Darren believes that CAD programs will become more user-friendly, printers will print faster and in higher resolutions, and developments in job-tracking technology will aid Chemgold’s customers with up-to-date information on where their jobs are in the system.
“If the past has taught us anything it is that it will be developing at a rapid pace and changing in ways we cannot yet foresee.”
Helen predicts that use of the CAD/casting process will expand because it boosts output for business, helps to produce pieces that can be offered at competitive prices, and expands the styles a business can offer.
“Given the scarcity of apprenticeships being offered and the resulting decrease in qualified jewellers coming up, this process will become a necessary option.
“With the exponential advances in technological innovation, opportunities for cross-over items of jewellery will also grow.”
Anthony foresees an increasing uptake in Direct Manufacturing 3D Printing, as research and development in the field has produced far better quality metal powders and thus a better surface finish.
“…whilst I don’t think Direct Manufacture 3D Printing will replace any sector of existing jewellery manufacturing, it will certainly add a new dimension for those designers who create pieces and parts that are not possible to create with current tech and processes.
“It is certainly an exciting time to be a jeweller!”
MEDIA RELEASE | JUNE 6th, 2022 PDS @ Show, Las Vegas 2022
LAS VEGAS, JUNE 6th, 2022
Venus Jewel will conduct its first “PDS @ Show” at JCK Las Vegas Show 2022. PDS (Preferred Diamond Selection) is Venus Jewel’s daily online auction of new diamonds. At Las Vegas, it will take place at their booth # 7059 from 10th June to 12th June 2022 and the results will be declared on the morning of 13th June. The bidding is open to everyone.
What is unique about PDS @ Show & how it works? Preferred Diamond Selection (PDS) auctions are our diamond’s first introduction to our global customer base. Here, diamonds new to Venus Jewel’s inventory are put up for bidding on our website www.venusjewel.com and mobile app. All existing and new customers can bid. Registered users can place bids online while new customers can place their bids by visiting our booth#7059.
How is PDS @ Show different from other bidding/auctions? Registered and new customers can participate. Customers can place single, sealed bids above the given price with complete secrecy. Unlike other auctions & bids you have the option of physically viewing the diamond at their booth and then place a bid for it online. The winner of every bid will own our beautiful diamond for the amount of the second highest bid.
What is the Date & Time of PDS (@ Vegas)? PDS (bidding) begins on Friday 10th – 9.30 AM (Las Vegas time). PDS (bidding) closes and the winners are emailed the results on Monday 13th – 9.30 AM (Las Vegas time).
“With the success of existing PDS auction on our website, we decided to offer this same feature at the JCK show where customers can view the diamond before placing the final bid for every diamond of their choice. We noticed that people are always hesitant to bid expensive products online. That one look or feel of the product before placing a bid really helps. This makes our customers 100% confident. When we have nothing to hide & everything is transparent, we gain our customer’s trust which is most important to us. And this is how we do our business.” says – Rajesh Shah, Partner, Venus Jewel.
About Venus Jewel: Since 1969, Venus Jewel is a globally trusted manufacturer of large size, premium quality natural diamonds, in Round and Fancy shapes ranging from 0.50 – 30.00 carats plus in size, D to L colours and FL to I2 clarities. For more details log onto www.venusjewel.com
This May, Jewellery World Magazine attended the International Colombian Emerald Conference at the DMCC in Dubai which discussed market trends and the future of emerald…
This May, Jewellery World Magazine attended the International Colombian Emerald Conference at the DMCC in Dubai which discussed market trends and the future of emerald certification.
Based in London’s Hatton Garden, London DE is the UK’s leading supplier of certified diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires and other coloured gemstones. The company only deals in ethically sourced gems, and supplies loose stones and creates bespoke jewellery utilising local businesses in order to maintain a low carbon footprint and support the local community.
Please tell us the story and aims of the London DE company, why it was formed and where you hope the journey will take you?
Philip Spencer founded London DE in 2013 with a desire to build an ethical and sustainable business revolving around his love for gemstones and jewellery. Since then, his team has expanded significantly both internationally and in terms of third-party delivery partners. In 2020, we opened our Colombian subsidiary, London DE SAS, in the heart of the emerald district of Bogota to ensure we’re buying our stones and materials from the top of the supply chain and that we know exactly where our materials are sourced from. This provides transparency of our mine-to-market chain and cuts out any middlemen.
In January 2022, we opened our DMCC (Dubai MultiCommodities Centre) office in the United Arab Emirates, giving us direct access and insight into one of the fastest growing luxury retail markets in the world. We hope to become a renown trader in Colombian emeralds and luxury fine jewellery, providing exquisite pieces for close to trade value; both ethically and responsibly, always.
