|*Exposure to world class products and excellent networking opportunities have turned the IIJS into the perfect platform for the domestic jewellery industry as it seeks to fashion a modern avatar of its traditional self. With trade visitors from every corner of the country in attendance, IIJS 2010 only re-emphasised how important the show has become for an {{Indian jeweller}}.*|%% From Guwahati to Goa and from Chandigarh to Coimbatore, they were all in attendance at the largest B2B jewellery show of the country -- the India International Jewellery Show (IIJS) held at the NSE Grounds from August 19-23, 2010.%% Many came to shop and buy, some to learn and understand and others just to listen and look. There were large multi-store retailers from the metros and small manufacturer-owners from the mofussil towns. And they thronged the venue of the show from the time that the ribbon was cut virtually till the exhibitors downed their shutters five days later. %% If regular visitors to international shows were amazed at the brisk start to the show on Day One (something unheard of at most international exhibitions), the continuing crowds enabled a gang of international thieves to snatch away a bag of around 889 carats of diamonds (estimated to be worth Rs 6.6 crore) from the booth of Dalumi Diamonds (HK) towards the fag end of Day Five.%%

Perhaps in deference to the high prices of gold, there was an attempt to also offer a range of lightweight jewllery, though there was a preponderance of chunky gold jewellery as well. The Indian national bird, the peacock found expression in many a company’s creative urge. Peacocks in various shapes and sizes were to be seen in many windows – from designer Farah Khan to award winners Ansaa Jewellery to several others. %% “The IIJS this year has been successful beyond belief - in terms of footfalls as also the satisfaction expressed by the exhibitors and buyers alike,” said Haresh Zaveri, Convener, Exhibition Sub-Committee, GJEPC. “After the show, we have received calls from various industry players expressing their delight. IIJS 2010 saw 25% new visitors being registered. I would also like to point out that the magnitude of IIJS is such today that exhibitors prepare for two to three months before the show to create new lines and collections, buyers stop purchasing as they await the greatest sourcing event ever seen.” %% The importance of IIJS for the Indian market can be gauged by the fact that many exhibitors used the platform to unveil new products and / or collections. Even a global giant like Swarovski chose IIJS to launch Gem Visions 2011, its new trend forecast for the forthcoming season, and display some of the creations at its stall. They also introduced their new Pure Brilliance Zirconia Cut during the event. %% While the Women’s Jewelers Association (WJA) chose to inaugurate its India chapter at the show, HRD, Antwerp announced the start of its City Link Service, and sightholders like Kiran Gems and Rosy Blue, among others, launched new mobile and web based applications at the fair. %% In the domestic arena, Union Chains unveiled a range of new collections in a variety of metals and styles, including Divyavastra – handcrafted special fabric for devotional apparel, accessories, jewellery for idols of deities made out of 14k, 18k and 22k purity of gold and sterling silver at 92.5 % with rhodium plating and anti tarnish treatment, while Chain-n-Chains launched two new brands viz. – Aaris, a collection of steel-gold diamond jewellery and Balzo – a collection of silver sensations as well as a new Exlite range of hollow chains, bangles, bracelets and accessories in 9 to 22k white and yellow gold and Milleret presented the new Tonneau Couple watches collection. %% Thus, for the Indian retailer, IIJS the ultimate sourcing paradise. “The variety of jewellery is really amazing and I was able to find whatever I was looking for which is quite a wide range, as we have different types of clients across our showrooms – two three-storied outlets in Akola, one in JewelWorld at Mumbai as well as a presence in Nagpur,” said Nitin Khandelwal of Khandelwal Jewellers, Akola.

