GOLDEN GLORY. Gold jewellery has been shining at IIJS as buyers look

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1 DAY 4 9 th August, 2015 WHAT S ON TODAY Seminar: (Mezzanine, Hall 1) Time: am pm Topic: Impact of Government Policies & Compliances Affecting the Trade Time: pm pm Topic: Triggering Growth Through Unity Time: 2.00 pm pm Topic: Journey from Concept to Creation Time: 3.30 pm pm Topic: Effective Use of Social Media & Ecommerce Silera Jewels (Gold Artism) GOLDEN GLORY Gold jewellery has been shining at IIJS as buyers look to reap the benefits of a global fall in gold rates. The gold section saw a flurry of activity since the start of the show, with crowds thronging the stalls all day. Stocks have been increased to deal with the staggering demand for the yellow metal. Avinash Gupta, partner at Mamraj Mussadilal, Hyderabad had a packed house right from day one. A spokesperson said, It has been a super fantastic show. We have had big retail houses who have been stocking up for the upcoming season. The company introduced lightweight temple jewellery with sets ranging up to 100 grams, stylised ruby-studded necklace sets, naqashi dominated jewellery, villandi sets, and show-stopping jhumkis. Pankaj Bhandari, director, Bhandari Gold and Jewellers Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, saw good demand from buyers. Business has revived as retailers and wholesalers in the past few weeks ran out of stock with India International Jewellery Show the unexpected demand from consumers as gold prices dipped to Rs.25,000 per ten grams. Yet, even if buyers have come to the show with the intention of refilling their stocks, they have a limited budget. We had come with no expectations to the show, but are very happy that we have met buyers from all over India. Abdul Rehman Shaikh, proprietor of Silera Jewels (Gold Artism), has, in the past, participated in the IIJS as a silver jewellery exhibitor. This time, though, he showcased some exquisite antique-finished gold jewellery collections that are inspired by nature. All the lines are handcrafted and have elements of kundan and jadtar, patra, rawa work and more. We have witnessed good sales from the northern and southern regions. We have got orders for necklace sets weighing between 70 grams and 150 grams. We have met many new customers and are very happy with the outcome. Heavy pieces are moving very well at Sangam Jewels N Gold. Sales have been good this time and (Continued on page 2)

2 (Continued from page 1) heavy pieces are also selling due to the fall in prices. People are always on the lookout for new and innovative designs. However, studded jewellery is lagging behind, said Sushil Solanki, director of Sangam Jewels N Gold. Sunnie Kothari, proprietor of Solid Gold feels that IIJS has been good but not enough to be extremely encouraging. The dip in prices has definitely helped our business and our heavy items like bridal sets are moving well, he said. Solid Gold deals exclusively in yellow gold designer jewellery incorporating traditional techniques. The gold section is doing very well, especially trendy gold chains. The fall in gold rates have a large rise in volume demanded. Customers who were buying 100 grams before are suddenly buying 300 grams and more. This is a great time for plain gold sales, Nilesh Jain of Royal Chains remarked. It is Lalit Punamiya s fifth year at IIJS and he has been reaping the rewards of his presence at the show. According to Punamiya, a partner at Punamiya s, this year has been better than the last 2-3 years. The starting two days have been exceptionally good and the visitor flow has been fabulous, he said. Avinash Jain of Trident Corporation is facing so much demand that his stock is actually running out. Trident s yellow gold jewellery has seen great movement. The fall in gold rates has brought forth a huge demand for gold. The average purchases are around 25 grams to 50 grams. Weight wise, I would say, there has been a growth of 20% over last year. We have been expecting and preparing for this demand. People are going for heavier items than for lightweight ones and we have seen a lot of new buyers, especially from Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. We expect a lot of buyers from South India in the coming two days as well. SEMINARS Synthetics Under The Scanner The first seminar on day three explored the impact of mass produced synthetic gem diamonds on the trade. The speakers included M.D. Sastry, head of research and development, GII; Ellen Biermans, research manager, HRD Antwerp; Sanjay Kothari, former chairman, GJEPC; and Samir Joshi, executive director, IDI, Surat. Sastry pointed out that CVD diamonds with a high intensity of silicon appeared fancy blue even without the presence of boron. When a fancy pink CVD diamond that is HPHT treated is exposed to high intensity