Since the founding of the company, Phil has strived for a clean and responsible business. He ensures all of our stones are supplied from trustworthy sources, high up in the supply chain, which are within our small circle of handpicked suppliers.
Throughout the whole pipeline, Phil inspects the working environments to ensure every employer who works under us is being paid and treated fairly, along with the correct health and safety standards. He ensures we give back to the communities which we work in or alongside, and only picks the finest stones to include in our collections of jewellery which we can trace directly back to source. Where possible we remain environmentally conscious by using a paper-less office and keeping our carbon footprint to a minimum.
How important is traceability and sustainability in your business model?
Traceability and sustainability is at the heart of all we do. Due to our lean business model, our Colombian emeralds can be traced back directly to their source. We visit the mines we source from yearly to check on our miners, as well as our suppliers who work directly with these mines and its owners. From here we source our stones which we pass through CDTEC gemmological laboratories to be certified, and then those stones are set into our jewellery. A clean and lean supply chain.
Not all jewellery and gemstone traders go to physically see the mines they are sourcing from. Here at LDE we think it’s important that we understand the heritage and environments of where our stones come from, get to know the miners and their families, see Colombia and its beauty for what it really is.
We work with one of the only government regulated Colombian Emerald mines in Muzo and within the country, alongside the only government regulated gemmological laboratory in Colombia; this means that we can 100 per cent guarantee the authenticity of our stones and their origin, providing transparent sourcing and proof of its responsible extraction.
Colombian emeralds can be difficult to pinpoint – they’re not readily available within the market unlike other gemstones and when they are it isn’t very clear as to where they have come from or how they have been extracted. LDE chooses the finest stones which come direct from our mines, those which have no oil or minor oil, with the most vibrant of colours. We also stock trapiche emeralds, a rarity on the market which can be difficult to come by within fine jewellery, found only within the Colombian mines. We strive for transparency with our customers and business partners, ensuring that our stones are those which have a short supply chain and certified within Colombia itself. It’s a unique business model that we believe is important within the industry.
Coloured diamonds are gaining in popularity and are increasingly purchased as a jewel to mark life’s milestones, according to Tony Smales, owner and manager of…
Coloured diamonds are gaining in popularity and are increasingly purchased as a jewel to mark life’s milestones, according to Tony Smales, owner and manager of Smales Jewellers.
With five watch and jewellery stores in Western Australia, Smales has the exclusive agency for Hearts on Fire Diamonds in the state and also includes Argyle Pink, champagne and cognac coloured diamonds in its offer.
A family run business, Smales Jewellers has a long history in WA. “Our original store commenced in Kalgoorlie just after the 2nd World War some 70 years ago,” Mr Smales pointed out. The head office is based in Subiaco, where the busiest Smales store is located, followed by Bunbury while three other outlets are located in Kalgoorlie, Geraldton and Karratha. All stores have onsite jewellery workrooms.
The high end stores specialise in handmade jewellery and luxury watches. Smales’ comprehensive diamond offer includes a wide selection of engagement, wedding, eternity dress rings, pendants, earrings, bangles and tennis bracelets.
“Our diamonds are sourced from our Australian supplier who we have dealt with for many years. In regard to the pink diamonds, we will always offer a certified stone. This gives our customers the guarantee that it is Argyle and peace of mind that their purchase has the heritage and identification. In addition, we also produce Ellendale Yellow diamonds for some of our products. These diamonds also come with identification,” Mr Smales explained.
Demand for coloured diamonds has increased dramatically since the announcement of the closure of Argyle Diamond mine and he attributes this to growing consumer awareness that the rare stones have the potential to grow in value. In his opinion, however, coloured diamonds should be set and worn in jewellery. “I think they should be incorporated into a ring, pendant or earrings – pieces made to be enjoyed rather than have them sit inside a safe for pure investment that may take years to realise.”
Mr Smales has observed a recent trend where coloured diamonds are being used to mark important life occasions.
“We have seen this a lot with the ‘push present’ and partners giving pink or blue diamonds to reflect gender at the birth of their children. Other customers love the contrast between coloured and white diamonds. When you set a white diamond next to a coloured diamond, it really enhances the colour and makes it pop,” he said. Only natural diamonds are carried in Smales Jewellers.
“Our stores have received a few requests for lab grown diamonds and while I can see some advantages, normally price, I still prefer to only deal in natural diamonds. I suppose it’s a personal thing for jewellery retailers and to a degree I think it is where you sit in the jewellery market. I would say that the majority of our diamond sales are in engagement rings and customers are still seeking that very special piece and do tend to hold into the tradition of choosing a natural diamond.”
