Anuradha Paudwal, Alan Chirgwin and Manoj Dwivedi inaugurate IIJS 2017 in the presence of GJEPC officials. IIJS

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1 Anuradha Paudwal, Alan Chirgwin and Manoj Dwivedi inaugurate IIJS 2017 in the presence of GJEPC officials. IIJS REGISTERS RECORD- BREAKING SALES The overwhelmingly positive feedback from exhibitors and visitors pegs IIJS 2017 as one of the best ever. Though gold jewellery sales shot through the roof, good sales were reported across the categories of studded diamond and gemstone jewellery as well as loose stones. Here s a detailed report by SOLITAIRE INTERNATIONAL. 30 SOLITAIRE INTERNATIONAL AUGUST 2017

2 COVER STORY he 34th edition of the GJEPC s flagship trade show, the India International Jewellery Show (IIJS) Premier, was held at the Bombay Exhibition Centre from July 27th to 31st Over 1,200 exhibitors from across the country converged in Mumbai to showcase their strength in gems and jewellery to the 35,000 trade visitors from India and abroad. The country s premier jewellery show has been expanding year-on-year but still commands a long waitlist thanks to the high rate of booth retention at the show. This year, the GJEPC enhanced the IIJS's capacity to include 160 new booths, primarily offering manufacturers who have been on the waiting list for many years, space at the show. The expansion took the total number of booths to 2,200. The show also expanded the booth space for its existing exhibitors. Last year, the machinery section was relocated to The Lalit Hotel to accommodate more machinery exhibitors and to carve a dedicated space for machinery and technological updates. This year, too, the machinery section was housed at The Lalit Hotel from July 28th to 31st, and hosted more than 120 exhibitors from India, Italy, Turkey, USA, Germany, UK and UAE. GJEPC pledges $2mn to DPA The show was inaugurated by Manoj Dwivedi, joint secretary, department of commerce, ministry of commerce and industry; Alan Chirgwin, vice president, sales and marketing (copper and diamonds), Rio Tinto; and singer Anuradha Paudwal. During the opening ceremony, the GJEPC signed an MoU with the Diamond Producers Association (DPA) and pledged $2 million towards the promotion of diamonds across the world, thus pushing the DPA s total spend in 2017 to $59 million. DPA s CEO Jean-Marc Lieberherr had announced the night before at the Prelude to IIJS event that the DPA would roll out a diamond promotion plan for India in the month of October this year. In his keynote address, GJEPC chairman Praveenshankar Pandya was happy to announce that the Council had been working closely with DPA to take diamond promotions to another level. Pandya said, IIJS not only showcases the needs of the markets, but presents innovative solutions and methods to be one step ahead of the competition. It is the nerve centre for innovations and new developments in the gem and jewellery industry. Pandya added, The Indian industry has the largest workforce for making handcrafted pieces in the gold jewellery segment. There is an urgent need to upgrade these workers at par with their diamond industry counterparts. The building of This year, the GJEPC enhanced the IIJS's capacity to include 160 new booths, primarily offering manufacturers who have been on the waiting list for many years, space at the show. The expansion took the total number of booths to 2,200. The show also expanded the booth space for its existing exhibitors. Jean-Marc Lieberherr and Russel Mehta at the announcement of GJEPC s $2 million contribution to the DPA. Mansukh Kothari of Vasupati Jewellers along with Anuradha Paudwal at the Solitaire booth. SOLITAIRE INTERNATIONAL AUGUST

