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Imagem Jewels
Despite the overall market being slow, Signature 2015 was an extremely successful show for many. Several exhibitors showcased new and innovative concepts which were well appreciated, report Shanoo Bijlani,
Regan Luis and Aliya Ladhabhoy.
Signature 2015
KicK-StartS SeaSonal Buying
Kirtilal Doshi cutting the ribbon as Ajesh Mehta, Nirav Bhansali, Vipul Shah and Andrey Polyakov look on.
ignature 2015, the year’s first major jewellery show, witnessed a moderate number of serious buyers from across
the country as well as some from overseas. Held from February 20-23, 2015 at the Bombay Convention and Exhibition Centre, over 550 exhibitors showcased the best designer jewellery and loose stones the country has to offer.
The eighth edition of Signature was inaugurated by chief guest Alrosa vice president Andrey Polyakov, who was joined by guests of honour Kirtilal Doshi, an industry stalwart, and Shaina NC, a social worker with ties to the ruling BJP government along with GJEPC officials.
“Signature over the years has turned into a retail-centric event with the visitors limited to the decision makers. To promote India’s jewellery making capabilities and skills internationally, the GJEPC has done road shows in Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Egypt to bring visitors to Signature, which has
paid rich dividends. GJEPC has been successful in convincing them to visit Signature this year and we are happy that a sizeable number of international buyers will be attending the show,” stated GJEPC chairman Vipul Shah at the inaugural ceremony.
Andrey Polyakov commented, “The relation between the Russian rough diamond industry and Indian polishers and jewellery producers is rapidly growing and demonstrates a brilliant perspective of the future. The main issues that the diamond industry faces are generic marketing, synthetics, banking in the cutting industry, and consumer confidence among others. We will deliberate on these and other issues to find a solution to keep our industry as attractive as the diamond itself.”
Kirtilal Doshi shared valuable advice with the industry’s forerunners at the inauguration. “There is a new paradigm shift in marketing. Earlier, people created a brand and built business around it. Today,
business models precede the brands. Advertising has become irrelevant. People fast-forward advertisements on their digital set-top boxes and skip ads on YouTube. I see a fast and rapid movement towards digital marketing with e-commerce in the next 5-6 years. The traditional marketing and intermediaries will have to add more value if they have to survive.”
Nirav Bhansali, convenor of Exhibitions, GJEPC said, “Today, it is a matter of immense pride that Signature is rated by the international gems and jewellery fraternity as the second-best show in the country after the IIJS. Numerous years of unrelenting hard work, planning and investment in technology and workforce has contributed to the stupendous growth of the industry. Signature is therefore the culmination of these efforts and the GJEPC’s endeavour to bring an international audience to this platform. I hope the success of Signature 2015 will drive us to greater achievements in the years ahead.”
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Shaina NC joins the dignitaries in lighting the ceremonial lamp.
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a few overseas enquiries from Dubai, Canada and Singapore for their gold bangles that start from 16 gms. They also showcased gold kadas for men which were picked up by North Indian buyers as well as a few from Southern India.
Lightweight gold jewellery was a hot seller at the exhibition. “Lightweight necklaces in the range of 50-60 gms and pendant sets in the range of 30-35 gms are doing well. The gold price is on the lower side which is good for sales,” noted Arvind Chordia of Saaz Jewels, Mumbai.
Chennai-based Jai Gulab Dev too did brisk business at the show. “Retailers have placed orders from 100 gms to over 1 kg for our lightweight 22-karat temple jewellery collection. Each piece is handcrafted and takes over a month to complete. We interacted with new and potential clients from Surat, Kolkata and Delhi,” said Vikas Jain, owner of the firm.
“Our lightweight tri-colour necklaces in the 20-30 gms bracket, pendant sets below 10 gms and rings below 4 gms did well at the show,” said Nilesh Jain, owner of Classic Ornaments Pvt. Ltd from Mumbai.
