VicenzaOro First Good for Jewelers Showcasing New Trends, But Diamond Dealers Fret
February 28, 10By Edahn Golan
The VicenzaOro First jewelry show opened with the sense that the global market for luxury goods and jewelry was awakening once more. After a quiet first day, the crowds began to flow in on day two and certainly seemed to be expressing an interest in the offerings.
A wide variety of styles and price ranges could be found in the exhibitors’ display cases. High-end companies such as Damiani and Roberto Coin entertained long lines of visitors at their booths.
The show featured 1,548 exhibitors, the majority of them Italian, though 428 came from 32 countries around the world, including
Emerging Styles
The styles, as always at the January edition of this show, were forward-looking and will set the tone for the rest of the year.
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Etched and worked surfaces were another trend. These take the form of textured surfaces that go beyond the brushed surfaces to include deep grooves in either a symmetrical or more random fashion, such as scratched enamel surfaces and layered outlines of flowers and butterflies.
Elastic link bracelets, rings and necklaces that stretch were also created by many designers.
Over-sized earrings - long, wide, flat and worked or three-dimensional - was another distinct trend, as was the use of rose gold. Some structural items, another way to create large three-dimensional items, as well as the use of fabric, were seen at several booths.
In what was clearly a reaction to the economic situation, two additional style elements emerged - worked surfaces that sparkled to create the illusion of diamonds and a certain return to classical designs to keep the items fashionable for several years.
Diamonds
While VicenzaOro First lived up to its reputation as the place to see the leading design elements of the year, diamonds were of less interest to buyers, leaving several traders wondering whether they should even return next year.
In shows with a small diamond trading presence, such as VicenzaOro First, jewelry usually gets most of the attention and it’s not until the last couple of days that diamond wholesalers see serious traffic. This was not the case at
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The demand that traders reported was for round certified goods in H colors and higher, in the SI-VS clarity range and in a wide range of sizes - from pointers to 3 carat goods.
Many traders reported poor demand and weak sales. When asked about price points, most diamantaires were reluctant to discuss figures though an Israeli trader who reported good sales said that most of his colleagues had set their prices too high.
A large Indian manufacturer, a Diamond Trading Company (DTC) Sightholder, also reported good sales, and hinted that price was the key.
If many ways, VicenzaOro was a repeat of the
The economic slowdown that hit the Italian economy had been reflected in the September VicenzaOro show. By comparison, jewelry designers reported much better business this time around. Their optimism was not marred by the fact that sales and orders had not yet caught up with pre-crisis levels. They knew that their unique designs and high-quality manufacturing fits in with the new retail reality.