3 Singhal Gems modern, well-equipped factories and jewellery parks is a must! A plan to achieve this goal is also on the anvil. Welcoming Alan Chirgwin, Pandya noted, Our country is thankful to Rio Tinto for providing large quantities of rough for the last three decades. And we, in turn, have been able to turn near gems to gem-quality diamonds and have been providing large quantities of smalls to the world. This has created a huge labour force in India. He also urged the banks to extend loans to small and medium businesses in the industry to help the overall growth of this sector. In keeping with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pandya said, By 2022, I would like India to be the top gold jewellery exporter in the world. While acknowledging that the industry had achieved great milestones, Dwivedi called on its leaders to aim for even greater heights. The government is interested in sectors that generate employment, especially the SMEs, as this is in the best interest of the economy. The government is constantly engaged with the industry to make several reforms successful, including the recently introduced GST. It s a big reform and the transitional phase poses several challenges, but this is essential as we need to grow with transparency, generating employment by taking the small partners along. The call to promote handmade jewellery, SMEs, and introduce an element of design and finish to make us internationally competitive are three goals that our PM wants us to collectively achieve, Dwivedi noted. Brisk sales IIJS generated a positive vibe on the show floor with many exhibitors from the gold section having done 100% business with all stocks ordered! In general, feedback from exhibitors and visitors was extremely positive, Pandya noted, adding, This time around the larger customers seem to have a big appetite and footfalls, too, are much higher than last year. Jewellers and manufacturers have faced several issues in the past twelve months such as demonetisation followed by GST, but it hasn t dampened spirits. In fact, demonetisation has increased transparency and e-business via bank transfers and has reduced dependency on cash transactions. We are having teething problems with the introduction of GST, but they are not insurmountable. We only need to iron out the procedural aspects and I m confident that they will be resolved in the next few months. Pandya informed about the formation of the International Diamond Monitoring Committee (IDMC), whose main goal will be to create a separate footprint for natural diamonds away from synthetic diamonds. The Committee, which will convene in Hong Kong during the September show, will comprise bodies such as the DPA, WFDB, AWDC, Signet, BDB, GJF and GJEPC among several others. WFDB president Ernie Blom said, I am delighted that we reached a number of decisions regarding the new panel s aims. It will have comprehensive objectives, including the monitoring of trends and instances of non-disclosure of synthetics, threats to the polished diamond sector, and agreeing on the most effective detection devices for trade members. 32 SOLITAIRE INTERNATIONAL AUGUST 2017

4 COVER STORY We stress that we do not have any objection to trading in synthetic stones, only that they are fully disclosed so that consumer confidence in our product is not damaged in any way. I am very pleased to support this initiative proposed by the GJEPC, which is a WFDB member, together with the BDB. These are the kind of steps that will enable consumers to have full confidence in diamond jewellery. Couture segment Design was the focus and key sales driver at the premier show. Most manufacturers that Solitaire met in the Couture segment had something novel to offer in terms of design, techniques or innovation. With GST coming into force, and price points on precious metal having evened out across the country, design in jewellery seems to be the only differentiator that attracts buyers. Jewel Ace, Jaipur, introduced a new brand titled Nazakat that consisted of polki jewellery enhanced with detailed chitrai work. Justin Varkey, founder and CEO of the company, informed, We have been using the highest quality of polkis, original African longido stones and South Sea pearls with fine enamels to heighten the beauty of the pieces. A lot of geometric patterns have also been introduced in our thewa collection. In the diamond range, we presented a variety of coat pins and cufflinks for men, and 300 small designer jewellery items for women from earrings that have flip-over posts to rings that can be worn in three different ways and more. N.M. Karel, New Delhi, showcased a fresh collection of bangles and lightweight necklaces between 60 and 80 grams. Owner D.D. Karel said, Lightweight jewellery below R2 lakh moved well because of the PAN card restriction. Consumers today want to buy jewellery under this Gurjar Gems With GST coming into force, and price points on precious metal having evened out across the country, design in jewellery seems to be the only differentiator that attracts buyers. Bhindi Manufacturers Jewel Ace