It is a sentiment echoed from across the country. “We have also placed orders for samples in various categories – loose diamonds, traditional jewellery, gift items, international style jewellery and more. Clearly the market has revived,” said Nitin Vijay of Guptasons Jewellers, Delhi. %% Pratap Kamath, CEO, Abaharan Timeless Jewellery of Bangalore remarked “Bangalore is a very cosmopolitan market and is seeing good demand. The consumer there buys everything from high end to regular fashion jewellery. So a show like this satisfies my requirements as I get a chance to see a huge variety across every category and from across India.” %% Manufacturers too were equally ecstatic about the opportunities. |*Says Haresh Sakhariya of H V Jewels, “The show was tremendous. We had a steady stream of visitors and people were queuing up to meet us long after the closing time. This time we have had a very strong turnout from the North and traffic from East India was also very good. The mood at the show is a clear indication that the recession is over, and the demand from the Indian market is very strong.” *|%% |*Dipti Jhaveri of the designer jeweller firm Dipti Amisha says, “This is our third year in IIJS, and the response has been excellent. People have responded very well to our Indo-Western designs which are gaining in popularity. We got wholesalers from all over India and we have good clients in the Western India and North India.” *|%% Ghanshyam Dholakia, Managing Director, Hari Krishna Exports was vocal in his appreciation. “It was an excellent show,” he enthused. “The Hari Krishna Group was exhibiting both loose diamonds and our Kisna brand of jewellery, and we got a very good response for both.” Kisna especially did exceedingly well. “There were buyers from all over India from towns and cities that one may not even have heard of,” Dholakia continued. %% All of this translates into impressive figures. Haresh Zaveri in his concluding remarks at the inaugural said that a survey by the IMRB revealed that business worth Rs. 3,400 crore was conducted at IIJS 2009. This was easily bettered at IIJS 2010 and the final figures are nearer to Rs 4,000 crore.

The fair organizers reported that the show attracted a total of 32,823 visitors including 28,589 domestic trade visitors and around 2329 overseas visitors. The crowds are perhaps the most visible manifestation of the attempts by the Indian jeweller to change the industry and keep pace with the rapidly transforming socio-economic scenario and evolving consumer. %% This desire for change was also manifested in the huge variety of goods on display – both in loose stones and in jewellery. From the traditional gold jewellery that has been the backbone of the Indian industry for many decades to more modern diamond jewellery that is rapidly catching the customer’s attention; from silver jewellery for daily wear to high end designer jewellery and from religious artefacts in precious metals to new variants like woven gold fabric; from lower end beads across the spectrum of coloured stones to large diamonds of a very high value, it was all there on display.

{{Smart Policing}}%% It was a small sidelight to the main show, but it added a feather to the cap of the organisers and the Mumbai police. %% As the show drew to an end on Day 5, a bag containing 889 carats of diamonds estimated to be worth about Rs 6.6. crore was reported missing from the booth of Dalumi Diamonds, HK. %% The organisers, security agencies and the Mumbai police worked overtime to figure out how the multiple layers of security had been breached and with some slick and smart detective work, managed to ensure that the culprits were apprehended at the Dubai airport less than 24 hours after the theft. %% Jaymit Security Systems Pvt. Ltd, the official agency of IIJS from last 10 consecutive years, used footage from 500 CCTV cameras that were recording at the venue round the clock to speedily identify the thieves. They even zeroed in on shots of the culprits from entry till exit and while transferring diamond box from one bag to another. Then the elaborate registration procedures (often criticized as being cumbersome and too elaborate) came into play. The organisers got passport details of the visitors (mandatory for foreigners at the time of entry) and relayed them to the police who lost no time in identifying when they had left the country and where they were headed. In a matter of hours, the diamonds were recovered and the culprits taken into custody.

|*Exposure to world class products and excellent networking opportunities have turned the IIJS into the perfect platform for the domestic jewellery industry as it seeks to fashion a modern avatar of its traditional self. With trade visitors from every corner of the country in attendance, IIJS 2010 only re-emphasised how important the show has become for an {{Indian jeweller}}.*|%% From Guwahati to Goa and from Chandigarh to Coimbatore, they were all in attendance at the largest B2B jewellery show of the country -- the India International Jewellery Show (IIJS) held at the NSE Grounds from August 19-23, 2010.%% Many came to shop and buy, some to learn and understand and others just to listen and look. There were large multi-store retailers from the metros and small manufacturer-owners from the mofussil towns. And they thronged the venue of the show from the time that the ribbon was cut virtually till the exhibitors downed their shutters five days later. %% If regular visitors to international shows were amazed at the brisk start to the show on Day One (something unheard of at most international exhibitions), the continuing crowds enabled a gang of international thieves to snatch away a bag of around 889 carats of diamonds (estimated to be worth Rs 6.6 crore) from the booth of Dalumi Diamonds (HK) towards the fag end of Day Five.%%