UV light, it turns fancy blue. Similarly, the fancy blue diamond reverts back to pink when exposed to white light. Biermans announced the imminent launch of HRD Antwerp s automated M-Screen machine for melee-sized diamonds. The machine is capable of processing sizes from 0.01 carat to 0.25 carat, in brilliant shape, and in colours ranging from colourless to near-colourless (D-J). The automated screening process will classify the screened diamonds as: simulants, potentially lab-grown, HPHT treated, and natural diamond. Biermans noted that M-Screen will be demonstrated in action at the September Hong Kong Show next month. Kothari said that industry bodies such as the GJEPC, MDMA and BDB were actively involved in taking action against those involved in mixing Man Proposes, Lab Disposes Vidhya Mazumdar, head of education, GSI, explained some common methods of identifying synthetic diamonds through the study of inclusions. While inclusions such as clouds, pinpoints, crystals, needles, feathers, cleavages, internal graining, and internal laser drilling were common to both natural and lab-grown diamonds, inclusions like knots and twinning wisps were exclusive to natural diamonds only, at least thus far. Only last month, the indented natural inclusion was detected in a synthetic diamond for the first time. That just goes to show the rapid advances in synthetic manufacturing technology. She later quipped that her presentation should have come with an expiry date. Mazumdar said it was now also possible for rough synthetic diamonds to have the octahedral shape of natural diamonds. She urged retailers to invest in a microscope to check for inclusions that can be detected under magnification of 10x to 300x, but asked them to refer suspicious stones to labs for conclusive results. 2 synthetic diamonds with natural diamonds. I urge the victims of synthetic mixing to come forward and lodge a complaint with the Council or BDB to enable us to punish the culprits. Already 4-5 people have been banned by the organisations. If you receive a parcel of natural diamonds mixed with synthetics, don t simply return the parcel and settle the matter among yourselves. Kothari said the Council is looking to increase the number of screening and detection machines in the country, but that the costs were prohibitively high at the moment a single machine can cost anywhere from Rs.80 lakh to Rs.1 crore. At present, synthetic diamonds make up barely 1-2% of all diamonds in the market. Joshi said that CVD diamonds are not capable of being mass produced because a single machine, which costs close to Rs.3 crore, barely produces 2,000 carats of diamonds per year. More Power To Women! Ethnic Indian Jewellery The seminar titled Role Women Can Play in the Desirable In The UK Gem and Jewellery Industry was moderated by Nirupa Bhatt, managing director, India & Middle East, Vaishali Banerjee, country manager at Platinum Guild International, Gunjan Suri, head designer at Shrenuj & Co., Aditi Motla of Priority Jewels, and jewellery designer Roopa Vohra. Bhatt outlined the many opportunities that the jewellery industry could offer to women in segments such as marketing, designing, finance, human resource and more. She stressed the importance of networking and stated that women would not benefit unless they stepped out of their comfort zone. Vohra, too, seconded her and stated that women should create a culture of socialising in India. Banerjee noted that instead of viewing ourselves as women, one should focus on one s individuality. Nothing should stop your dreams. Creativity comes naturally to women, Suri noted. But diversification is the need of the hour to enhance one s skills. The answers lie within us, so take charge if you need to establish yourself in this industry, Bhatt concluded. Aside from being an important jewellery market, the UK is also home to a more sophisticated customer base that is very precise and particular about what it wants. The seminar titled Leverage Your Experience In The UK Market was moderated by Jayant Raniga of Pure Jewels and the panellists included Paul Beesley of Baird and Co. Ltd., Jonathan Ralston of Christian Bauer and Mehul Lodhiya, GJEPC representative in the UK. The UK is a very brand-oriented and sophisticated market. Ethnic Indian jewellery in the UK is very desirable, but quality is of utmost importance, said Ralston. Getting started in the UK market is the difficult part according to Lodhiya. You need a lot of patience to even secure an appointment with a customer. People take time to trust the supplier. But once it s done, the journey is very consistent from there, he said. Ralston stressed on catering to the customer s emotional purpose of buying. Jewellery is usually a token of emotional significance, especially wedding rings. Christian Bauer focuses on meeting every need of the buyer, he said.