5 COVER STORY Farah Khan launches IGL Education Programme Renowned jewellery designer and gemmologist Farah Khan Ali launched Independent Gemological Laboratories (IGL) education programmes for the trade as well as consumers during the IIJS. The designer wished IGL success with its educational programmes at the launch. IGL offers comprehensive graduate programmes in diamond grading, gemstone identification, jewellery design and retail selling skills. Tailor-made courses and retail sales development programmes are also available on demand. Devika Gidwani, COO of IGL, Mumbai, noted, Education, training and integrity are essential for a successful career in the gems and jewellery business and Independent s Lab classes will focus on these very aspects and help people with an interest in gemmology to become masters of the trade confident of their skills that will help them to go out and build successful careers with knowledge, skill and confidence. Hands-on training and one-onone instruction will help students gain knowledge and experience to be successful in our industry. price bracket, but also want good design elements and they prefer buying a variety of smaller jewellery pieces rather than investing in an expensive piece. Fusion jewellery, which we have been doing for many years, is becoming popular. On the other hand, enamelled jewellery is not commercially viable at least for us. PGI India s Evara bridal line veered towards an out of the locker and youthful jewellery collection with minimal elements with the thrust on wearability quotient. Two-tone bracelets and rings consisting of pink gold and platinum, matte finish pendants, and platinum ball chains that twinkled like diamonds were on display. Clean lines and an aesthetic combination of geometric patterns and organic motifs were trending at the show. The millennials prefer unfussy and simple silhouettes, noted Manish Shah, owner of The Cappuccino Collection. Apart from the big three gemstones, Shah said, pink colour gemstones are in vogue. South Sea pearls and Japanese ball chains were teamed with diamond motifs to amplify the piece and offer value to price-sensitive consumers. Keeping with the times, Intergem Exports, which is known for its natural fancy colour diamond jewellery, presented a dainty but affordable designer collection under R1 lakh. Sudeep Sethi, marketing head, informed that they also had a range of sapphire- and tsavorite-studded jewellery among others. Rajesh Jain, director, Gurjar Gems, stated that their expertise lies in offering jewellery set with EF VVS diamonds. The company has a new range on display highlighting geometric and floral motifs. The south Indian haarams that are generally crafted in gold, were made of white gold and encrusted with diamonds and gemstone accents. The high-on-design waist belts, necklace sets and bracelets were also preferred by customers at Gurjar. The company s brand Saanvi offers lightweight designer jewellery starting from R10,000 upwards. Buyers were very happy to see such a wide range that caters across a wide price bandwidth, Jain informed. A spokesperson of Haritsons Designs Pvt. Ltd. (Symetree) said that the show 34 SOLITAIRE INTERNATIONAL AUGUST 2017

6 SNEHAL CHOKSEY Partner, Shobha Shringar, Mumbai I IJS for us is a ritual. We have to fulfil our inventory requirements that are very specific. We like to meet new and old vendors who supply components from upcountry regions as these are not available in Mumbai. Since we manufacture and assemble jewellery in-house, keeping the fusion trend in mind, we buy pendants, necklaces from south India or Jaipur or north India and give it our spin we mix and match various elements that represent ancient crafts of our country in a unique way. I buy anything that appeals to me and I don t come to IIJS with any preconceived notions or requirements. I like to be surprised with new finds. was superb and that they received a great response for their new jadau collection which features carved aquamarines and rubellites, as well as for their English Victorian line. They met buyers from across India particularly high-end boutiques from Mumbai and Pune. Gold rush The show saw a huge revival in buying sentiments and while the overall demand tilted more towards lightweight formal and daily wear jewellery with clean, simple, bold and geometric design elements, many exhibitors reported strong sales in the bridal segment as well. Manikantan, a representative of Emerald Jewellery, informed that the show garnered a good response across all categories, including bridal and temple collections. Emerald s new Nxt collection featured fun and flirty elements to target millennials. Trendy and youthful, the collection has elements that move with body movements. The trick has been achieved after a lot of technical research, and starts from 14 grams. The lightweight novelty was a hit at the show. Oro did not see a dull moment at the show. With an array of new collections, visitors gave it two thumbs up. Avinash Pahuja, director, Oro, said that thanks to the introduction of the GST, it had opened up many avenues buyers who were limited to buying jewellery only from their regional offices to avoid incurring additional tax, were now freely purchasing inventory from Mumbai. Oro s Iris collection consisted of ornamented open-work cuffs that come with interchangeable coloured leather bands to add a base colour. The cuff can be worn with or without the leather base bands. This collection was very well appreciated by buyers. Enlace, a collection of half bangles topped with decorative motifs, started from as little as 20 grams. Iktara set with cubic zirconia or accented with diamond cuts on gold featured pinholes and started from the 40 gram range. Oro s platinum collection for men and women was available with gold fused with platinum, plain platinum, or platinum with gold and diamonds. Platinum bangles with rose gold alloy were very popular. Innovative products stood out at the show and attracted many buyers. Krown Jewels had a range of bangles with electroformed motifs that are rarely used in India. The bangles were made attractive with rhodium pink, blue and bronze colours. A company spokesperson said, At this show, we get more time with our visitors and this time, we had an unprecedented number of new buyers in the first two days of the show itself. The visitor footfall was higher this year, exclaimed Viraj Thadeshwar, owner 36 SOLITAIRE INTERNATIONAL AUGUST 2017

