About J

About J, the exclusive, high-end trade show created by the Vicenza Fair, held its second edition in Milan recently, its three-day timing scheduled just before the city’s fashion week. The show was small in size, including about 65 exhibitors and limited to an invitation-only group of retailers.

Overall, the mood in international markets remained bleak, but exhibitors, particularly Italian manufacturers, noted that it was a fairly good show for them, serving as a local testing ground — albeit a costly one — before their major showcase in Basel. “This kind of show is the future,” observed several, referring to the intimate salon-like selling floor and the meals and special events designed to encourage networking between exhibitors and buyers. Others, however, were not so enthused, lamenting the slow flow of traffic and small orders and vowing to skip this event next year.

Generally speaking, the merchandise selection was varied yet balanced, topped off by diamond and gemstone extravaganzas from Gorgolione, Crivelli, and Picchiotti, high-fashion collections from leading international brands such as Roberto Coin, Rosato and Marco Bicego and smaller, exclusive lines such as those from British designer Rodney Rayner and American Temple St. Clair.
The great majority of exhibitors were Italian, but a smattering of others hailed from countries including Germany, Portugal, the U.S., India and Israel. Buyers were from around the globe.


Keeping Their Edge
To keep their edge with today’s increasingly demanding clientele, exhibitors reported that they are concentrating on unique designs, creative production techniques and high quality materials. Some of the most dramatic designs were bold, sectional rings from Mattia Cielo’s “Metamorphic Dynamism” collection. These five-sectioned rings, with pavé diamonds and gemstones in a choice of different metals, contract like airplane flaps, slip over the knuckle, then open over the finger to conform with the shape of the hand.

Mumbai-based Bapalal Keshavlal, known for its multicarat diamond jewelry, was a first-time exhibitor at this show and introduced a new collection featuring sheets of gold laser-engraved with computer-generated patterns and accented with diamonds. Romy Mehta, company president, explained that the contemporary designs are based on traditional Indian art and architecture. Wholesale prices range from $300 to $2,000, with diamonds of G to H color.
The changing international market was noted by company spokespersons for Ponte Vecchio Gioielli, a jewelry manufacturer based in Florence, Italy. Russians used to be the firm’s top customers, and while a handful are still buying at the very high end, the bottom dropped out of this market in December as oil prices plunged. Spokespersons for Centoventuno Gioielli, headquartered in Bologna, Italy, stated that their major sales base remains in Europe.

The company closed its U.S. office more than a decade ago.
Vicenza-based Sauro takes an opposite stance, enjoying considerable distribution in the U.S. Company representatives reported a very good show, seeing some existing American customers as well as a number of new ones. The firm, originally a gold manufacturer, exhibited a large assortment of unisex bracelets in a range of industrial materials, including steel, aluminum, copper, titanium, carbon fiber and silver, all accented with gold and diamonds. Retail prices begin at around $1,000 and diamonds are generally H color and VVS clarity, according to Federica Rosato, marketing director.


Innovation
There was plenty of innovative and beautiful jewelry to be found. Among the most notable trends was an increased use of brown, cognac and yellow diamonds, usually in all over pavé designs. The colored diamonds were set in gold in a variety of tones from black to pink to yellow to white, with the color of the metal subtly changing the look from piece to piece.

Pavé continued to be a dominant look on bangles, earrings and rings. Sometimes, tonal designs were created using varying colors of diamonds or diamonds mixed with rubies and pink sapphires.

Among the standout looks were Favero’s innovative patented setting, in which a tiny all-diamond bezelsupports a larger center diamond; Yvel’s bold necklaces of brown pearls and pavé beads accented with brown diamonds; Crivelli’s shimmering bracelets and necklaces mixing different sizes and cuts of diamonds; and Gorgolione’s fantasy bibs composed entirely of diamonds.

The newest rings were huge — oversized cocktail rings with large center cabochons or cigar bands encrusted with pavé. Bracelets and rings were often merchandised in sets of three — in white, black and brown diamonds — that could be worn alone or combined. Unlike commercial metal jewelry that is flat in form and light in weight, designer pieces were often multilevel and sculptural, with sweeping spirals over the gemstones, bilevel constructions and interlocking pieces.

The world’s worsening financial crisis caused a mood swing, manufacturers observed. People at the luxury level will still buy jewelry to commemorate weddings and other special occasions, but they are looking for items that are special. Isaac Levy, owner of Yvel in Jerusalem, summed up the current sentiment: “It is not right to flaunt wealth this season. People want something different that doesn’t scream ‘money.’”

Article from the Rapaport Magazine - March 2009. To subscribe click here.