International shows and exhibitions are the prime attractions of the Gems & Jewellery industry the world-over With the pandemic subsiding and markets opening up globally, the industry is looking forward to attending trade shows.

And one such event that has caught the fancy of the industry is the JCK Las Vegas event, the leading jewellery event in North America, open to all jewellery professionals, offering exclusive buying, networking, and educational opportunities. Each year, the industry gathers in Las Vegas for this meet, with domestic and international designers getting together and sharing insights about the trade, attending educative sessions, networking and building contacts. It attracts the most influential jewellery professionals who are looking to discover and buy what’s new, next and innovative.This time around, there is more excitement as it is opening up again after a pandemic-caused break.

Meet & Greet after a Big Break
The JCK Show and Luxury by JCK shows are heavily-attended events and of great importance to the US jewellery market as they drive sales throughout the year. JCK has announced that this year, the event will be held from August 27 to August 30 at the Venetian Resort & Sands Expo in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show 2021 will also take place simultaneously.

This is where the jewellery and watch industry will reunite to share their passion for products and innovation through personalized experiences that cannot be replicated—all within a secure and safe environment.

“We can’t wait to get to Las Vegas! It will be the first time in a while that we’ll be able to spend time with our customers and industry friends, so we’re looking forward to sharing our new ideas, innovations, and latest developments. We know that others feel the same way. We certainly anticipate the crowd to be smaller than usual but expect that visitors will be on a mission,” exclaims Hayley Henning, CCO, Greenland Ruby.

We can’t wait to get to Las Vegas! It will be the first time in a while that we’ll be able to spend time with our customers and industry friends, so we’re looking forward to sharing our new ideas, innovations, and latest developments. We know that others feel the same way. We certainly anticipate the crowd to be smaller than usual but expect that visitors will be on a mission Hayley Henning, CCO, Greenland RubyThe company has seen an increasing interest in its gems, and for the past 18 months, it has been focused on fine-tuning its production, as well as working on digital transformation and the launching of RubyCloud™, its virtual showroom. The story behind the Greenlandic gems has also hit a chord with consumers, who are now paying closer attention to sustainability and responsibility as they seek to buy something of value – emotionally and physically.

Garnering business interest and converting potential clients into real ones has been quite challenging for many business houses across the globe since the outbreak of the pandemic. Opines Darshit Hirani, Director, P.Hirani, “People will be excited about being at the show. We are surely looking forward to it. Gemstones and semi-precious stones and also white diamonds need that kind of push that one gets at physical shows. People do not want to buy loose diamonds or even gemstones via virtual shows – they need to examine the pieces offered for sale in real time.”

Fewer Visitors, Greater Passion
Industry players are bringing their A-game to the event. For instance, Virtual Diamond Boutique (VDB) is launching an all-new, fully customizable ring builder that can be incorporated into retailers’ websites,with their own branded colours and fonts. It is exciting technology that allows customers to engage with the website, build their own ring by combining settings with natural diamonds, lab-grown diamonds, or gemstones, either using stones from the global marketplace or from a retailer’s inventory or approved suppliers, to create the perfect, personalized design. This new tool will enhance sales for all three categories (natural diamonds, labgrown diamonds and colour gemstones), both online and in person.

Given the international and corporate travel restrictions still in place, we do not anticipate that the JCK show will have the same size attendance as it usually does. Many people are still being cautious, given the aggressive Delta variant strain of COVID-19. While we expect fewer foot traffic, we feel confident that the buyers and attendees who are at the show will be mission-driven, attending with more purpose, focus and commitment Tanya Nisguretsky, CEO, Virtual Diamond Boutique“Given the international and corporate travel restrictions still in place, we do not anticipate that the JCK show will have the same size attendance as it usually does. Many people are still being cautious, given the aggressive Delta variant strain of COVID-19. While we expect fewer foot traffic, we feel confident that the buyers and attendees who are at the show will be mission-driven, attending with more purpose, focus and commitment ,” says Tanya Nisguretsky, CEO, VDB.

Adds Henning, “I believe that physical shows will always have a place in our industry, although, like in-person meetings, there will be instances where other forms of interaction will suffice. Nothing can ever really replace face-toface communication and the opportunity to touch and feel these precious gems. On the other hand, I think that perhaps there were too many trade shows and industry events. I would personally like to see less shows -- quality rather than quantity.”

Physical Shows Bound to Become More Niche
Looking at the global situation, it is indeed difficult to tell whether the event will have the same impact and vigour as in the pre-Covid days. There would be visitors from the USA, but countries are going through different phases of the pandemic and some international flights are being cancelled, so industry personnel from these countries may not be able to participate.