Overall sales of white and coloured diamonds through Smales WA outlets are dominated by the Round Brilliant Cut but there are exceptions.
“We purchased a radiant cut Pink Argyle diamond for a customer recently and they had a specific request that required us to incorporate the pink diamond into a design. The stone was purchased for a long-term investment, but they wanted to wear it in a ring. The radiant cut and colour of the stone was perfect and the ring looked fantastic. It was so good to see the customer’s excitement when we presented her with her custom made completed design,” Mr Smales said.
He believes the demand for fancy coloured diamonds will continue, especially since the Argyle Diamond Mine closure, noting “there is something extra special about choosing a unique colour diamond.”
Coloured diamonds, however, have started to become more difficult to purchase, he conceded. “Prices have increased and choices are reduced, however, there is still availability. A good relationship with your suppliers is essential,” Mr Smales said.
Gold nuggets, pearl and gemstone jewellery pieces are also carried by Smales stores which sell select graded natural stones like sapphire, ruby and emerald among others. “What determines the price of these stones is the quality of each and we rely on our suppliers to only send high grade stones for us to use in our manufacturing.”
Smales Jewellers manufacture jewellery in 18 karat yellow gold, white gold and pink gold but will often use platinum. “This metal is slightly harder to work with but has some advantages for the wearer and is quite popular with customers now. We often use platinum for the ring with white diamonds and we use rose or pink gold for the setting of the pink diamonds. This allows for the pink stone to show its beauty with less interference of the setting that holds the diamonds securely in place,” Mr Smales explained.
He pointed out that Smales prides itself on attention to detail and customer satisfaction when someone is looking to purchase an engagement ring. “Some people choose a ring from our stock while others like parts of one ring and parts of another. If this is the case where they like different parts of different designs, we have the customer sit down with the store’s designer and come up with a new design with the customer. The item is then hand-made by our precision jeweller.
“We generally do not use casting. Smales is perhaps a little more traditional than many but that doesn’t mean that we are old fashioned in manufacturing. In fact we use some of the latest tools, machines and techniques in the industry. We want to achieve a structurally sound piece that offers the customer excellence and satisfaction.
“Gold and platinum metals are extremely durable, However from someone who has knowledge about the settings, claws, shank – they will wear over time. It’s much better and cheaper for the customer to have new claws fitted for example rather than losing their precious stone,” Mr Smales said.
“On most occasions and especially when we use pink diamonds, we send the item on to an independent jewellery valuer. That ensures the value of the piece and that the price paid gives satisfaction to the customer. They know what they have purchased meets the industry standard and have received value for money. It also gives the customer the history of the stone on many occasions,” he explained.
Smales generally draws its diamond stock from Australia but sources many items such as chains, earrings and pendants from Italy or Germany. “I have always travelled overseas to purchase but the Covid situation has limited those trips,” Mr Smales said.
Smales Jewellers always advise their customers to bring their jewellery items in to be checked every 6 to 12 months. This service is provided free of charge and the item is cleaned at the same time.
Over the years, Mr Smales has observed that like everything else, the jewellery industry has changed and manufacturers have improved. The stores in his family business are in the higher end of the market, he affirmed.
“I am all about traditional jewellery stores not chain stores. Higher end jewellers value their reputation, they employ people that care and generally offer a high standard of product knowledge,” he said.
The Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) of India recently concluded the exclusive B2B jewellery show the IGJS in association with Gemfields, at JECC,…
The Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) of India recently concluded the exclusive B2B jewellery show the IGJS in association with Gemfields, at JECC, Jaipur, India’s coloured gemstone capital, from 10th to 12th May, 2022. The three-day show saw more than 200 leading exhibitors showcasing their gems and designer jewellery to 650 international buyers from 48 countries.
2022 IGJS
It was the first physical event hosted exclusively for global buyers in India to increase exports and to exemplify India’s strong hold on the gem and jewellery industry. The exclusive show catered to all product segments of gem and jewellery such as coloured gemstones, loose diamonds, plain gold jewellery, diamond studded jewellery, gemstone studded jewellery and silver jewellery.
India is a world leader in cut and polished diamonds, the coloured gemstones capital of the world, and the fastest growing gold jewellery exporter and the IGJS show catered to every sourcing need of the global market.
India’s gem and jewellery industry exports nearly USD 40 billion annually. Top markets are the USA accounting for 37 percent of India’s G&J exports, Hong Kong (24%), UAE (14.5%), Belgium (5%) and Israel (4%).