3 BOOK LAUNCH Sieve By Design: A Guide For Young Designers The second day of the India International Jewellery Week (IIJW) was the perfect setting to launch a design book Sieve by Design authored by Gunjan Suri. A Varuna D. Jani initiative, the book deals with matters regarding principles of designing and can be considered as a guide for every designer s initial development. This collaboration is the first step towards creating the change that we are ready to embrace. The book was unveiled in the presence of Nirupa Bhatt, MD for India & the Middle East, GIA; Vaishali Banerjee, country manager, Platinum Guild International; and fashion designer Nachiket Barve among several other industry leaders. Through the VOW initiative, a tribute to my father Ramchand Popley, I funded an idea that I thought would be really beneficial to the designer community, said Jani, while speaking about the book. My desire is to empower the talented, passionate and creative designer community. I found there was no guidebook for designers and I am hoping to fill that gap through this initiative, she added. Hari Krishna Launches HK.CO Hari Krishna Exports Pvt. Ltd. launched a brand new website at its booth at IIJS The website hk.co was launched by chief guest Paul Rowley, executive vice president, De Beers Global Sightholder Sales, along with N. Krishnamachari, deputy managing director of State Bank of India. Also present were Hari Krishna Exports managing director Ghanshyam Dholakia and founder Savji Dholakia. The new website hk.co boasts of being the smallest url in the diamond world and therefore easy to remember it replaces the old The new user-friendly website lets customers search, select and order diamonds conveniently. The HK group also has a mobile app for customers. The new website is aimed at solidifying Hari Krishna s presence in the online space. Entries Commence For JJS-IJJCDA Awards The 2015 edition of the prestigious JJS-IJ Jewellers Choice Design Awards (JJS-IJJCDA) will be held in the coming months, with entries being accepted until August 31, The 2015 edition of the contest has some new features, including a wildlife-themed jewellery of the year category for manufacturers. There is also a best of the best category for retailers. Voting for the best jewellery pieces will begin from September 21, 2015 and will conclude on October 5, The voting will be conducted through a dedicated website, ensuring transparency in judging. The finalists will be announced in November followed by a grand jury meet on November 21, The final winners will be announced at a glamorous event which will be held at a new venue in Jaipur on December 20, With the JJS-IJ Jewellers Choice Design Awards 2015, IJ brings forth a wonderful opportunity for manufacturers and designers, to showcase their talent, creativity and products through a unique platform, which is accessible from any part of the country and created especially for them. World Diamond Mark The World Diamond Mark Foundation is the nonprofit organisation that leads worldwide generic promotion of diamonds, stressing desirability and trust to end-consumers. Founded by the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB), it actively engages all other players and sectors in the diamond and jewellery industry from miners to retailers. GJEPC is actively involved in WDM since its inception. REGULARS ELITE CLUB The Elite Club offers selected retailers privileged hospitality at IIJS. There are mezzanine lounges at different locations, where members can enjoy a quiet moment and try out some refreshments. BUSINESS CENTRE The Business Centre in Hall 1 is equipped with internet access, meeting rooms, conference rooms, photocopying and fax services. The facilities can be availed of on a chargeable basis. CAFETERIAS The mouth-watering vegetarian fare at IIJS is provided 4 by Popular Hospitality, Cream Centre and Lakhani. The cafeterias are in Halls 2, 3 and 6. COFFEE SHOPS Get your daily caffeine fix at the coffee shops operated by Costa Coffee, Barista Lavazza and Subway Sandwiches spread across all the halls. SHUTTLE BUS SERVICE A complimentary Shuttle Bus Service to and from the exhibition centre is available for exhibitors who are also resident guests at the official hotels (Grand Hyatt, Sofitel, Renaissance, The Leela, Hyatt Regency, The Lalit, Courtyard Marriott, JW Marriott Sahar). Visitors can use the complimentary Shuttle Bus Service between Goregaon Railway Station and the exhibition centre, at Gate 2. IIJS Mobile App Scan the QR code for the latest news from the show floor.