“Now, technology has allowed us to connect more efficiently in the virtual world as well, making it possible to continue doing business all year long. At VDB, we are perfecting the art of doing business virtually. We hosted the first virtual trade show with the VDB Expo, co-hosted by the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) and Israeli Diamond Institute (IDI) in the spring of 2020. It was so successful that the organizers hosted a second one later in the year,” adds Nisguretsky.

Buyers today show great interest in virtual events and are increasingly more open to the possibility of buying virtually. VDB gives buyers access to the entire global marketplace yearround, without having to travel or wait for a trade show. In future, physical trade shows will still be around, but chances are they may be a bit smaller and more niche or boutique to fulfill specific needs in the market.

“We are also excited to be co-hosting the first-ever lab grown diamond auction with the International Gemological Institute (IGI) to support the jewellery industry’s favourite charity – Jewelers for Children. The online auction will be held on the digital auction app created for JFC by VDB and will not be limited to the physical show,” explains Nisguretsky. Bidders from around the world can bid, as VDB gives the entire industry a chance to come together in support of the charities that JFC benefits (Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Make-A-Wish America, Make-A-Wish International, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, National CASA, Santa-America Fund and Organization for Autism Research).

Though virtual shows have proved to be an effective medium during the pandemic to target specific markets and niche buyer groups, there is an irreplaceable charm about meetand- greet at physical shows that cannot be replaced even with the best technology Priyanshu Shah, Executive Director, Asian Star Co. Ltd.The virtual shows do not have any impact on physical shows. “We are confident that JCK and Vegas Shows will be a huge success. Our products need highest precision, especially in calibrating colour diamonds. So, all our products have great precision. We have a competitive and unique product range on offer. We also offer excellent services to our clients ,” Hirani adds. He feels footfall on the whole will be good. Clients may come with different viewpoints. Traffic-wise, there could be less rush. “At the Vegas Show, we usually have a lot of South American buyers,” informs Hirani.

Diamonds do Better in Physical Shows
Industry players are preparing enthusiastically for the event. Says Ankit Shah, Director, Ankit Gems, “We plan to display some larger diamonds at the international shows. We have made some longer shapes because they are in demand. For loose diamonds, virtual shows were of no use. We need to participate in physical shows only – that is where we get good number of clients.”

Industry players are of the opinion that diamonds need to be examined and selected physically, which is why the JCK event is so important at this juncture. Real-time exhibitions allow exporters to meet clients face-to-face, which works out well for long-term relationships. “Though we have learnt how to manoeuvre our business in the virtual world, we are extremely pleased that physical shows are back as diamond jewellery is best experienced on a physical platform. Although we are predicting fewer visitors at the JCK Show, we will drive the advantage of our first physical show in almost 18 months to launch new collections. We are launching two new collections; men’s jewellery and a classic line of diamond encrusted ceramic jewellery. Our jewellery generally carries all diamond qualities from VVS to I3, but at the JCK show we will focus on SI goods, primarily for the U.S. market,” feels Priyanshu Shah, Executive Director, Asian Star Co. Ltd.

In a virtual show, we cannot show all this well. Physical shows are important for our business. Virtual shows follow a memo system, wherein we need to hold the stone till the actual purchase takes place Hardik Donda, Param ExportsThe U.S. market is open, and therefore the footfalls will not be too bad.“We anticipate that business will take place well since people have not been able to visit physical shows as these shows were not held for a year-and-a-half. We will be displaying fancy shaped and niche cut diamonds at the show, as they are in demand. In a virtual show, we cannot show all this well. Physical shows are important for our business. Virtual shows follow a memo system, wherein we need to hold the stone till the actual purchase takes place ,” says Hardik Donda, Param Exports.

“Though virtual shows have proved to be an effective medium during the pandemic to target specific markets and niche buyer groups, there is an irreplaceable charm about meet-andgreet at physical shows that cannot be replaced even with the best technology. Physical shows are not just about conducting business. They offer a number of other benefits too, which are difficult to replicate in a virtual environment - like rapport building through face-to-face communication with new clients or a physical presentation of new product concepts and developments,” says Shah.

Henning sums up: “Like all our trade show preparations, we are anticipating interest in our gems, and will be inviting guests to our booth to learn more about us, and the rubies and pink sapphires from Greenland. We will also be demonstrating our new RubyCloud™ platform, comparing online images with the ‘real thing’ and encouraging gem and jewellery professionals to register. We will also be having some fun with our Polar bear ice sculpture.”