7 COVER STORY Gold Artism Vasupati Jewellers of Shringar House of Mangalsutra Pvt. Ltd. Clients came with a positive approach and were determined to scour for new lines. I would easily say that this was one of the top three IIJS shows we have ever had. Shringar specialises in mangalsutras and has a good range from 2 grams to 300 grams and this year, sales queries were superlative across the board. First-time exhibitor, Palak Jewellers Pvt. Ltd. had a phenomenal run at the show. The company makes 22-karat and 18-karat jewellery in lightweight and bridal range. Shailesh Daga, director, said, We received tremendous response from the northern region for our Kolkata and Rajkot jewellery. Shaikh A. Rehman of Gold Artism presented sheesham wood and gold jewellery accented with khakha motis and Swarovski crystals. The stylish wood elements were engraved with gold as well. This time, we received all new clients who liked our lightweight range between 50 and 55 grams. In the international pavilion, Itan Jewels the brainchild of Haresh Pahuja in collaboration with Sudesh Pahuja and Arun Pahuja literally struck gold. Their products were the right balance between delicate craftsmanship and new age technology to create exquisite jewellery that transcends fashion and trends. The unique gold bangles and rings spanning across a variety of ornate styles and designs adorn the wrists of women throughout the world. Arun Pahuja informed that old and new clients were placing orders for jewellery across their product lines. Markets have opened up and retailers are in the mood to buy jewellery. We have got buyers from across the country. Because of our new location in Hall 2 at the show, our clients were making it a point to ask for us at the information booth to specially meet us, said Pahuja. Making a designer piece of jewellery with just one gram of gold can be a tricky proposition, but not for RP Ornaments. One of India s largest wholesalers in lightweight, Rajkot style gold jewellery, the 57-year-old company comes up with novel concepts each year at IIJS a perfect harmony achieved with handcrafting and technology-driven manufacturing. Proprietor Bhavik Shah revealed the thrust was on baalis (hoops) and pendant and earring sets in 18- and 22-karat gold. We incorporated Indo-Italian techniques to achieve unique textures in our jewellery, and majority of our jewellery is priced under R1 lakh. As for GST, Shah has his Clients came with a positive approach and were determined to scour for new lines. I would easily say that this was one of the top three IIJS shows we have ever had. SOLITAIRE INTERNATIONAL AUGUST

8 Women s Jewellery Association - India hosted an event at the GIA Booth yesterday to inaugurate a coffee-table book Around The Neck authored by renowned editor Preeta Agarwal. The book was launched by Nirupa Bhatt, GIA managing director, India and the Middle East, Premkumar Kothari, chairman of GJSCI and Binit Bhatt, CEO, GJSCI in the presence of WJA members, including designers, entrepreneurs, educationists and other industry dignitaries. The book takes the reader through various aspects that go into the design and manufacturing of necklaces, complimented with spectacular illustrations from 55 Jewellery Book Launch at WJA India internationally renowned jewellery brands such as Bayco, Birdhichand Ghanshyamdas Jewellers, Boucheron, Magerit, Mirari, Payal New York and many more. Jewellery Book Launch By WJA - India Speaking on the occasion, Nirupa Bhatt noted, No one can grow in isolation. WJA members should learn to collaborate effectively. We as women must make a mark in the industry. WJA offers a unique opportunity to all the entrepreneurs to synergise and capitalise on each other's strengths. Praising the efforts of GJSCI for initiating Vaanika, a jewellery making module that helps tribal women, Manoj Dwivedi (centre) inaugurated the Machinery section of IIJS at Hotel Lalit. 38 SOLITAIRE INTERNATIONAL AUGUST 2017

