Inaugural jewellery industry virtual fair a hit

The first Australasian Jewellery Industry Virtual Fair went live on the 20th and 21st of October and saw hundreds logging in for an exciting new…

The JIVF saw 600 guests online from all over Australia and New Zealand for a 48 hour fair that offered guests the opportunity to meet with suppliers, hear from speakers on a virtual stage, and discuss the industry with associations and the ability to network.

Event organisers were thrilled with the results as feedback came flooding in from guests and exhibitors.

The Jewellery Industry Virtual Fair shows significant prospects for the jewellery industry, with its ability to shape and grow businesses to become more digitally savvy and therefore keep up with consumer demands.

Over 900 industry members registered for the event over the course of its 4 week promotion, with registrations continuing even up until the last 15 minutes of the Fair, clearly indicating significant demand for this digital solution.


Event organisers knew that this first event would be challenging, but that it would also provide wonderful insights into both suppliers’ needs and guests’ needs and form a foundation for future events. ‘We anticipated that there would be some technical challenges as it’s a very new way of working, but all of our exhibitors, speakers and amazing sponsors worked really hard to learn the platform and create amazing content for
guests,” said Laura Moore of Moore Events Australia. “We are thankful for their hard work and commitment to their customers, by being part of this first JIVF.”

The Jewellery Industry Virtual Fair was broken up into four areas:

Stage: Here industry leaders from all over the world were given the virtual stage to present their ideas, thoughts and advice for retailers and jewellers.

Sessions: An area for our Australian Associations and Buying Groups which gave guests the ability to chat to them about their member benefits and plans for the future.

Networking: This online space was for guests to meet one on one with someone they may never have met for a five minute speed meeting.

Expo: The exhibition area was a space where suppliers were housed to show new products and demonstrations to customers. Guests could visit and speak face to face, or watch a presentation set up by the supplier. The Jewellery Industry Virtual Fair united the industry after a very difficult year, and allowed groups to come together and reconnect. Guests and exhibitors, along with participating buying groups Showcase Jewellers and Leading Edge Group Jewellers, are looking
forward to the next date set for the JIVF, and are excited about how this event might help the industry to grow.

Recent reports by Ibis show that online sales for jewellery and watches have grown strongly over the past five years, increasing by 11.9% annually, while the Australian jewellery retail sector has fallen by 6.9% which has been amplified by COVID. In order to strengthen the retail sector, the industry must quickly adapt to a hybrid model of operating, which should include bricks and mortar and digital. The Jewellery Industry Virtual Fair is just one step in assisting retailers and suppliers transition into a more digitally integrated business model.

With events like this, where industry leaders invest in and provide leading technology to Australasian businesses, our future looks bright with the ability for us to continue to adapt, connect and create amazing pieces of jewellery for our consumers.

2021 Dates have been released for the next JIVF.

2021 Guest Registration HERE

2021 Exhibitor Registration HERE

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Jewellery business integrating into digital platforms

In early July this year, Palloys launched its new website Palloys.com, which merged Palloys, A & E Metals, Regentco and AGS|PJW all in one site.…

In early July this year, Palloys launched its new website Palloys.com, which merged Palloys, A & E Metals, Regentco and AGS|PJW all in one site. The new site allows jewellers to now order products and services from Palloys and obtain instant quotations for custom finished jewellery, wedding rings, fabricated metals, findings, gemstones, and metal refining through one invoiced account under the Palloys name.

The instant quoting for CAD files, casting from their own mould library, fabricated metals and diamonds allows jewellers to enjoy accurate and instant quotes they can pass onto their customers, giving the jewellers an instant competitive advantage, and eliminating the guesswork when designing to fit within a budget. The platform also has an emphasis on customisation, with jewellers able to select from more than 245,000 designs, adjusting metal type, style and stone size according to the customer’s budget. The jeweller can then view a 360-degree render of the design before placing the order. The website is the first of its kind in the world, allowing a jeweller the ability to obtain a price instantly for their CAD to be printed, cast and finished.

This launch has led me to reflect, on how much everything has now changed due to the current world environment. COVID has forced the jewellery industry to adapt in the way we all trade. More and more jewellers have been continuing their trade through their online stores and brand-new online platforms, to compliment, and in some cases cover the costs for their bricks and mortar locations.

Social media has changed the way jewellers communicate with their customers and each other via networking groups, one such group being the Young Jewellers Group. Groups such as this have allowed jewellers to network and seek advice on key processes and suppliers during the pandemic.

More and more jewellers have taken advantage of the COVID downtime and been developing their online presence with social media including Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram, creating further avenues for jewellers to communicate with their customer base.

In late October, the Jewellery Industry Virtual Fair was hosted, something which no one in the industry a few years ago would have entertained, and now it may actually become the first of many. It is great to see that the industry is adapting to the new environment we all find ourselves in and as we approach Christmas trade, I am excited for what is to come for the industry as a whole.

Further reading:

Last special roughs from Argyle in Rio Tinto tender

A selection of the finest rough diamonds from Rio Tinto’s Canadian and Australian mines will be tendered to diamond specialists from around the world in…

A selection of the finest rough diamonds from Rio Tinto’s Canadian and Australian mines will be tendered to diamond specialists from around the world in October and November.

Headlining Rio Tinto’s forthcoming “Specials” Tender, which showcases rough diamonds greater than 10.8 carats, is Lot number 1, Diavik Helios, a 74.48 carat Fancy yellow diamond. The Diavik Helios takes its name from the pure yellow sunlight emitted by the mythical Greek god of the sun.

Fancy yellow diamonds are rare finds from the Diavik diamond mine in the remote Northwest Territories of Canada which primarily produces high quality white diamonds. Patrick Coppens, general manager of sales and marketing for Rio Tinto’s diamonds business said, “Since the Diavik mine began production in 2003 it has produced on average only five large yellow diamonds each year, in effect less than 0.001 per cent of Diavik’s annual production.

“The Diavik Helios is an exceptional diamond in terms of its colour saturation and clarity and will be in strong demand from coloured diamond specialists around the world.”

The Specials tender is also notable for including the last of the rough diamonds in this category from the Argyle mine in the east Kimberley region of Australia. 28,399 carats of rough Argyle diamonds are included, showcasing the famed Argyle coloured diamonds, together with a beautiful 26 carat white gem quality rough Argyle diamond.

Andrew Wilson, general manager of the Argyle mine said, “Since it began production in 1983, the Argyle mine has produced more than 865 million carats
of rough diamonds. With the mine closing at the end of 2020 the Argyle rough diamonds presented at this tender are a final rare and collectible offering from one of the world’s greatest diamond mines.”

The Tender will be physically showcased in both Antwerp and Tel Aviv, together with virtual and online viewings to cater for COVID-19 restrictions. Bids close on November 9, 2020.

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