The Jewellery & Gem WORLD Hong Kong show saw high attendance, but concerns over order flow persisted due to trade bottlenecks linked to soaring gold prices and increased tariffs.
The Hong Kong September show, organised by Informa Markets, which is one of the largest two jewellery trade events in the world, gathered suppliers of jewellery, gems and accessories, and retail buyers from around the world, including many from mainland China.
The mid-September event was staged at two separate locations, the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), mainly for jewellery; and the Asia World-Expo, focused on diamonds, gemstones and pearls.
Pearl exhibition areas saw exceptionally high turnout by buyers, notably of Japanese Akoya and Chinese freshwater pearls, which are fashionable among Gen Z jewellery aficionados.
A major concern among attendees was the impact of tariffs on international trade, notably a 50 percent US tariff on India, which processes most of the world’s diamonds.
Trade sources spoke of a practice by some companies to use US-based entities to manufacture gold or platinum castings, export them elsewhere, set them with diamonds, and then export the finished jewellery products back to the United States, in order to reduce the overall net tariff impact.
Some Indian manufacturers were shifting small-scale operations to Dubai in order to be eligible to pay the lower, 16% US tariff applied to the UAE, trade sources said.
Hong Kong industry leaders spoke at a news conference of a climate of uncertainty due to the tariffs.
“The worst thing for business is uncertainty,” said Lawrence Ma, founding president and chairman of the Diamond Federation of Hong Kong.
Indian exhibitors were out in force at the show, participating in the India pavilion, organised by the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC); or showcasing their goods independently of the India Pavilion in the specialist areas, such as the leading polished diamond suppliers, whose discussions centred on the latest gold price peaks and the challenges triggered by the 50% tariff on Indian exports to the United States, the world’s largest economy.
At the India pavilion, Renaissance Global presented an array of very lightweight gold rings, responding to the impact of surging bullion prices.
In the diamond area, Devansh Shah, partner of Venus Jewel, a leading supplier of polished diamonds, spoke of firm demand for larger diamonds, of two carats or higher, notably fancy shapes, in part due to their rarity.
Hong Kong jewellery manufacturers are focused on design innovation and excellence, and boosting the quality of customer service, to assuage the impact of the tariffs, said Tommy Lee, chairperson of the Hong Kong Jewellery Manufacturers’ Association.
Hong Kong manufacturers are looking to break into new markets, such as ASEAN countries, he added.
The first two days of the Hong Kong September show, on September 15 and 16, at Asia World-Expo, had seen a rise in visitors year-on-year, organisers said, quoting preliminary data.
Some exhibitors spoke privately of a lack of US buyers, which they attributed to the impact of the US tariff regime which had made jewellery and gemstone imports to the United States more expensive.
Awards
The Winners and Finalists of the Sustainability Awards 2025 by JWA (Jewellery World Awards) were celebrated at an event hosted by Jewellery & Gem WORLD Hong Kong (JGW) on September 17.
The Awards recognised exceptional sustainability initiatives within the fine jewellery, gemstone and related sectors.
The 2025 edition consisted of five categories: Environmental Stewardship; Community Catalyst; Tech for A Sustainable Future; Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Sustainability Leadership.
The Sustainability Award Winners across the categories, were from China, India, Italy, the United States, and Vietnam.
“Live Selling”
A fast-growing phenomenon at the Hong Kong show was “live selling”, notably in pearls and synthetic diamonds.
Several exhibitors hosted live sellers and some booths put up notices welcoming them.
An inaugural “Livestreaming Avenue” hosted a number of live sellers, equipped with lighting systems, working animatedly along a row of booths to sell high volumes of goods in lower priced market segments.