9 COVER STORY the programme to train women inmates in Tihar jail, and the Hupri project that collaborates with local women to make silver ghungroos (bells), Bhatt said that it was important to identify our heritage arts and crafts which, if not revived, may gradually die. Premkumar Kothari added, India has so much to offer we have a rich cultural heritage that we must take forward. The event was concluded by Navin Sadarangani, a retail jewellery consultant, who outlined the mission and new vision of the Indian chapter of Women s Jewellery Association. On the sidelines of the event, Toshiba Jariwala, owner of Zundaa, a couture jewellery manufacturing company, said that WJA - India was an important networking platform. I like meeting people with different skill sets and there is so much to learn from each other to take us all ahead. Vibha Gala, a jewellery manufacturer, and a WJA member said that there were multiple benefits of being a member of this knowledge-sharing forum. Anjalee Rach, owner and designer of Jhoomer, a diamond jewellery brand, said that it was interesting to meet so many like minded people. There are opportunities galore for growth through the WJA platform. I am happy that I am a part of this large group of talented women. own acronym to boot, calling it Good Sales Turnover. I welcome GST with all my heart. We still do not know the benefits that we will reap from official transactions, but I am sure interstate jewellery sales will get a big boost. We have met a number of new clients at the show and our orders are better than last year. The show has been fantastic for us. Gem-set jewellery Many exhibitors were surprised by the visitor turnout and were of the opinion that this was by far one of the best shows in nearly 15 years. Business was brisk across all categories be it gold, loose gemstones or studded and couture segments. The mood was upbeat and above all, it has amply demonstrated the resilience and adaptive nature of the industry exhibitors have been surprised that buyers are willing to do business only through invoices/billing just weeks after the announcement of GST. Ankit Lodha of GIE Gold Creations informed that he has met new clients from Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi. Jewellery below R5 lakh is moving fast, and earrings in the R2-3 lakh price bracket are being snapped up. We had come with a few statement lariat necklaces at the show, and we have already got multiple orders for them. Tassels and jhumkis are extremely popular this time, Lodha noted. We focus on gem-studded jewellery and use a lot of partash work. Our designs are extremely well-researched and take time to execute. Avinash Gupta of Mamraj Musaddilal Jewellers declared that the show was superb. The industry has absorbed the effects of GST well and there is no downside to the new tax law. In fact, the 1% interstate duty has been done away with and as a result retailers can buy jewellery from manufacturers in any state. That is a big plus point. According to Spark Jewels, 22-karat malas strung with pearls and faceted gold SOLITAIRE INTERNATIONAL AUGUST

10 beads and multi-row gold necklaces were the fastest selling items. Owner Dilip Jain said that they received many orders from north India buyers at the show. For Yash Vadher of RK Silver and Gold Jewellery, the show was spectacular. By day two the company had sold out via orders all its stocks. If these orders materialise, we will have no stock left. The company s Ena collection consisted of long necklace sets strung with laser-cut round or geometrically shaped balls interjected with pearls and laser engraving on the reverse. The jewels could be worn either way to give more value and variety to the consumer. The Eva collection of single line bracelets and laser-cut fine lacy kadas without diamond accents were popular with buyers from north and south India. In the international pavilion, Euro Gems that manufactures its jewellery in Italy was satisfied with the footfalls. This was our second stint at IIJS. India is a lucrative market and we would like to tap this market. We deal mainly in colour stone jewellery. Currently, multi-line baguette bracelets are popular. Illusion-set jewellery is also in demand as the jewellery pieces offer a bigger look at affordable rates for pricesensitive consumers. We met buyers from north and south India as well as boutiques from Mumbai, noted Bhavya Jain. In the same pavilion, Studio Reves, which has its manufacturing unit in Mumbai and a base in Toronto and San Francisco, sells jewellery across the globe. We target a niche audience and our jewellery is product-centric. We do classic lines which have an Indian touch. We use all the technology and machinery available to create jewellery that is thought through for comfort, for look, feel and build. It For the first time, the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) has taken part in IIJS. TRIFED was founded in 1987 and is a national-level apex organisation of the Indian Ministry of Tribal Affairs. Headquartered in New Delhi, TRIFED has 13 regional offices across the country to promote the arts of Indian tribes. With 40 outlets selling artistic products, including jewellery, TRIFED provides a platform through which tribal products can be marketed in retail directly to consumers and in the process ensures that artisans get a fair price. 40 SOLITAIRE INTERNATIONAL AUGUST 2017