Perhaps in deference to the high prices of gold, there was an attempt to also offer a range of lightweight jewllery, though there was a preponderance of chunky gold jewellery as well. The Indian national bird, the peacock found expression in many a company’s creative urge. Peacocks in various shapes and sizes were to be seen in many windows – from designer Farah Khan to award winners Ansaa Jewellery to several others. %% “The IIJS this year has been successful beyond belief - in terms of footfalls as also the satisfaction expressed by the exhibitors and buyers alike,” said Haresh Zaveri, Convener, Exhibition Sub-Committee, GJEPC. “After the show, we have received calls from various industry players expressing their delight. IIJS 2010 saw 25% new visitors being registered. I would also like to point out that the magnitude of IIJS is such today that exhibitors prepare for two to three months before the show to create new lines and collections, buyers stop purchasing as they await the greatest sourcing event ever seen.” %% The importance of IIJS for the Indian market can be gauged by the fact that many exhibitors used the platform to unveil new products and / or collections. Even a global giant like Swarovski chose IIJS to launch Gem Visions 2011, its new trend forecast for the forthcoming season, and display some of the creations at its stall. They also introduced their new Pure Brilliance Zirconia Cut during the event. %% While the Women’s Jewelers Association (WJA) chose to inaugurate its India chapter at the show, HRD, Antwerp announced the start of its City Link Service, and sightholders like Kiran Gems and Rosy Blue, among others, launched new mobile and web based applications at the fair. %% In the domestic arena, Union Chains unveiled a range of new collections in a variety of metals and styles, including Divyavastra – handcrafted special fabric for devotional apparel, accessories, jewellery for idols of deities made out of 14k, 18k and 22k purity of gold and sterling silver at 92.5 % with rhodium plating and anti tarnish treatment, while Chain-n-Chains launched two new brands viz. – Aaris, a collection of steel-gold diamond jewellery and Balzo – a collection of silver sensations as well as a new Exlite range of hollow chains, bangles, bracelets and accessories in 9 to 22k white and yellow gold and Milleret presented the new Tonneau Couple watches collection. %% Thus, for the Indian retailer, IIJS the ultimate sourcing paradise. “The variety of jewellery is really amazing and I was able to find whatever I was looking for which is quite a wide range, as we have different types of clients across our showrooms – two three-storied outlets in Akola, one in JewelWorld at Mumbai as well as a presence in Nagpur,” said Nitin Khandelwal of Khandelwal Jewellers, Akola.

It is a sentiment echoed from across the country. “We have also placed orders for samples in various categories – loose diamonds, traditional jewellery, gift items, international style jewellery and more. Clearly the market has revived,” said Nitin Vijay of Guptasons Jewellers, Delhi. %% Pratap Kamath, CEO, Abaharan Timeless Jewellery of Bangalore remarked “Bangalore is a very cosmopolitan market and is seeing good demand. The consumer there buys everything from high end to regular fashion jewellery. So a show like this satisfies my requirements as I get a chance to see a huge variety across every category and from across India.” %% Manufacturers too were equally ecstatic about the opportunities. |*Says Haresh Sakhariya of H V Jewels, “The show was tremendous. We had a steady stream of visitors and people were queuing up to meet us long after the closing time. This time we have had a very strong turnout from the North and traffic from East India was also very good. The mood at the show is a clear indication that the recession is over, and the demand from the Indian market is very strong.” *|%% |*Dipti Jhaveri of the designer jeweller firm Dipti Amisha says, “This is our third year in IIJS, and the response has been excellent. People have responded very well to our Indo-Western designs which are gaining in popularity. We got wholesalers from all over India and we have good clients in the Western India and North India.” *|%% Ghanshyam Dholakia, Managing Director, Hari Krishna Exports was vocal in his appreciation. “It was an excellent show,” he enthused. “The Hari Krishna Group was exhibiting both loose diamonds and our Kisna brand of jewellery, and we got a very good response for both.” Kisna especially did exceedingly well. “There were buyers from all over India from towns and cities that one may not even have heard of,” Dholakia continued. %% All of this translates into impressive figures. Haresh Zaveri in his concluding remarks at the inaugural said that a survey by the IMRB revealed that business worth Rs. 3,400 crore was conducted at IIJS 2009. This was easily bettered at IIJS 2010 and the final figures are nearer to Rs 4,000 crore.

