The third edition of Indian Jewellery Fair IIJS Signature was held at Kala Academy located in the capital of Goa, Panaji. Kala Academy is known as a large venue for annual musical and movies festivals and other cultural events and lately IIJS Signature is permanently held at this center.

It should be noted that the fair was organized quite worthily in every respect including security measures. The opening ceremony passed rather quietly due to the fact that not all the invited delegations and buyers managed to get to IIJS Signature in time.

Top officials of GJEPC led by Vasant Mehta headed the procession and were the first to pass along vivid booths examining the exposition, stopping at each of several dozens of booths and finally held a brief press conference at the central hall of Kala Academy.

Vasant Mehta noted that only companies providing best designs, craftsmanship and quality were selected to participate in the show adding that “the IIJS Signature was the medium through which the message of Indian industry was carried to the world.” Mehta also said that IIJS Signature featured all categories of jewellery including plain and studded jewellery, pieces with high to low caraters, machine made and hand made jewellery oriented at all large global markets particularly US, European, Far East, Middle East and Australian markets.

Generally, the exposition could be described as diversified, however it mainly justified the expectations of those jewelers who were set to develop and expand the domestic consumer market. Jewellery designs oriented at Indian consumers were represented most widely – bright and ponderous necklaces, pendants, earrings and rings made of gold and glittering with color gems and pearls were particularly attractive. The oriental style of jewellery was obviously to hit the tastes of local clients and retailers and those who came from the CIS countries.

In a lesser degree there were also jewellery pieces made of other precious metals and more casual items having quite modest design traditionally popular among European consumers. Vasant Mehta noted that IIJS Signature, as distinguished from a larger and more representative IIJS, could not feature all the range of Indian jewellery, but he stressed that India is focused on external markets and particularly the country managed to increase its jewellery export to the United States in the period of recession.

The greater part of exponents at the show were Indian companies specialized in manufacturing and sales of high-end jewellery and that was the main idea of IIJS Signature. For the first time the show featured companies specialized in producing loose diamonds, gemstones and pearls as a distinct category.

The IIJS Signature Show is positioned as an important b2b event more aimed at future development of relationships between its participants rather than sales of luxury jewellery. Some companies presented just samples of jewellery designs but did not sell their goods. Despite the fact that the number of visitors of the show was lower in 2010 compared to its 2009 edition (over 300 people against 500 people in the previous year), the participants were expressing optimism in respect of market environment and its development in the nearer future as well as marked their success at the show.

Foreign delegations from Russia, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Poland, Iran and Bangladesh were also invited to take part in IIJS Signature. They had closed meetings with the management of GJEPC to discuss expansion of relations between the countries in the jewellery industry.

During the meeting with the Russian delegation Vasant Mehta expressed GJEPC’s readiness to cooperate with Russia and expand India’s jewellery exports to this country. According to Mehta, Russia is considered as a large and highly promising market for Indian jewelers and India strives to raise its share in the Russian market. The participants of the meeting discussed the quality of Indian polished diamonds and gems set in jewellery pieces oriented at either domestic or international markets.

Vasant Mehta, in his turn, mentioned the high import duties for jewellery as the main disincentive to expanding collaboration between the countries in jewellery trade.

On the whole, the 2010 show was a definite success and its organizers assured that IIJS Signature would be continued in the following years.

Tatyana Alexandrova, Rough&Polished, Goa-Moscow