The Israeli Diamond Industry will be one of the largest participants of the Hong Kong International Jewelry Show, which will take place between March 5-9. This year's show will see, the Israel Diamond Pavilion, organized by the Israel Diamond Institute Group of Companies (IDI),  be the largest national pavilion.

The Israeli Diamond Pavilion will feature 60 companies, 20 of them first-time exhibitors.  Twenty additional Israeli companies will be exhibiting in various locations throughout the show.
Look for real-time updates from the show in IDI posts on Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.

IDI sources say that the unprecedented participation of Israeli companies asserts the overwhelming interest the Israeli diamond industry is getting in the Asian markets.

The Israel Diamond Pavilion is located in Hall 3F. IDI’s information booth is located at 3FF29 in the heart of the pavilion and will provide background on the Israeli diamond industry, as well as help buyers find their way throughout the pavilion.

An online mini-site, which can be accessed through the IDI portal, enables buyers to visit the pavilion virtually prior to the show. The mini-site includes contact details of all Israeli exhibitors, including those not participating in the pavilion, as well as a map indicating their location at the show.

Hong Kong is Israel’s second largest market for polished diamonds, representing 26% of total polished diamond exports in 2009. Net exports of polished diamonds to Hong Kong in 2009 came to $1.043 billion.

IDI Chairman Moti Ganz said that now more than ever, Hong Kong, as the gateway to the Far East, is a major focus for the Israeli Diamond Industry: “For many years we have developed excellent relations with diamond companies in Hong Kong and other parts of the Far East.

This will certainly develop as these markets are showing impressive growth. We see the Far East as the direction of the future for Israeli diamond companies and we are working hand in hand with the industry to promote these efforts."

 “Our industry, which is known for its flexibility and adaptability, is seeking to expand its efforts in these markets. This explains the huge participation of Israeli companies in this show, many of them for the first time," IDI Managing Director Eli Avidar said, adding that the Far East, with Hong Kong leading the way, represents a growth market for Israeli diamond exports now and in the future.

Avidar was also optimistic about the long term prospects for Asian markets: “China has evolved into an independent market for luxury goods and jewelry, with a great amount of wealth being created. In the coming years we believe that China will become an important consumer of polished diamonds, and we are focusing our marketing strategy on developing this as well as other markets."

According to Avidar, IDI’s Hong Kong office was spearheading efforts to enhance trade contacts with the region. In addition, he noted that IDI’s Chinese-language portal site has become an important vehicle for facilitating direct contacts between these countries.

While visiting the Inhorgenta Europe 2010 fair in Munich, it was the Lapponia booth the caught my eye.

The international Finnish jewelry company used the exhibition – which is the biggest in Germany – to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Germany is Lapponia’s biggest market.

Lapponia is a subsidiary of Kalevala, which focuses on selling jewelry exclusively to the Finnish market.

Lapponia, the international branch, operates in Germany, Scandinavia, Britain and Japan. Lapponia offers sleek, elegant designs, crafted in gold, white gold, silver, platinum and diamonds.
Lapponia and its production line are based in Helsinki, but the company employs jewelry designers worldwide and has at its disposal designers for, France, Hungary, Taiwan, Denmark and, of course, Finland. They express their vision whilst basing their designs on Lapponia's signature inspiration, derived from Finland's climate, nature and vistas.

Marja Paavolainen, Lapponia's export manager, answered a few of my questions.

How were your holiday season sales?

"We're very pleased by our holiday season's sales. We had a great start to 2010, in light of some successful cooperations with international buyers and we're hopeful ahead of 2010."

What characterizes Lapponia's spring collections? Which shapes, materials and sized?

"I would like to start by saying that Lapoponia adhere to its own conceptual line rather than to general, changeable trends. The spring collection features jewelry suitable for the younger consumer as well, like necklaces with leather straps and metal pendants in various sizes."

Some of the pendants are set in diamonds, as seen in the picture below – 12, 80-point diamonds.

As for Germany, your biggest export market, are the jewelry purchased by local consumers or by foreigners and tourists?

"In Germany, jewelry is bought mainly by local consumers. Lapponia's designs, especially those marketed in Germany, are suited for the German consumer's taste – clean, precise lines."

I was also interested in knowing whether there is a difference between consumption in southern Germany, which is considered a wealthier region, and northern Germany, whose larger cities belong to East Germany. Lapponia's sales agent for south Germany said that there were no significant differences, other than those noted in the salespeople's efforts.  

The international competition for young designers

As part of Lapponia Jewelry's 50th anniversary celebrations, the company held the Next Episode competition, meant to encourage young designers to create contemporary artworks.

The competition entailed two phases: nearly 140 participants from 26 countries sent their entries for the first stage. Seventeen of the designs submitted graduated to the second phase, where mock up models were produced.

Finnish designer Mari Isopahkala was named the winner. Her entry, "Pisara" ("Drop"), introduced sophisticated solutions and has great potential in terms of varying and extending the concept further.

The outcome was the most complete in the competition – combining inspiration, a theme and name, esthetics and solutions into a beautifully finished composition.

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Inhorgenta  2010, Europe's biggest trade show and one of the jewelry and gem industries biggest annual exhibitions, will take place in Munich's Trade Center (Munich Messe), between February 19-22.

The constant rise of international exhibitors wishing to take part in the show, as well as the outstanding quality of trade visitors associated with it, have poised Inhorgenta as Europe's top trade fair.

I'll be visiting the show and keeping you updated on twitter. I'll also be taking pictures and interviewing both industry insiders and the exhibitors. 

This year, Inhorgenta is said to feature a wide range of watches, jewelry, gemstones, pearls and silverware; as well as technical equipment and retail fittings.

Inhorgenta also holds industry surveys spanning both the local and international jewelry and watches market. The last retail survey, held in November, indicated that despite the current economical downturn watch and jewelry retailers remained optimistic, as 43% of the those polled said the current situation in the industry was “good-to-excellent,” 34% defined it as “acceptable,” and only 23% rated it as “poor.”

Furthermore, 57% of the retailers said they expected the overall situation to remain largely unchanged and 25% said they believed it would improve further. When asked about their personal situation, 57% rated it as “good to excellent.”

As far as customer preference, lower and mid-price level jewelry and watches were favored: some 54% of the jewelry sold at the time the poll was taken, was ranked low-price level and 38% of the sales came from mid-price level; with the watch sector performing it in 49% and 40% range, respectively.

Customers also displayed a preference for pieces of jewelry which accentuated their own individuality, as 86% of retailers polled reported that their customers purchase jewelry mainly or even exclusively as a fashion accessory, and an additional 44% believe that the brand of the jewelry is important. In the watch sector the brand proved even more significance, as 81% of the retailers polled said they believe that the brand or manufacturer plays a fundamental role for their customers.

Inhorgenta 2010, February 19-22 at the Munich's Trade Center; 09:00-18:00 (Monday: 09:00-17:00)

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