The fair organizers reported that the show attracted a total of 32,823 visitors including 28,589 domestic trade visitors and around 2329 overseas visitors. The crowds are perhaps the most visible manifestation of the attempts by the Indian jeweller to change the industry and keep pace with the rapidly transforming socio-economic scenario and evolving consumer. %% This desire for change was also manifested in the huge variety of goods on display – both in loose stones and in jewellery. From the traditional gold jewellery that has been the backbone of the Indian industry for many decades to more modern diamond jewellery that is rapidly catching the customer’s attention; from silver jewellery for daily wear to high end designer jewellery and from religious artefacts in precious metals to new variants like woven gold fabric; from lower end beads across the spectrum of coloured stones to large diamonds of a very high value, it was all there on display.

{{Smart Policing}}%% It was a small sidelight to the main show, but it added a feather to the cap of the organisers and the Mumbai police. %% As the show drew to an end on Day 5, a bag containing 889 carats of diamonds estimated to be worth about Rs 6.6. crore was reported missing from the booth of Dalumi Diamonds, HK. %% The organisers, security agencies and the Mumbai police worked overtime to figure out how the multiple layers of security had been breached and with some slick and smart detective work, managed to ensure that the culprits were apprehended at the Dubai airport less than 24 hours after the theft. %% Jaymit Security Systems Pvt. Ltd, the official agency of IIJS from last 10 consecutive years, used footage from 500 CCTV cameras that were recording at the venue round the clock to speedily identify the thieves. They even zeroed in on shots of the culprits from entry till exit and while transferring diamond box from one bag to another. Then the elaborate registration procedures (often criticized as being cumbersome and too elaborate) came into play. The organisers got passport details of the visitors (mandatory for foreigners at the time of entry) and relayed them to the police who lost no time in identifying when they had left the country and where they were headed. In a matter of hours, the diamonds were recovered and the culprits taken into custody.

|*Exposure to world class products and excellent networking opportunities have turned the IIJS into the perfect platform for the domestic jewellery industry as it seeks to fashion a modern avatar of its traditional self. With trade visitors from every corner of the country in attendance, IIJS 2010 only re-emphasised how important the show has become for an {{Indian jeweller}}.*|%% From Guwahati to Goa and from Chandigarh to Coimbatore, they were all in attendance at the largest B2B jewellery show of the country -- the India International Jewellery Show (IIJS) held at the NSE Grounds from August 19-23, 2010.%% Many came to shop and buy, some to learn and understand and others just to listen and look. There were large multi-store retailers from the metros and small manufacturer-owners from the mofussil towns. And they thronged the venue of the show from the time that the ribbon was cut virtually till the exhibitors downed their shutters five days later. %% If regular visitors to international shows were amazed at the brisk start to the show on Day One (something unheard of at most international exhibitions), the continuing crowds enabled a gang of international thieves to snatch away a bag of around 889 carats of diamonds (estimated to be worth Rs 6.6 crore) from the booth of Dalumi Diamonds (HK) towards the fag end of Day Five.%%

