News Presents the latest news in the

world’s jewellery and gemstone trade

China Up-close Keeps you up-to-date with the latest

developments in one of the world’s most important markets

Jewellery Market news and latest design

trends from major manufacturing centres

Pearls Comprehensive coverage of the

pearl trade including South Sea, Tahitian, akoya and freshwater pearls

Gemstones Comprehensive reports on the

gemstone trade from mine to market

Technology Presents latest technology in

jewellery manufacturing

Trade Fairs Previews and reviews of major

international trade shows around the globe

Diamonds Keeps you abreast of the latest

developments in the diamond trade

Published since 1983

FrequencyMonthly

LanguageEnglish

Regular readershipOver 13,000 worldwide

Readership profileDecision makers in the jewellery trade – importers, wholesalers, retailers and manufacturers

Bonus distributionOver 30 jewellery trade fairs and events worldwide each year

Ad Booking & Material Deadline: 1st of every previous month

Why advertise in Jewellery News Asia (JNA)?

Editorial StrengthFor 27 years, Jewellery News Asia, UBM Asia’s flagship publication, is Asia’s leading jewellery trade magazine. Valued for its editorial strength, Jewellery News Asia is widely read by the world’s jewellery, diamond, pearl and gemstone sectors as well as jewellery-making tools and equipment suppliers. Our team brings comprehensive, in-depth and up-to-date reports on the jewellery and gemstone industry with a focus on Asia, providing industry leaders and key buyers with accurate and relevant information to make timely business decisions.

Regular sections

Jewellery News AsiaThe leading jewellery trade magazine

ESTABLISHED 1983

AUGUST 2010

ASIA’S LEADING NEWS MAGAZINE FOR THE JEWELLERY BUSINESS, GEM TRADE AND WATCH INDUSTRY

JEW

ELLER

Y N

EW

S A

SIA

Au

gu

st 2010

Issue

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er 312

Thailand focuses on emerging markets

Europe, Hong Kong and Australia

have been at the centre of the

export marketing strategy of Thailand’s

gemstone and jewellery industry for

years. The fast-moving market landscape

and fierce competition for “share-of-

wallet,” however, have convinced Thai

jewellery manufacturers that it is time

to look at new opportunities for growth.

Many of them are setting their sights

on emerging markets such as Russia,

the CIS countries and China. Russia,

in particular, has been identified by

some Thai jewellery manufacturers as a

market that is “beginning to awake.” To

know more about this Southeast Asian

country’s vibrant jewellery sector, turn

to page 27 for the full report.

22 Shenzhen jewellers stay

upbeat in tough economic

times

40 Demand up for nature’s

perfect gems

46 Brazil to host ICA Congress

in 2011

57 Diamonds shimmer in June

Hong Kong Fair

64 IPP exhibitors to present

first-rate collections at

September Hong Kong Fair

What’s inside

Thailand’s jewellery and gemstone industry is expanding and gaining prominence in

the world, thanks to its crop of outstanding players who have transformed the Southeast

Asian nation into one of the world’s leading jewellery design and manufacturing

centres. Pictured here is an Esperanza butterfly pendant in 18-karat white gold set with

blue sapphires weighing a total of 3.74 carats and brilliant-cut diamonds with a total

weight of 2.18 carats by Miiori New York, a signature brand created by Bangkok-based

Jacob’s Jewelry Co Ltd.

JNA Cover.Aug2010.indd 1

7/27/10 10:13 AM

ESTABLISHED 1983SEPTEMBER 2010

ASIA’S LEADING NEWS MAGAZINE FOR THE JEWELLERY BUSINESS, GEM TRADE AND WATCH INDUSTRY

Demand for fancy diamonds increasesRare fancy coloured diamonds – with top-quality specimens fetching record prices in international auctions – frequently spur intense bidding among moneyed collectors from around the world. In addition to top-quality diamonds, fancy coloured stones of lower quality are just as popular, particularly in key markets like the US, dealers say. Although the US is still the world’s largest diamond consumer market, China and India are also working up an appetite for these naturally occurring coloured diamonds. JNA finds out why dealers believe this trend will become even more pronounced in the near future.

Taiwan jewellery’s sparkle draws global interest

Jewellery designer reaches for the stars

Indian jewellery market flourishes

Jewelmer faces a lustrous future

Opal dealers eye China for growth

Spellbinding jewellery designs at the September HK Fair

What’s inside

Some of the world’s leading diamond, gemstone and jewellery companies are flocking to Hong Kong to present their finest collections and latest products at the 28th edition of the September Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair. From the classic and chic to the glamorous and grand, the jewellery collections that will be presented at the September Hong Kong Fair are guaranteed to impress discerning buyers. Pictured above are eye-catching sapphire rings accented with VS-quality diamonds by Ricco International of Hong Kong. The sapphires in these extraordinary rings have carat weights ranging from 8.03 carats to 13.34 carats.

