Vicenzaoro January, the Professional Exhibition, called The Jewellery Boutique Show®, organized by Italian Exhibition Group (IEG) closes today with a formidable growth in foreign participation: a total recognition of its centrality in the jewellery sector worldwide.

Over 60% of operators came from foreign countries. USA and China confirm the excellent performance of 2018 and Continental Europe affirms its important presence with significant growth in particular in some countries: the triptych Germany/Switzerland/Austria registered a + 12% of operators, as well as the United Kingdom (+11.7%), France (+10.5%) and Spain marking a + 9.6%. Northern Europe also grew by +10.5%.

The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia registered a strong recovery despite the ongoing issues in regards to the taxation of the former, marking a +24.2%. Russia and Ukraine, fundamental markets, not only for the Made in Italy gold and jewellery supply chain, but also for the demand on a global scale, grew by 10.4%. The peak of presences from Kazakhstan was exceptional at + 46%. The origin of visitors from Italy confirmed last year's positive figure.

Vicenzaoro January, the first event of the year on IEG's Jewellery Agenda, closed with over 35,000 visitors over the six days of the show and with the enormous satisfaction of all the players. Fundamental once more at this edition was the support of the Ministry of Economic Development - MISE and ICE Agency. Thanks to this collaboration, over 400 buyers were welcomed at VICENZAORO January, selected from the main markets in addition to the 2,000+ operators managed directly by IEG.

The recently concluded edition featured 1,500 brands, 42% of which came from 35 countries and from the most important production areas within Italy.

Total satisfaction for T.GOLD, the World Show dedicated to technologies for the different processing of jewellery. Now at its 41st edition and organized by IEG on the same dates of Vicenzaoro January, the show confirmed its international leadership and its role as a representative of Italian technological excellence. An authentic Innovation HUB, the event, through which every new choice of process and product that the global industry of the sector intends to launch passes, is also a fundamental moment of promotion and training on new technologies and their uses.

Vicenzaoro January gathered together the entire sector, which meets to connect, inspire and live the experience of a unique city.

The quality of buyers at the trade show is growing, attracted by the physical and digital Vicenzaoro business platform, with its matchmaking ability. The new #primavicenzaoro project, in collaboration with Confindustria Federorafi, attracted selected buyers from among the most influential in the world for high-end jewellery purchases.

The presence of independent designers in the
, as well as the increasingly successful trend of the big brands to present new collections and a new space at the trade show, the Fashion Room, a workshop dedicated to fashion jewellery, the seminar of the Vicenzaoro observatory, TRENDVISION Jewellery + Forecasting dedicated to the profile of consumers, transform the six days of the event into a Trend Show that is a precious source of stimulus and inspiration for companies and operators.

The Vicenzaoro stage saw the global market players debating on the recurring theme of the Show, Sustainable Creativity, no longer a trend but a dutiful direction towards which the whole sector is definitely veering in an effort to protect the Planet. During Vicenzaoro, the topic was explored in all its possible aspects involving the whole supply chain, something which only occurs at this event, which represents a unique model in the jewellery sector worldwide. The theme was well-disputed at the VISIO.NEXT round table, which brings together international experts and key people.

Numerous appointments to support the business: from the unmissable series of digital talks dedicated to digital innovation in collaboration with Confcommercio Federpreziosi, to those dedicated to precious stones in collaboration with the Italian Gemmological Institute, the CIBJO (World Jewellery Confederation), which focused on the environmental and sustainable aspects of jewellery, the XXI edition of the annual meeting of European gemmologists (FEEG - Federation for European Education in Gemmology), curated by the Italian Gemmological Institute and finally the Jewelry Technology Forum, an important technical-scientific event, now in its 15th edition in collation with Legor Group Spa.

Finally, the welcome that the city of Vicenza and the whole territory have been able to pay to the event and its guests with VIOFF, Vicenza Oro Fuori Fiera was much appreciated by all. The event, created by the Municipality of Vicenza with the involvement of the economic categories, is an effective example of integration between the show and the territory. VIOFF GOldn Wood took place over three days in Vicenza's streets and inside shops, was dedicated to raising funds for the reconstruction of a forest on the Asiago plateau, devastated by bad weather.

The upcoming international events are: OROAREZZO from April 6th to 9th and the Premier Show in Las Vegas May 30th - June 3rd, 2019 where IEG will be accompanying Italian manufacture