4 INTERVIEW OF THE DAY Nazraana Engaging With Leading Indian Designers VIKRAM MERCHANT, director India representative office, diamonds sales and marketing, Rio Tinto, talks about the evolution of the company s marketing initiative Nazraana, and its plans to refresh its seven-themed collections for in collaboration with top Indian designers, making it more relevant to the current social milieu. It has been three years since Rio Tinto launched Nazraana. How has the journey been? Gifting, conveying accessibility of diamonds is the fundamental premise on which the brand was launched. The evolution has been in terms of expanding the canvas to larger opportunities which surround it and taking the brand to another level. Initially, we referred to wedding gifting but now, we are looking at all occasion-centric gifting possibilities. Today, the brand is in a niche of its own and offers strong value to the customer by offering the dual attributes of affordability and fashion. Has Nazraana helped boost diamond jewellery sales in India? Nazraana is generating incremental sales for the following reasons: The fastest growing category in the coming decade was going to be diamond jewellery below Rs. 1 lakh. This category can be referred to as Diamond Fashion Jewellery. Consumer selection is most influenced by design and price. While occasions are important for jewellery purchasing, there is not enough being done to promote new occasions. A third of jewellery buyers bought non-precious jewellery in the price range of Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 80,000 because they thought they would not get diamond jewellery in that price range. Is there a particular sector/region which is outperforming the others in terms of Nazraana jewellery sales? The gifting concept and affordable price-points ensure that Nazraana is an everyday selling opportunity. In particular, the brand has performed well in tier 2 and 3 cities where it is seen as an ideal entry point for customers wishing to make their first diamond purchase. What are Nazraana s plans for 2015? Rio Tinto recently launched its Nazraana collection for The signature collection developed by leading Indian designer Pallavi Foley, in collaboration with our international design team, will also be showcased at IIJW and IIJS. We have endeavoured to modernise traditional patterns and make jewellery more relevant to the social context in which it is now being worn. We are refreshing our in-store presence by creating exclusive branding zones. This will present the new designs in an aesthetic and stylish visual presentation. While diamonds are a status symbol valuable, classic and inaccessible, Nazraana is fast expanding the category as something more affordable, fashionable yet covetable. What are the opportunities that Rio Tinto plans to tap at IIJS 2015? As India s premier jewellery trade show, IIJS is an opportunity for Rio Tinto to showcase its fully integrated, mine-to-market diamond business. This includes its mine productions, exploration activities, technical support to diamond manufacturers, introduction of industry best practices and new marketing initiatives. Given the current market scenario, what are your expectations for IIJS? Our interaction with retailers indicates that they are looking for new trends and initiatives to bring customers back to jewellery stores. Further, current gold prices are extremely attractive to consumers. Retailers need to restock, have fresh designs, and expectations of improved consumer demand all lead me to have a positive outlook for the IIJS. Rio Tinto s Nazraana initiative is an opportunity for retailers to shift the dialogue with consumers from valuebased selling to an emotion-led approach. The seven Nazraana collections make the connect between product and occasion, easily enabling sales staff to tell the story behind the design. Nazraana is perfectly aligned with Rio Tinto s global marketing strategy of diamonds with a story. This approach goes beyond the traditional diamond 4C s and introduces a 5th element emotions.

