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RAPAPORT... India International Jewellery Week (IIJW) 2014 concluded on July 17 just as the India International Jewellery Show (IIJS) opened its doors to the industry. IIJW was a most celebrated event for its fourth year, with a host of celebrities modeling branded diamonds and jewels among the many new collections on exhibit. IIJW also proved to be a positive platform for budding talent from the jewelry designing schools across India. Speaking exclusively to Rapaport News, Vipul Shah, the chairman of the Gems & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), said, “We have received a phenomenal response to IIJW this year. All the participants were excited with the response generated. From Bollywood celebrities to high-net-worth individuals, the show has met with success. The response we have received for the show is so positive that there are chances that the show may be hosted internationally next year.” IIJW's title sponsor, the diamond brand “Nazraana” by Rio Tinto, presented one piece from each of its seven collections that were launched this week: the Infinity, Heritage, Contemporary, Spirituality, Love, Floral and Men’s Luxury lines. Men’s jewelry accents included cufflinks, rings, lockets and button pendants. The “Best of the Best” featured 21 entries this year, presented by P C Jewellers. The collection showcase was divided into two sections – modern contemporary and traditional -- whereas each brand or designer featured a jewelry piece from their collections. Finally, the closing evening festivities concluded with Sonam Kapoor, the brand ambassador of IIJW, wearing a fabulous Ganjam creation -- the bridal headband called “Arbor Amore” and created in a goldleaf design, accompanied by wrist wear from the Gerbera collection and a ring from the Nizam collection and floral earrings. With the monsoon in full swing across Mumbai, the 31st edition of IIJS kicked off at the Bombay Exhibition Centre at Goregaon with 800 participants and 1,850 booths, according to Shah. “With each year, we aim to get bigger and better...It is the second day today and I can safely say that the response received seems to be positive. There are international delegation meetings being held throughout. The gold section seems to be doing very well and so is the jewelry section. By the weekend, we shall see a positive momentum in the loose diamond section, as well,” Shah said.
In an exclusive interview with Rapaport News, Nirav Bhansali, the convener for exhibitions at GJEPC, said, “In terms of visitors, we are at an all time high. I wouldn’t be able to share the exact numbers, but I can say that we have seen a jump of about 25 percent from visitors from cities in India who had never visited IIJS earlier.” One exhibitor, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, shared that the first two days of IIJS have been "lukewarm" in terms of selling activity, although he seemed optimistic regarding the prospect of a greater crowd arriving for the weekend. IIJS concludes on July 21. The opening ceremonies included many special guests, including Karna Bahadur Thapa – the honorable minister of industry for Nepal; Pankaj Parekh, the vice chairman of the GJEPC. International delegations arrived from the U.K., Hungary, China, Hong Kong, Uzbekistan, Russia, United Arab Emirates, Nepal, Myanmar, Iran, Thailand, Bangladesh and others.
According to the GJEPC, 35,000 visitors, both international and from India, are expected to visit the show.
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