Neeraj Parswani of DBS Jewels, Mumbai commented that Signature 2015 has been very good for them. “We showcased a wide variety of bangles. We also introduced a new collection of 22-karat laser-cut bangles ornamented with a kundan-like effect.
High on design Since its inception, Signature has been the go-to show for spotting trends for the rest of the year, and this time, too, was no different. Rings in all shapes and sizes, medallion pendant sets, artistic bell-shaped earrings marrying traditional craftsmanship with modish templates, and openwork tasselled chandeliers in antique gold were the order of the day.
Seth Sundardas & Company, Mumbai, had an array of nature-inspired rings and earrings with stylised peacock feathers fanning out from the finger to the hand. Medallion necklaces terminating with beaded tassels and large cuffs with vibrant motifs were on display. “Although I did not
Gold splurgeThe gold section outdid the rest of the exhibitors at the show. Bhavik Shah, owner of RP Ornaments, Rajkot, commented, “The show has been superb for us. Many major retailers, who we would have liked to tap, visited us. This year, apart from our regular Rajkot jewellery, we showcased variations in Eva, our lightweight Italian gold jewellery inspired collection cast in 18-karat gold.”
Well-known gold jewellery designer Anand Shah from Mumbai was extremely busy right from the first day of the show. “I attended to my old, faithful clients right up to late in the evening. Each retailer has placed a minimum order of 2 kg of gold jewellery,” said Shah.
“Genuine buyers have made it a point to visit Signature,” commented Rahul Murpana, partner of Aarpee Bangles, Mumbai. Aarpee interacted with old and new buyers from India as well as received
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Lightweight gold jewellery was a hot seller at the exhibition. Lightweight necklaces in the range of 50-60 gms and pendant sets in the range of 30-35 gms are doing well. The gold price is on the lower side which is good for sales.”
Faraz Javaheri Amin (second from left), GJEPC’s coordinator for Iran along with a few Iranian delegates.
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expect much business on day one, I was happy to meet many clients seeking one-off pieces,” stated Anil Bharwani, the firm’s partner.
Imagem Jewels, Mumbai showcased unusually delicate workmanship in its rings, ear studs and medallion pendants. Richly coloured pieces of fabric were embellished with gold threads (zardosi work) and the embroidered gold fabric lent a rich feel to the collections. Hitesh Lohia, director, Imagem, informed that he had introduced this collection at Signature many years ago, but due to buyers’ demand, he revived it again. “The collection received rave reviews,” said Lohia.
Siddharthaa Sawansukha, managing director, Sawansukha Jewellers, Kolkata, presented handmade 18- and 22-karat medallion pendant sets that were dressed in fine gems and sparkling diamonds.
“Medallions or large geometric pendants accompanied with multiple-row pearl or gem beaded necklaces or fine gold mesh chains are in vogue today,” he noted. “Although the volume appears to be large, the pieces are super light and wearable.” Pieces with flat textures combined with matte finishes and fine etchings retail at an affordable tag from R1.5 to R2 lakh.
Buyers from Southern India as well as Gujarat were extremely receptive to Mumbai-based BN Jewellers’ platinum collections. “People are very excited about
the whole concept of introducing platinum jewellery in wedding functions. While consumers may not wear platinum for the main function, there is a space for platinum in the peripheral functions. The platinum-buying consumer is well-educated and wants delicate, wearable pieces that can be worn for other occasions as well,” said Nirmal Rawal, partner, BN Jewellers, adding that the platinum men’s jewellery segment is doing so well that they do not need to emphasise on it.
