In a new move, The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council held a special show on the eve of the IIJS this year titled “Prelude to IIJS 2017”.

The event, along the lines of fashion shows by couturiers, showcased the stunning designs of 15 companies.

The jewellery presented ranged from traditional, bridal gold adornments, to scintillating jadau and minakari pieces to modern diamond set jewellery – most creations using coloured gemstones to either off-set the plain gold or diamonds , highlight the jewellery or just to create an interesting juxtaposition of colour, lines and styles.

Fifteen segments set mainly to Indian music, with the models sashaying in swirling colourful lehengas or gowns, showed off the jewellery with élan.

The 15 companies which participated in the show included: Laxmi Jewellery Export Pvt. Ltd; Priority Jewels; Baheti Gems & Jewellery; Sanskriti Jewels; Vasupati Jewellers; Palak Jewellers; Kiran Jewels; Sheetal Jewellery House; Alma Jewels (PGP); Geeta Shyam Jewellers; Gitanjali Gems (Nakshatra World); Agarwal & Co.; Romil Jewellery; CVM Exports; Anand Shah.

Speaking at the event, GJEPC Chairman Praveenshankar Pandya explained that the concept of holding “Prelude to IIJS” was born out of a need to connect jewellery manufacturers with traders and buyers. He explained that earlier the GJEPC held the IIJW prior to the IIJS which was a B2C show. This year, the IIJW would be held in September just before the jewellery buying season unfolded in the country.

Praveenshankar Pandya went on to spell out the vision of the industry in the immediate future. “On your behalf, on behalf of the gems and jewellery industry, I have promised the Hon’ble Prime Minister that India will become the world leader of the jewellery market by 2025,” he said. “The Hon’ble PM asked me to give him a Vision document and I have been working on it in the past three months. Now it is ready, and I will be handing it over in the coming week or so. The Hon’ble Prime Minister expects us to take a leap forward and he has supported us in the past and assured us that the Government will support us in the future to take this industry to new heights.”

Pandya added that in order to fulfil this vision it was necessary to create the necessary infrastructure and environment for the growth of the industry across the board. Pandya outlined his endeavour to open both Common Faciliy Centres (CFCs) and training institutions across the country, wherever jewellery is being manufactured in sizable quantities. This would not only be of crucial assistance to the MSME sector he opined, but would also markedly help improve the quality of jewellery being created within the country. He also spoke about his idea of setting up a Gems & Jewellery University perhaps with the help of some Ivy League institution.

Pandya said that the GJEPC was also very concerned about diamond promotions and had involved itself with the marketing efforts being spearheaded currently by the Diamond Producers Association (DPA). He lauded the efforts of the organisation and its CEO Jean Marc Lieberherr particularly, in the work it had done so far.

Lieberherr, himself outlined the “Real is Rare. Real is a Diamond” campaign that had been launched in the US in 2016, and would shortly be launched in the 2017 season in India. He said that the DPA along with its partner agencies had been researching the Indian market and was fashioning suitable creatives for it. The overall budget which started at about US$ 6 million last year has gone up to about US$ 57 million for 2017 and he hoped that this would only grow year on year. Thanking the GJEPC for coming forward to support the work being done by DPA when it was only in a fledgling state, he said that he looked forward to future co-operation with the GJEPC.

Bakul Mehta, Chairman GII, gave a brief update on the working of the Gemmological Institute of India (GII) which he had been helming for the past three years. He spoke of the research being done which had led to the development of the Quick Check Machine, which was a crucial step to counter the undisclosed selling or mixing of lab grown diamonds as natural stones. He said that the GII was prepared to offer the machines to trade organisations at a concession so that they could provide the use of the machine at reasonable rates to their members, to make it possible for even small manufacturers and retailers to ensure the product they were dealing in was in fact natural diamonds.

Shailesh Sangani, Convener of the Promotions, Marketing and Business Development (PM& BD) sub-committee of the GJEPC proposed the vote of thanks.