Jewelry Firms on Show at Hong Kong Jewellery and Gem Fair

The AWE event runs until September 15, while the jewelry show, which features only finished jewelry, runs until September 17.

Speaking on the state of international markets, Lawrence Ma, the President and Chairman of the Diamond Federation of Hong Kong, said that diamond prices had “corrected” over the past 18 months following the sharp rises that had been seen in 2011 and 2012.

The US and European markets had shown signs in recent months of a pick-up, while China and Asia generally have also shown signs of a rise in demand following the slowdown in the first part of the year, he said. “There are indications of a rise in inventory levels as companies replenish their stocks, and certain goods have seen a rise in prices,” Ma commented.

Meanwhile, Benedict Sin of the Hong Kong Jewellery and Jade Manufacturers Association, said jewelry exports this year had improved over the figures for 2012, however “there are still many challenges.”

Sin said that there had been a slowdown since the start of this year, but following the JCK Show in Las Vegas in June, there had been indications of rising demand in the United States. “The European market remains quiet, but we hope to see a turnaround there from the end of September onwards, and we also hope to see European customers at the show ahead of the holiday season.”

There have also been signs of a pick-up in the Japanese market since last year. “With Tokyo having been selected to host the 2020 Olympics, we hope to a lot more excitement in the market in the years to come,” he added.

Adam Lau, Chairman of the Hong Kong Jewellery and Jade Manufacturers Association, echoed Ma’s comments regarding the US, Asian and European markets, and added that he expected to see growth in Switzerland, as well as in Eastern European markets, such as Poland, and also in Russia, and in South America and Australia and New Zealand.