5 STORYBOARD Markets Will See Gradual Growth In H2: Hitesh Lohia Since its inception, Imagem Jewels, the Mumbai-based B2B designer diamond jewellery company, has always been a frontrunner in creating trendy jewellery. It was founded by a self-motivated young individual HITESH LOHIA. With over 20 years of hands-on experience, Lohia efficiently manages the dynamic firm in the everchallenging and evolving Indian jewellery industry. Tell us a little about Imagem Jewels. We have a client base across India, including select jewellery houses in major metros and tier II cities of India from chain stores to traditionally owned stores to design studios. Being a self-contained factory, Imagem is able to offer customised service to its clientele for its varied and unique requirements. Equipped with a state-of-theart manufacturing facility in Mumbai, we do design conceptualization, CAD to finished goods under one roof. What will you be launching at IIJS? We have been participating in the show since 2003, and our endeavour is to bring something new to the fair every year. There are several collections that we will display at the show. One of them is the Pie-cut and 9-piece emerald jewellery collection. Pie-cut require acute precision and skill. Every individual diamond is proportionately cut to form a part of the solitaire. These customised-cut diamonds are set together seamlessly to form a big single round, oval, heart or emerald diamond. Priced at almost one-tenth of the original size diamond these special-cut diamonds are intelligently camouflaged in the diamond socket to form a big single solitaire. The other is a Micro-pave collection that ranges from Rs.25,000 to Rs.200,000. The Composite & Illusion Setting collection is contemporary and inspired by big fancy-shaped diamonds such as marquise, pear and princess that are set together to create composite and illusion-set jewels. A series of single-line necklaces, pointer illusion bangles, tennis bracelets form this collection ranging from Rs.25,000 onwards. The Exclusive Handcrafted Jewels are flamboyant employing fancy-cut diamonds in combination with round diamonds, glimmering rose-cuts and gemstones. Bright transparent meena work adds vibrancy to this collection. The Textile Collection highlights the traditional zardosi art woven with dexterity in 18-karat gold and enhanced with lustrous gemstones and diamonds. The line ranges from Rs.70,000 to Rs.650,000. What are the market conditions now in India? How are the export markets faring? The market condition since the last four months has been quite conservative; poor performances at the retail cash register has discouraged people from venturing into investing in new inventory or indulging in new experiments to a great extent. Retail store and manufacturer sentiments are at an all-time low. Re-invention and recreation of the existing stock is the model adapted by many retailers and major stock holders. Are you expecting a good show this year? Yes, the markets will hopefully see gradual growth in the next one or two months. Marriage being one of the biggest contributors in the Indian market, the coming season will certainly be good. What do retailers want these days? Retailers nowadays are focusing on budget-specific jewellery. Lightweight and trendy jewellery is in vogue. That s why we have developed and mastered the art of illusion and pie-cut jewels. We have seen an increase in demand compared to last year for composite and pie-cut jewellery. A basic 1-ct to 1.25-ct solitaire earrings can be substituted with earrings using marquise and princess diamonds which cost less than 1/10th of the price of the actual solitaires. Hence the demand is ever-increasing for solitaire bands, single-line necklaces and bangles in the illusion category. What is trending in terms of coloured stones or in the jewellery category? Fancy rings are rocking two-, three- and four-finger rings, low-budget nail rings, thumb rings and firstfinger rings with gold mesh are in vogue. Inspired by international trends the Indian markets, too, have started using more of black, deep blue and deep red colours in their jewellery. Transparent enamel jewellery with bold colour is catching the eye of the consumers! YS18 s Stylish Creations In Rose Gold SUDEEP SETHI, director, Intergem Exports, Indore, speaks about the latest collections under the brand name YS18 being showcased at the IIJS this year. Intergem Exports is a member of the gem and jewellery industry since the last 30 years, and manufactures jewellery for big retail houses across the world. For the Indian