SEMINARS on precious gems along with displays of high-end jewellery and affordable contemporary designs are being held at Jewellery Arabia.
The expo has eight national pavilions, from Hong Kong, India, Italy, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, the UK and the US.
The Indian pavilion is made up of 50 companies from India’s gem and jewellery industry and occupies 750sqm of space.
“The Middle East has emerged as a key leading market, accounting for $12.4 billion last year, which is 30 per cent of the total Indian gem and jewellery exports to the region,” said Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council chairman Praveenshankar Pandya.
“Indian manufacturers have an advantage as jewellery preference and design sensibilities of the Middle East are very similar to that of India.
“Over the years, there has been a substantial demand for Indian-designed products and Jewellery Arabia gives us the perfect opportunity to further improve our trade with the region.”
The Hong Kong pavilion is made up of 47 companies and the Singapore pavilion has nine companies.
Of the many exhibitors was Bahraini style blogger and founder of overdressed.com Dana Al Khalifa said there was a niche in the market for jewellery that was both affordable and impressive.
“Young working women do not have much choice when it comes to purchasing jewellery,” she said.
“It is either big diamonds with big prices or small diamonds that have no effect.
“At Jewellery Arabia 2016, we bring together a selection of jewellers who produce beautiful pieces with prices that a young working woman can afford when she is treating herself.
“We want women to be able to wear the jewels that they work so hard to purchase.”
On the sidelines of the exhibition, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) will hold daily seminars about diamond colour, fluorescence in diamonds, pearl history and its value factors, synthetic diamonds and ruby sources.
Platform
“GIA has been the education and laboratory provider for visitors for Jewellery Arabia since 2012,” said GIA India and Middle East managing director Nirupa Bhatt.
“This exhibition provides a great platform to spread awareness about gemological education.”
The Gem and Jewellery Institute of Thailand is also taking part in Jewellery Arabia for the first time, and will hold a seminar tomorrow from 4.30pm to 6.30pm on ‘ruby and sapphire: from mine to the market’.
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