Despite showcasing a whole gamut of new collections, Navin Jashnani of Sama Jewellery, Mumbai, felt that the show was average. “People were not in the mood to buy. This time we put in a lot more effort in research and presented nearly a dozen collections, all of which were lightweight. We kept the gold to diamond ratio in check to make the piece look voluminous and price effective. Signature could have been much better. Of course, we had busy moments and met our old clients and new (almost 30%) I believe that jewellers are cautious about accepting new ideas and play it safe. It is a catch-22 situation for us – on the one hand, retailers want to see new, innovative inventory at the show, and at the same time, they are guarded and
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Imagem Jewels
Sawansukha Jewellers
V. Sacheti
V. Sacheti
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Chhattisgarh. Mangalsutras from 5 gms to 50 gms sold well. Retailers are constantly looking out for creative designs,” said Jain who showcased temple jewellery inspired mangalsutras as well as pendant-mangalsutras that featured beadwork, mesh work and open fans.
The studded jewellery section was comparatively slower, though some managed to shine through. Sahil Agarwal of Shubham Motiwala & Jewellers, Mumbai, said that the show has been average for them and admitted that the show is 15-20% slower than last year. “Even then, we received queries from all over India as well as buyers from Saudi Arabia and Dubai. Lightweight necklaces between 20 gms and 30 gms have done well,” said Agarwal.
First-time participant Ravi Sacheti, partner, V. Sacheti, Jaipur, was satisfied with the attention his jewellery managed to garner. “This is our first trade show in India and we targeted high-end retailers. We received a few enquiries from Mumbai itself. Being our first year, we are aware that it will take a while to get noticed. We are happy that the potential buyers who visited our stall appreciated our jewellery,”
said Sacheti, who showcased eloquent arabesque jewellery inspired by Indo-Persian art.
Ahmedabad-based Soni Bachubhai Jivabhai’s owner Kirit Zaveri said that they had a fantastic innings at Signature. New buyers from the north and south visited them to source 22-karat jewellery sets studded with semi-precious gems. “This is our third year at Signature, and the results have been the same as last year. We have been in the wholesaling business for the last 65 years,” said Zaveri, adding, “There is always demand for designer jewellery. Gold weight is no bar. All items sold well.”
First time exhibitor, Umesh Soni, director of Jasmine Design, was happy with the show. Soni who showcased beautiful gem-studded antique-finished gold jewellery received enquiries from designers and retailers in Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Chennai.
Shanti S Seth Jewellers of Mumbai did not see any fluctuation in the buying pattern from their regular or new clients. “Sales have been on par with last year,” said Ayodhya Prasad, partner at the firm.
Misbah Mansuri, vice president of Sheetal Mfg. Company, Surat, said that
don’t buy much of the new stuff. They have a wait-and-watch approach. It takes time for unique products to move,” Jashnani lamented.
Sama unveiled a gamut of earring collections employing unusual combinations of spessartite, orange sapphires, mandarin garnet, aquamarine, blue topaz, and apatite in the range of up to R2.5 lakh.
Nickunj Jain of Sundaram Chains, Mumbai received an exceptional response for his bangles sold under the brand name of J18. “Our latest collections studded with Swarovski cubic zirconia have been well received by retailers from all over India especially Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, while retailers from Kerala have enquired about our plain gold collection. The collection ranges from R80,000 to R1.2 lakh. That being said, the purchasing power has reduced by 20-30% since the last Signature as the overall market is slow.”
But the sluggish market conditions didn’t seem to affect the sales of Rishabh Jain of Trident, Mumbai, who received an overwhelming response for his innovative mangalsutras. “This has been our best Signature to date. We met with retailers from Maharashtra, Gujarat and
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the company was a regular at Signature. Although the company did not receive any new queries, they did get orders across all the jewellery categories from their previous clients.
Karan Garodia of Sanskriti Jewels, Mumbai, said, “Earrings and bracelets in the range of R50,000 to R5 lakh did well at the show. Retailers are not in a mood to pick up bigger pieces. This year we have experimented with fancy shaped diamonds and coloured stones in our ‘Signature collection. We also showcased a unique diamond cuff which is made up of several smaller ones, and can be detached and worn individually. Our Di Zaffiro collection continues to be a favourite with our retailers,” said Garodia.