JNA Cover Red. Sept2010 (200x275).indd 1

8/25/10 9:35 PM

22 JEWELLERY NEWS ASIAAugust 2010

China Up-close

Shenzhen’s jewellery industry

started feeling the pinch of

the global economic crisis in the

first half of 2010. Local jewellery

manufacturers, however, believe

they can keep their businesses

afloat and even profitable during

tough times by implementing

creative marketing strategies

and investing in product

development. Confident about

their future growth prospects,

these Shenzhen jewellers predict

that business will soon pick

up steam, and that they will

eventually regain their footing.

Shenzhen Kingli Jewellery

Co Ltd, a leading manufacturer

of platinum, 18-karat gold and

gemstone- or diamond-studded

jewellery in the Yantian District

of Shenzhen City, was one of the

companies that reported a sharp

drop in half-year sales. “Last

year, wholesalers and retailers

had excessive inventory. This,

together with rising gold prices,

has deterred them from stocking

up this year,” said Zhou Zeping,

deputy general manager of the

company.

The company posted hefty

growth in 2009, with its diamond-

studded jewellery line registering

a whopping 50 percent increase

in sales over the previous year,

and platinum jewellery achieving

its best sales results ever.

Pure gold

Understanding the tough

market situation this year, the

company plans to launch a

programme that will help its

customers effectively market

their products through strong

visual merchandising. “Our

recent market research showed

that creative store window

displays can generate impulse

buys. The same commodity can

be displayed in diverse ways,

and often, to stunning effect,”

Mr Zhou said.

jewellers stay upbeat in tough

Shenzheneconomic times

From left: Ring with sapphire and diamonds, pure gold jewellery set and platinum ring by Shenzhen Kingli Jewellery Co Ltd

The executive is confident

that the market will gain

momentum in the coming

months in spite of fluctuating

gold prices and uncertainties

in the property and stock

markets. With this in mind,

Shenzhen Kingli Jewellery

plans to produce daily-wear,

pure gold jewellery catering

to the fashionable set. “Gold

jewellery is usually worn on

special occasions and is stashed

in the safe after the event,” he

said, noting China’s promising

market for casual pure gold

jewellery.

The company recently

invested in state-of-the-art

technology and equipment for

the production of high-quality

pure gold products. A mould

machine from Japan that the

company has acquired can

enhance the plasticity of pure

gold jewellery, he added.

The rising popularity of

coloured gemstones in China

also convinced the company to

carry a small line of gemstone-

studded jewellery. In the next

year or two, it plans to expand

its production to include

jewellery pieces set with high-

end gemstones such as rubies,

sapphires and jadeites.

The company’s preparations

for product development are

well in place, Mr Zhou said. In

early 2009, the company built

a factory in the Yantian District

of Shenzhen City that has

helped boost its manufacturing

capacity and product diversity.

The factory has a floor space

of 5,600 square metres or

more than double the size of

its old 2,000-square-metre

factory. Shenzhen Kingli

Jewellery also invested in a new

factory for the processing of

pure gold jewellery. Its total

manufacturing workforce also

grew from 300 to 800 people.

Advanced technology

Mr Zhou is not the only

industry player who wants

to stay ahead of the game in

the current economic climate.

Shenzhen Boee Jewelry Co

Ltd, a large-scale jewellery

manufacturer in the Luohu

District that has been in business

for nearly two decades, is also

keeping itself competitive by

constantly rolling out jewellery

collections.

Shenzhen Boee Jewelry’s

“Crystal Sugar” and “Extreme

Love” ring collections, which

are produced using cutting-edge

processing technology, have been

well received since their launch

in 2009. The company’s Swiss-

made CNC machine is used

to produce its “Crystal Sugar”

collection which includes tren

dy

rings with intricate carvings on

their shanks.

The quality of workmanship

in its “Extreme Love” collection

is even more sophisticated. The

collection consists

of His &

Hers rings in two-tone or three-

tone gold. The ring’s shank is

made of hollow gold, and the

surface is crafted with intricate

carvings and embellished with

diamonds.

“Consumers remain cau-

tious and are not yet ready to

loosen their purse strings due

to soaring gold prices. To meet

our customers’ requirements,

we have been using the hollow-

gold technique. This enables us

to produce jewellery which is

25 to 30 percent lighter than

conventional gold jewellery,”

said Zhou Lingling, managing

director of the company.