Perhaps in deference to the high prices of gold, there was an attempt to also offer a range of lightweight jewllery, though there was a preponderance of chunky gold jewellery as well. The Indian national bird, the peacock found expression in many a company’s creative urge. Peacocks in various shapes and sizes were to be seen in many windows – from designer Farah Khan to award winners Ansaa Jewellery to several others. %% “The IIJS this year has been successful beyond belief - in terms of footfalls as also the satisfaction expressed by the exhibitors and buyers alike,” said Haresh Zaveri, Convener, Exhibition Sub-Committee, GJEPC. “After the show, we have received calls from various industry players expressing their delight. IIJS 2010 saw 25% new visitors being registered. I would also like to point out that the magnitude of IIJS is such today that exhibitors prepare for two to three months before the show to create new lines and collections, buyers stop purchasing as they await the greatest sourcing event ever seen.” %% The importance of IIJS for the Indian market can be gauged by the fact that many exhibitors used the platform to unveil new products and / or collections. Even a global giant like Swarovski chose IIJS to launch Gem Visions 2011, its new trend forecast for the forthcoming season, and display some of the creations at its stall. They also introduced their new Pure Brilliance Zirconia Cut during the event. %% While the Women’s Jewelers Association (WJA) chose to inaugurate its India chapter at the show, HRD, Antwerp announced the start of its City Link Service, and sightholders like Kiran Gems and Rosy Blue, among others, launched new mobile and web based applications at the fair. %% In the domestic arena, Union Chains unveiled a range of new collections in a variety of metals and styles, including Divyavastra – handcrafted special fabric for devotional apparel, accessories, jewellery for idols of deities made out of 14k, 18k and 22k purity of gold and sterling silver at 92.5 % with rhodium plating and anti tarnish treatment, while Chain-n-Chains launched two new brands viz. – Aaris, a collection of steel-gold diamond jewellery and Balzo – a collection of silver sensations as well as a new Exlite range of hollow chains, bangles, bracelets and accessories in 9 to 22k white and yellow gold and Milleret presented the new Tonneau Couple watches collection. %% Thus, for the Indian retailer, IIJS the ultimate sourcing paradise. “The variety of jewellery is really amazing and I was able to find whatever I was looking for which is quite a wide range, as we have different types of clients across our showrooms – two three-storied outlets in Akola, one in JewelWorld at Mumbai as well as a presence in Nagpur,” said Nitin Khandelwal of Khandelwal Jewellers, Akola.

It is a sentiment echoed from across the country. “We have also placed orders for samples in various categories – loose diamonds, traditional jewellery, gift items, international style jewellery and more. Clearly the market has revived,” said Nitin Vijay of Guptasons Jewellers, Delhi. %% Pratap Kamath, CEO, Abaharan Timeless Jewellery of Bangalore remarked “Bangalore is a very cosmopolitan market and is seeing good demand. The consumer there buys everything from high end to regular fashion jewellery. So a show like this satisfies my requirements as I get a chance to see a huge variety across every category and from across India.” %% Manufacturers too were equally ecstatic about the opportunities. |*Says Haresh Sakhariya of H V Jewels, “The show was tremendous. We had a steady stream of visitors and people were queuing up to meet us long after the closing time. This time we have had a very strong turnout from the North and traffic from East India was also very good. The mood at the show is a clear indication that the recession is over, and the demand from the Indian market is very strong.” *|%% |*Dipti Jhaveri of the designer jeweller firm Dipti Amisha says, “This is our third year in IIJS, and the response has been excellent. People have responded very well to our Indo-Western designs which are gaining in popularity. We got wholesalers from all over India and we have good clients in the Western India and North India.” *|%% Ghanshyam Dholakia, Managing Director, Hari Krishna Exports was vocal in his appreciation. “It was an excellent show,” he enthused. “The Hari Krishna Group was exhibiting both loose diamonds and our Kisna brand of jewellery, and we got a very good response for both.” Kisna especially did exceedingly well. “There were buyers from all over India from towns and cities that one may not even have heard of,” Dholakia continued. %% All of this translates into impressive figures. Haresh Zaveri in his concluding remarks at the inaugural said that a survey by the IMRB revealed that business worth Rs. 3,400 crore was conducted at IIJS 2009. This was easily bettered at IIJS 2010 and the final figures are nearer to Rs 4,000 crore.

The fair organizers reported that the show attracted a total of 32,823 visitors including 28,589 domestic trade visitors and around 2329 overseas visitors. The crowds are perhaps the most visible manifestation of the attempts by the Indian jeweller to change the industry and keep pace with the rapidly transforming socio-economic scenario and evolving consumer. %% This desire for change was also manifested in the huge variety of goods on display – both in loose stones and in jewellery. From the traditional gold jewellery that has been the backbone of the Indian industry for many decades to more modern diamond jewellery that is rapidly catching the customer’s attention; from silver jewellery for daily wear to high end designer jewellery and from religious artefacts in precious metals to new variants like woven gold fabric; from lower end beads across the spectrum of coloured stones to large diamonds of a very high value, it was all there on display.