The loose gemstones section felt that they were a neglected lot. While colour gemstone exhibitors managed to conduct some business, loose diamond exhibitors lamented the lack of visitors as well as the timing of the show.
Anand Shah, vice-president – sales, Asian Star, Mumbai, said, “Signature is always slow for the loose gemstone section but even then this show has not lived up to our expectations. The Hong Kong show in March is the biggest trade fair for loose gemstones so our clients would prefer to meet us there rather than coming to Signature. Also, I feel January is a better time for Signature as it will give our buyers
a two-month gap before Hong Kong.”
Sunil Paswala, sales executive at Parin Gems, Surat mirrored Shah’s sentiments. “There is not enough publicity for the loose gemstones section. The world is still tackling with recession and as a result demand is slow. Rough diamond prices are up and as a result even polished diamond prices are on the higher side. Most of our export clients will meet us at the Hong Kong show,” said Paswala.
The global economic crises further deterred international visitors from attending the show, Faraz Javaheri Amin, GJEPC’s coordinator for Iran brought a 12-member delegation to source loose diamonds, gemstones and jewellery at Signature. “Generally I have a large contingent of about 30-70 people, but currently the overall market is not so good. The Middle East has been hard hit by the low petrol prices which, in turn, have also affected the world economy. Iran is a very big market for jewellery and women in the country predominantly prefer diamonds to gold,” informed Amin.
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There is not enough publicity for the loose gemstones section. The world is still tackling with recession and as a result demand is slow. ”
Anand Shah
Rajesh Shah of Sumit Export, Mumbai said that the Council needs to promote the loose gemstone section better. “The Council should organise more road shows within the regions of India,” said Shah, adding that in general LB and off-white singe cut diamonds are moving because they are cheaper.
Anil Punjabi of Tahilram Tirthdas Jewellers, Mumbai, informed that they had fared well. “We got to meet actual buyers and I would say we did the same amount of
business as last Signature. White sapphires in rose cuts, a great, cost-effective substitute for diamonds, and good quality South Sea pearls are still very popular. Market for emeralds is slow because of non-availability of natural product. A good quality emerald costs from R20,000 to R300,000 per carat. Mozambique rubies ranging from R2,000 to R25,000 per carat are popular because they are flat and big in size.”
Rajender Lashkary, owner of Rajender Gems, Jaipur said that his regular Mumbai
buyers visited him at the show though the overall footfalls have been much fewer. “Signature is a good show but I feel the timing should be altered. I feel the government policies also need to be relaxed in order for the show to be more conducive to business. At the Hong Kong show, our clients can purchase the goods and carry it with them. They don’t have to wait for delivery at a later date. I hope India too can introduce something along the same lines.” n
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(From left) GJEPC director, trade & policy, K.K. Duggal, additional secretary & financial advisor B.P. Pandey, and GJEPC chairman Vipul Shah.
B.P. PANDEY, additional secretary & financial advisor, Department of Commerce, Government of India, visited Signature on day two and shared his views with SOLITAIRE.
What is your impression of the Signature show?Signature is truly a global event. It is said that the August event (IIJS) is even better, although I haven’t visited that show. The way Signature has been organised, the quality of stalls, exhibitors, overall ambience, etc. is impressive. Apart from that, I am amazed to see the variety of jewellery on display here; every store has something different and innovative to offer. For me, Signature has really been an eye-opener.
The Government of India gives the GJEPC grants to hold shows like this. Do you think the show is living up to the government’s expectations?Looking at the kind of show that the GJEPC has put up here, it is spending much more than what the government provides. I do believe that money is well spent.
Will this support continue in the future?Sure, because I think that gems and jewellery is one of our sunrise sectors, where exports are growing by more than 10-12% every year.
‘Signature HaS Been an eye-opener’
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BN Jewellers Tibarumal Trident