A pair of His & Hers rings

carries a retail price ranging

from RMB4,000 (US$590) to

RMB7,000 (US$1,030). Its

affordable price has made it one

of the most popular wedding

rings among China’s young

couples, she added.

In addition to its strong

bridal jewellery segment,

Shenzhen Boee Jewelry also

hopes to expand sales among

other consumer groups, Ms

“Dolala” collection by Shenzhen Boee

Jewelry Co Ltd

Diamond pendant by Shenzhen Boee

Jewelry Co Ltd

23

JEWELLERY NEWS ASIA

August 2010

China Up-close

Jewellery: Thailand

34 JEWELLERY NEWS ASIAAugust 2010

The red-shirt riots might

derail the recovery of the

Thai gemstone and jewellery

industry to some degree, but

many viewed this as a temporary

hitch, and are cautiously

optimistic about their business

prospects for 2010.

The civil unrest had forced

many of MKS Jewelry’s overseas

customers to cancel their busi-

ness trips to Thailand, Saumik

Gandhi, managing director of

MKS Jewelry, told JNA.

Allure Jewellery had faced

the same problems. The civil

disturbances discouraged their

customers from coming to

Bangkok, resulting in lost sales,

said company director Ajay Jain.

“Some customers also

feared that the riots would

result in delays or non-delivery

of products. We had, however,

demonstrated on-time delivery

to our customers. It had not

impacted our day-to-day work

and factory operation,” he said.

What was more alarming

were the sharp currency swings

which had impacted the

country’s exports. The baht’s

appreciation against the euro in

the first five months of the year

has eroded Thailand’s export

competitiveness, Alongkorn

Ponlaboot, Thailand’s deputy

minister of commerce, t

old The

Nation. The baht was up 10

to 13 percent against the euro

during the said period.

Other negative factors that

affected the country’s export

performance in the past months

were high gold prices, rising

labour costs and a shortage

of jewellery specialists, said

Mr Gandhi of MKS Jewelry.

However, the company remains

optimistic on its sales growth

this year. “During the first half

of the year, our business grew

by more than 30 percent, with

diamond jewellery of a lighter

gold weight among our most

popular products. We expect

our sales to increase by at least

20 percent this year, thanks to

a diversified marketing strategy,

improved internal efficiencies, a

cost-effective approach to doing

One of MKS Jewelry’s

best-selling piecesremain upbeat amid jitters

Thai jewellers

business, and positive consumer

sentiment,” he said.

Allure Jewellery was just

as bullish about its growth

prospects this year. “Our sales

grew 40 percent during the first

five months of 2010 compared

with the same period last year.

High-value, chunky jewellery

pieces, with a wholesale price

ranging from US$2,000 to

US$25,000, were our best

sellers. We expect 2010 sales

to be higher than last year,” Mr

Jain said.

The Thai jewellery industry

and the government need to step

up their support for jewellers,

he continued. “We, as foreign

investors in Thailand, expect the

government to provide us with

some financial incentives such

as tax rebates. Thailand should

also extend support to small-

scale companies,” he added. JNA

Saumik Gandhi, managing director of MKS Jewelry

We expect our sales to increase by at least

20 percent this year, thanks to a diversified

strategy, improved internal efficiencies, a

cost-effective approach to doing business,

and positive consumer sentiment.

Earrings in 18-karat

white gold by Allure

Jewellery Mfg Co Ltd

Switzerland

31.3%

Hong Kong

19.75%

Australia

18.02%

Others

10.06%

US

8.67%

Belgium

2.55%

Italy

2.35%

Japan

2.13%

Denmark

1.84%

United

Kingdom

1.78% Germany

1.76%

Jewellery: Thailand

30 JEWELLERY NEWS ASIAAugust 2010

Hammer Group, a multinational, multi-business co

nglo-

merate that has acquired the MKS Group, is celebrating

its 150th anniversary this year.

Established in 1860 in Germany, Hammer Group started

as a small manufacturing house crafting luxury items. Today,

it operates in 11 countries and exports products and services

to more than 250 cities worldwide.

“Throughout our 150-year history, we have transformed

ourselves into a full-service multi-brand and multi-business

group,” said Mr Gandhi. JNA

Hammer Group marks 150th anniversary

with distinctive layered patterns

– is available in both silver and

gold.