{{Smart Policing}}%% It was a small sidelight to the main show, but it added a feather to the cap of the organisers and the Mumbai police. %% As the show drew to an end on Day 5, a bag containing 889 carats of diamonds estimated to be worth about Rs 6.6. crore was reported missing from the booth of Dalumi Diamonds, HK. %% The organisers, security agencies and the Mumbai police worked overtime to figure out how the multiple layers of security had been breached and with some slick and smart detective work, managed to ensure that the culprits were apprehended at the Dubai airport less than 24 hours after the theft. %% Jaymit Security Systems Pvt. Ltd, the official agency of IIJS from last 10 consecutive years, used footage from 500 CCTV cameras that were recording at the venue round the clock to speedily identify the thieves. They even zeroed in on shots of the culprits from entry till exit and while transferring diamond box from one bag to another. Then the elaborate registration procedures (often criticized as being cumbersome and too elaborate) came into play. The organisers got passport details of the visitors (mandatory for foreigners at the time of entry) and relayed them to the police who lost no time in identifying when they had left the country and where they were headed. In a matter of hours, the diamonds were recovered and the culprits taken into custody.

|*Exposure to world class products and excellent networking opportunities have turned the IIJS into the perfect platform for the domestic jewellery industry as it seeks to fashion a modern avatar of its traditional self. With trade visitors from every corner of the country in attendance, IIJS 2010 only re-emphasised how important the show has become for an {{Indian jeweller}}.*|%% From Guwahati to Goa and from Chandigarh to Coimbatore, they were all in attendance at the largest B2B jewellery show of the country -- the India International Jewellery Show (IIJS) held at the NSE Grounds from August 19-23, 2010.%% Many came to shop and buy, some to learn and understand and others just to listen and look. There were large multi-store retailers from the metros and small manufacturer-owners from the mofussil towns. And they thronged the venue of the show from the time that the ribbon was cut virtually till the exhibitors downed their shutters five days later. %% If regular visitors to international shows were amazed at the brisk start to the show on Day One (something unheard of at most international exhibitions), the continuing crowds enabled a gang of international thieves to snatch away a bag of around 889 carats of diamonds (estimated to be worth Rs 6.6 crore) from the booth of Dalumi Diamonds (HK) towards the fag end of Day Five.%%

Perhaps in deference to the high prices of gold, there was an attempt to also offer a range of lightweight jewllery, though there was a preponderance of chunky gold jewellery as well. The Indian national bird, the peacock found expression in many a company’s creative urge. Peacocks in various shapes and sizes were to be seen in many windows – from designer Farah Khan to award winners Ansaa Jewellery to several others. %% “The IIJS this year has been successful beyond belief - in terms of footfalls as also the satisfaction expressed by the exhibitors and buyers alike,” said Haresh Zaveri, Convener, Exhibition Sub-Committee, GJEPC. “After the show, we have received calls from various industry players expressing their delight. IIJS 2010 saw 25% new visitors being registered. I would also like to point out that the magnitude of IIJS is such today that exhibitors prepare for two to three months before the show to create new lines and collections, buyers stop purchasing as they await the greatest sourcing event ever seen.” %% The importance of IIJS for the Indian market can be gauged by the fact that many exhibitors used the platform to unveil new products and / or collections. Even a global giant like Swarovski chose IIJS to launch Gem Visions 2011, its new trend forecast for the forthcoming season, and display some of the creations at its stall. They also introduced their new Pure Brilliance Zirconia Cut during the event. %% While the Women’s Jewelers Association (WJA) chose to inaugurate its India chapter at the show, HRD, Antwerp announced the start of its City Link Service, and sightholders like Kiran Gems and Rosy Blue, among others, launched new mobile and web based applications at the fair. %% In the domestic arena, Union Chains unveiled a range of new collections in a variety of metals and styles, including Divyavastra – handcrafted special fabric for devotional apparel, accessories, jewellery for idols of deities made out of 14k, 18k and 22k purity of gold and sterling silver at 92.5 % with rhodium plating and anti tarnish treatment, while Chain-n-Chains launched two new brands viz. – Aaris, a collection of steel-gold diamond jewellery and Balzo – a collection of silver sensations as well as a new Exlite range of hollow chains, bangles, bracelets and accessories in 9 to 22k white and yellow gold and Milleret presented the new Tonneau Couple watches collection. %% Thus, for the Indian retailer, IIJS the ultimate sourcing paradise. “The variety of jewellery is really amazing and I was able to find whatever I was looking for which is quite a wide range, as we have different types of clients across our showrooms – two three-storied outlets in Akola, one in JewelWorld at Mumbai as well as a presence in Nagpur,” said Nitin Khandelwal of Khandelwal Jewellers, Akola.