market, the B2B business runs under the brand name YS18. The company is famous for using natural fancy colour diamonds in their artistic creations. Since how long have you been participating in IIJS? We have been participating in the IIJS since the last years. The show has given us a lot of insight about the way Indian jewellers work. What will you be launching at the IIJS? Every year at IIJS, we launch a product line and work on the collection many months prior to the show. This year, we are presenting the Rose Gold collection. Essentially, we are making the jewellery in 14-karat rose gold, although some of the pieces are also being crafted in 18-karat rose gold. We have mostly used white diamonds with accents of pink natural colour diamonds to give the collection a fresh look. The jewellery is very organic and of great quality. The collection ranges from Rs.50,000 to Rs.250,000 and upwards. What are the market conditions now in India? Last six months were quite subdued as compared to last year. But conditions have improved since the last oneand-a-half months. Are you expecting a good show this year? As the Indian market is stable and showing signs of improvements, retailers are optimistic about the scenario. I am sure buying will happen as they mostly come to IIJS looking for new trends and designs. Even when the market had been critically low, IIJS has always 8 done wonders for us. Have you done any research on what consumers want these days? Fortunately, the retailers we work with provide a lot of useful information on consumer behaviour. Today, consumers are well informed and want delicate items this season without compromising on the quality and uniqueness of the product. What is trending in terms of coloured stones or jewellery category? In terms of colour, softer pinks and lavenders, purple and red hues in gemstones are the choices this year. In the jewellery category, consumers are opting for mixed material and leather bracelets with charms are trending well. Long chandelier earrings, statement cuffs and Art Deco pieces are topping the popularity list.

6 B R A N D W AT C H Luxuriant Garden Adamas Jewellery presents a collection inspired by exotic flowers and their predominant interpretation in Indian architecture and tapestry. The subtle floral and arabesque detailing is reminiscent of verdant gardens where luscious pearls and vibrant coloured gemstones bloom. The collection includes earrings, cocktail rings, pendants, ear cuffs, long finger rings, and bridal jewellery. Pearl Paradise Diagold works its magic touch on a classic colour palette with the Enchanting Pearl collection. The collection offers earrings and necklaces sculpted in 18-karat gold, enriched with white and black diamonds and pearls. A classic amalgamation of black diamonds and black pearls exemplify power, while danglers and necklaces in white diamonds and pearls lend a pristine touch to the pieces. Intense Emeralds Parth Diamonds celebrates the colour of springtime and of life itself through its emerald-studded jewellery collection. Effortlessly combining mystical green emeralds with fancy diamonds set in yellow and white gold, the collection comprises a wide range of necklaces, earrings, bangles, bracelets, pendant sets and rings. Ranging from dainty everyday pieces to more opulent ones for occasions, the collection has it all. 10

7 B R A N D W AT C H Silver Sparks Jaipur-based Silver Shop presents its elaborate range of silver jewellery that encompasses ethnic as well as Western designs. Featured here is a stately pair of drop earrings crafted with uncut diamonds defined by a border of round diamonds. The square and the circular bangles share the same aesthetics and can effortlessly make one look dressy. Jewellery for all Seasons Jaipur-based Valentine Jewellery (India) Pvt. Ltd. deals in 14- and 18-karat studded gold jewellery. Using top quality diamonds and colour gemstones, the collections are a perfect accompaniment for party and daily wear. Making prêt jewellery is the forte of the company and at this IIJS, it unveils a range of affordable Navratna jewellery studded with nine precious gems. The alluring designs of necklace and pendant sets, rings and bangles can be paired with any ensemble. Diamond Elegance Vark Jewels blends elegance and simplicity in its range of handcrafted diamond jewellery. The floral motif suspended from the necklace can be worn as a pendantm, while the centre stone can be interchanged depending on your outfit and mood. The Tanmaniya collection showcases diamond mangalsutras for the modern Indian woman. 12