11 COVER STORY RAJESH KALYANARAMAN Executive Director, Kalyan Jewellers is important to plan the transition of a jewellery piece from paper to bench. We have been fairly busy tending to buyers although we will only be able to judge our success once the show is over, informed Niraj Menda, director of the brand. Loose stones This year around, market sentiments in the loose diamond section was upbeat. Loose diamond companies have come with innovative technological aids to help them promote their brands. Venus Jewel introduced the Venus Diamond Viewer a novel viewing screen at IIJS that showcased the diamond s entire journey virtually from rough to the final polished state. The 3D viewer has a user-friendly interface that allows the customer to check the mapping of how the diamond was cut from the rough, its carat weight, facets, colour and inclusions. Venus Jewel wants to create a space to allow its buyers to have an experience that even a consumer can appreciate. Our desire is to allow the industry to start thinking differently and push the value chain to provide a better experience for the new generation. It is important that the buyer has a different story to share with the consumer as in this case, the story of each diamond before it is set in a piece of jewellery, noted Rajesh Shah, partner at Venus Jewel. Our customers have instant access to Venus Jewels 7,000-plus inventory at the touch of a screen or on our hand help application, which is available to our partners anytime, anywhere. Divine Solitaire s director Jignesh Metha was happy with the show. We I have been visiting IIJS for the last 14 years. When we first started visiting, we had only four showrooms. Today, we have 112 showrooms. Each year, we have a different reason for visiting IIJS. Three years ago, when we were making our foray into the Middle East, we were looking for UAE-centric jewellery. This year, I have spent the first day in the loose stone section. IIJS is an ocean full of treasures. It depends on what we want to source. We have a lot of friends and suppliers who meet at the show. It also helps us to understand where the industry is moving. We use all five days of the show to set up different appointments and meetings. At Kalyan Jewellers, we believe that we are not selling a commodity, but a piece of art. Everybody has their own style. We like to encourage and partner with new manufacturers as well, since they bring passion and new ideas to the table. SOLITAIRE INTERNATIONAL AUGUST

12 COVER STORY WGC TO SET UP FIRST ASSAY & TRAINING INSTITUTE World Gold Council along with industry bodies like the GJEPC, GJF, Indian Bullion and Jewellers Association Ltd. and more will set up the first Precious Metals Assay and Training Institute in India that will run a formal training and certification programme for assayers. The industrydriven skill development initiative will focus on providing training and certification in the field of assaying; promoting standardisation and best practices for the gold industry, and reassuring the consumer of purity. For more information, write to: prmati@ gold.org don t participate in the show to hard sell our product. We focus on marketing more than selling and we have been able to plan many co-promotion offers with our clients at the show. We have partnered with 130 select jewellers in 86 cities. The demand for our solitaires is rising. Today, consumers want the best and the brightest diamond; they want to have the confidence that their diamond is a safe asset. We have done research and found that 65% of people who do not own a diamond have the willingness and ability to buy a diamond but are afraid because of lack of transparency. Divine Solitaires addresses these problems through its stringent 123 parameters and through its standardised price index. Shree Ram Krishna Exports (SRK) took potential buyers on a virtual tour of their factory in Surat through a 360-degree virtual reality viewer as well as an interactive game which allows a person to sort, plan, cut and polish diamonds digitally. Kalpesh Bhatiya, business multiplier - certified solitaires, SRK, informed that they received a good response at IIJS this year. We met many clients including new ones from Delhi and Kolkata as well as a few from Chennai. In India, J-K colour diamonds are moving, noted Bhatiya. Padmavati Exports was extremely happy with the response at IIJS. We met international buyers from Europe, China and Hong Kong. Diamonds with I colour and lower with SI clarity are in demand as well as VS diamonds. There is demand for diamonds across India but our clients are only purchasing as per their need and do not want to stock up on extra inventory even if they are getting it at a cheaper price, informed Prasham Shah. Kaustubh Kuwadia, sales and marketing executive at Asian Star informed that footfalls on the first day were good. Post the implementation of GST, it has become one big market and prices are going to be more competitive. Certified dossiers and VVS- VS in stars and melees are in demand. We have received buyers from north India as well as a few from Chennai and Bangalore. Manish Shah of Blue Star commented, The market sentiments are positive. There are more enquiries for fancy shape diamonds this year. Also, we are promoting and educating people about Argyle Pink diamonds. Soon, we plan to promote pink diamonds in a big way. In the coloured gemstones category, emeralds still rule, especially those in unusual shapes. Melon cuts, long beads, smaller emeralds set in tassels, cushion cabs adorned the display shelves at the show. Anubhav Khatoria of Shri Krishna Gems informed that small to medium size emeralds are in demand. Clients are looking out for emeralds to be set in fancy designer jewellery hence they are looking for cuts that are different from the usual rounds and pears. Pankaj Patni of Patni Gems, too, said that unusual emeralds melon cuts, hexagon shaped emeralds, etc in all qualities are in demand. This IIJS has been better than last year and we did get queries from new clients at the show, said Patni. 42 SOLITAIRE INTERNATIONAL AUGUST 2017