It is a sentiment echoed from across the country. “We have also placed orders for samples in various categories – loose diamonds, traditional jewellery, gift items, international style jewellery and more. Clearly the market has revived,” said Nitin Vijay of Guptasons Jewellers, Delhi. %% Pratap Kamath, CEO, Abaharan Timeless Jewellery of Bangalore remarked “Bangalore is a very cosmopolitan market and is seeing good demand. The consumer there buys everything from high end to regular fashion jewellery. So a show like this satisfies my requirements as I get a chance to see a huge variety across every category and from across India.” %% Manufacturers too were equally ecstatic about the opportunities. |*Says Haresh Sakhariya of H V Jewels, “The show was tremendous. We had a steady stream of visitors and people were queuing up to meet us long after the closing time. This time we have had a very strong turnout from the North and traffic from East India was also very good. The mood at the show is a clear indication that the recession is over, and the demand from the Indian market is very strong.” *|%% |*Dipti Jhaveri of the designer jeweller firm Dipti Amisha says, “This is our third year in IIJS, and the response has been excellent. People have responded very well to our Indo-Western designs which are gaining in popularity. We got wholesalers from all over India and we have good clients in the Western India and North India.” *|%% Ghanshyam Dholakia, Managing Director, Hari Krishna Exports was vocal in his appreciation. “It was an excellent show,” he enthused. “The Hari Krishna Group was exhibiting both loose diamonds and our Kisna brand of jewellery, and we got a very good response for both.” Kisna especially did exceedingly well. “There were buyers from all over India from towns and cities that one may not even have heard of,” Dholakia continued. %% All of this translates into impressive figures. Haresh Zaveri in his concluding remarks at the inaugural said that a survey by the IMRB revealed that business worth Rs. 3,400 crore was conducted at IIJS 2009. This was easily bettered at IIJS 2010 and the final figures are nearer to Rs 4,000 crore.

The fair organizers reported that the show attracted a total of 32,823 visitors including 28,589 domestic trade visitors and around 2329 overseas visitors. The crowds are perhaps the most visible manifestation of the attempts by the Indian jeweller to change the industry and keep pace with the rapidly transforming socio-economic scenario and evolving consumer. %% This desire for change was also manifested in the huge variety of goods on display – both in loose stones and in jewellery. From the traditional gold jewellery that has been the backbone of the Indian industry for many decades to more modern diamond jewellery that is rapidly catching the customer’s attention; from silver jewellery for daily wear to high end designer jewellery and from religious artefacts in precious metals to new variants like woven gold fabric; from lower end beads across the spectrum of coloured stones to large diamonds of a very high value, it was all there on display.

{{Smart Policing}}%% It was a small sidelight to the main show, but it added a feather to the cap of the organisers and the Mumbai police. %% As the show drew to an end on Day 5, a bag containing 889 carats of diamonds estimated to be worth about Rs 6.6. crore was reported missing from the booth of Dalumi Diamonds, HK. %% The organisers, security agencies and the Mumbai police worked overtime to figure out how the multiple layers of security had been breached and with some slick and smart detective work, managed to ensure that the culprits were apprehended at the Dubai airport less than 24 hours after the theft. %% Jaymit Security Systems Pvt. Ltd, the official agency of IIJS from last 10 consecutive years, used footage from 500 CCTV cameras that were recording at the venue round the clock to speedily identify the thieves. They even zeroed in on shots of the culprits from entry till exit and while transferring diamond box from one bag to another. Then the elaborate registration procedures (often criticized as being cumbersome and too elaborate) came into play. The organisers got passport details of the visitors (mandatory for foreigners at the time of entry) and relayed them to the police who lost no time in identifying when they had left the country and where they were headed. In a matter of hours, the diamonds were recovered and the culprits taken into custody.