Mixed results in Europe

As for the European market

overall, which accounts for

more than 40 percent of the

country’s total exports of

gemstones and jewellery,

Thai jewellery manufacturers

interviewed by JNA posted

mixed results in the first five

months of the year. Some of

them rated the business they

made as either buoyant or

moderate: Allure Jewellery

registered “rapid growth” in its

exports to Europe, along with

the US and the Middle East;

Kate Silver Co Ltd’s exports to

Europe fared “quite well;” and

MKS Jewelry International Co

Ltd had more or less the same

export performance compared

with year-ago figures.

moved up to become our largest

export market, accounting for

about 50 percent of our total

exports.”

Potential markets

Reducing their dependence

on traditional markets, Thai

entrepreneurs are setting their

sights on emerging markets such

as Russia, the CIS countries and

China. These countries m

ay not

have high export values but

they show a lot of promise.

“There is one untapped mar-

ket that’s beginning to awake

– Russia. Consumers there

wield huge purchasing power,”

shared Kitichai Sae-Tang, mana-

ging director of Oblique, a

manufacturer of coloured gem-

stone jewellery in Bangkok.

He noted, however, that

one should conduct a wide-

ranging study on target markets

including import regulations,

tax rates and consumer buying

behaviour before setting foot in

unfamiliar markets. “Russia’s

customs system has been

unwieldy. It checks every single

item coming into the country

thoroughly. Tariffs are also very

high,” said Mr Kitichai. His

company exports 70 percent of

its merchandise to Europe and

the remaining 30 percent to

Japan and Russia.

China is another market

that presents high-growth

potential for the Thai gem-

stone and jewellery sector,

said Ms Vorakittiwong of

Hoover, a coloured gemstone

jewellery specialist. “The

purchasing power of the

huge Chinese population

is getting stronger. Though

local consumers still spend

mostly on diamond and gold

jewellery, they now have

better knowledge of coloured

gemstones compared to four

years ago. We plan to start our

business in China,” she said.

Allure Jewellery, which

saw rapid export growth to

core markets such as Europe,

the US and the Middle East,

underscored the importance

of tapping into new markets.

“Our presence in Asia has been

very weak, but it is now time

for us to explore this market.

Meanwhile, we will maintain

our position in our core

markets,” Mr Jain said.

MKS Jewelry believes that

Asia, with its huge population

and high-spending power,

holds tremendous growth

potential. “South America and

the CIS countries are equally

promising,” said Saumik

Gandhi, managing director of

the company. JNA

Others, however, rep

orted a

decline in business with Europe.

“Our exports to Europe and

the US – which used to be

our biggest export destinations

– have dropped because of

the lacklustre economy,” said

Chanpen Vorakittiwong, dir-

ector of sales & marketing of

Hoover International Co Ltd.

“Asia, including Korea, Japan,

Hong Kong and Taiwan, has

Top 10 export destinations for

Thailand’s gemstones and jewellery

Source: GIT in collaboration with the Thai

Customs Department

18 JEWELLERY NEWS ASIAAugust 2010

News

Cibjo, the World Jewellery

Confederation, has reached

a multilateral cooperation

agreement with the Ministry

of Trade and Tourism of the

Republic of Peru. The agreement

involves the establishment

of a US$6.2 million training

programme that is designed

to improve the skills and

efficiencies of 12,000 Peruvian

jewellery artisans as a first

step to building a sustainable,

responsible and ethical jewellery

industry in Peru, Cibjo said in a

statement.

The Peruvian Exporters’

Association and the National

Service of Occupational Trai-

ning in Industry are also a party

to the agreement, which was

finalised on July 3 in Lima.

The programme will be imple-

mented over a period of at

least three years in five regions

of Peru, namely Arequipa,

Cajamarca, Cusco, Lima and

Piura. Cibjo, together with

its CSR educational arm, the

World Jewellery Confederation

Education Foundation, will be

responsible for coordinating the

delivery of tools and services

from around the world to assist

the programme in meeting its

goals.“This is a very exciting

challenge and opportunity,

not only for Cibjo, but for

all members of the jewellery

sector around the world,” said

Gaetano Cavalieri, president of

Cibjo.As a leading producer of

both gold and silver, Peru

is keen to expand its jewel-

lery manufacturing sector, Dr

Cavalieri added. JNA

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA)

will be offering in 2011 more than 140

opportunities for students to receiv

e funding to

help them pursue a career in the gemstone and

jewellery industry.

These opportunities include two new

US$10,000 awards from Tiffany & Co, GIA

said in a statement.

“There are so many talented people with

a love for gems and jewellery who do not

have the financial resources for gemmo-

logical education,” said Bev Berthoty, GIA

Institute Relations manager. “Helping these

scholarship recipients become professionals

who can serve their clients and the industry

with their expertise, is yet another way GIA

manifests its mission to protect the public

trust.”The new Tiffany & Co Scholarships can be

used for any of GIA’s education programmes,

depending on the student’s interests and goals.

Applications must be completed and

returned by October 30. A list of all available

scholarships, application and instructions can be

found at www.gia.edu/scholarships. JNA

The United Nations’ Institute for Training

and Research (Unitar) has invited Cibjo, the

World Jewellery Confederation, to participate in

Unitar Week, which will take place in the United

Nations Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo

from September 19 to 26.

Cibjo will assume a key role in a

corporate social responsibility (CSR)

programme being organised in Shanghai

by Unitar to emphasise the responsibility

of the business community in helping meet

the UN’s Millennium Development Goals.

The invitation to Cibjo was formally issued

in Antwerp by Jocelyn Fenard, chief of

Partnerships and Resource Mobilisation at

Unitar, on the final day of the first executive

course in CSR organised by the World Jewellery

Confederation Education Foundation (WJCEF)

in June.

During the Unitar Week at the UN Pavilion

in Shanghai, senior Chinese government

officials, UN officials, business leaders and other

influential figures will be invited to discuss social

and economic development issues. JNA

GIA offers 140 scholarshipsUN body invites Cibjo to take part

in Shanghai World Expo CSR event

Cibjo to assist Peruvian artisans

Gaetano Cavalieri, president of Cibjo

Photo credit: WFDB2010/Liuza Gorshenina

20 JEWELLERY NEWS ASIAAugust 2010

News

The “Emeralds for Elephants”

exhibition drew to an

exciting close in June when the

most valuable elephant in the

London Elephant Parade was

auctioned to raise funds for the

World Land Trust (WLT) and

Wildlife Trust of India. The two

non-profit organisations are

working together to create a

network of wildlife corridors

so elephants can follow

their migratory routes while

minimising human-elephant

conflict, Gemfields said in a

statement.

The “Emerald Queen”

elephant features a 678-carat

emerald from Gemfields and was

auctioned for £150,000 (around

US$228,000). Eight unique

pieces of emerald jewellery

raised an additional £517,000

(around US$785,000). A

staggering £667,000 (more than

US$1 million) was raised in 40

minutes, Gemfields said.

Numerous celebrities

from the UK and India were

in attendance at the auction

Auction raises US$1m for elephants

Gem

field

s

From left: John Burton from the

World Land Trust, “Emerald Queen”

designer Sabine Roemer, cricketer

Yuvraj Singh and Mark Shand from

the Elephant Family

Sanjay Kasliwal from Gem Palace

and a model wearing Gem Palace’s

Emeralds for Elephants-inspired

jewellery pieces

Movers & Shakers

AWDC elects Nishit Parikh as

president

The board of directors of

the Antwerp World Diamond

Centre (AWDC) has elected

Nishit Parikh to serve as

AWDC president for the

coming two years. Mr Parikh

is the first person of Indian

origin to stand at the head

of the Antwerp diamond sec-

tor’s primary representative

organisation.

The AWDC board of dir-

ectors also elected two vice

presidents to serve alongside Mr

Corrado Facco is

Fiera di Vicenza’s

new director-

general

Parikh. They are Philippe Barsa-

mian, who is a representative of

the Antwerp diamond bourses,

and Stéphane Fischler, who

represents the manufacturers’

associations.

Fiera di Vicenza

appoints director-

general

The board of

directors of Fiera di

Vicenza unanimously

voted for the appoint-

ment of Corrado Facco

as director-general of

including Indian cricket star

Yuvraj Singh, Mark Shand, Jack

Penate, Andrea and Alice Dellal

and the owners of Selfridges,

Hilary and Galen Weston.

Gemfields, one of the world’s

leading coloured gemstone

producers, provided Zambian

emeralds to eight of the world’s

top designers, each hand-picked

to create the “Emeralds for

Elephants” Collection. JNA

one of the world’s leading

trade fair organisers. Mr

Facco served as general

secretary of Fiera di Vicenza

from November 2004 to April

2007. From May

2007 to May 2010,

Mr Facco acted as

senior advisor to

the Messe München

International Group

and coordinated pro-

jects for the imple-

mentation of new

commercial networks

abroad.

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JNA has over 82% market share on “Diamonds” advertising in Asia

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JNA is the most preferred trade

publication having a total of 47% advertising spending in Asia

Source: JNA market analysis

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