After the success of the first edition of India International Jewellery Show (IIJS) Virtual in October 2020, the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) yesterday inaugurated IIJS Virtual 2.0, powered by GIA, in the presence of Colin Shah, Chairman, GJEPC; Vipul Shah, Vice Chairman, GJEPC; Shailesh Sangani, Convener, National Exhibitions; and Sabyasachi Ray, ED, GJEPC.
In his keynote address, Colin Shah, Chairman, GJEPC, said, “There was a demand for an encore and we are back within three months with an upgraded version of the virtual show. Trade demanded, and we delivered!
At the same time, the Council wanted to keep the momentum going and power through the first half of 2021. In fact, I am happy to share that the exports of gem and jewellery are back to pre-Covid levels in November and December last year.
“The industry has begun to pick up and is already witnessing a surge in demand – especially in China and the US, which are the major jewellery consuming markets of the world.
“Jewellery was the highest selling luxury product in China in 2020 and the Thanksgiving Day spending in the US rose by nearly 22% year-over-year to $5.1 billion, hitting a new record – which goes to prove that jewellery is strongly linked to the emotional connect of buyers.”
The second edition of IIJS Virtual is being held from 8th to 12th January 2021, and has 250 exhibitors with an estimated 8,000 registered buyers from India as well as the US, UK, UAE, Singapore, Bangladesh, Nepal, Hong Kong, Belgium, Sri Lanka, Thailand, etc.
The show has dedicated five Halls for Traditional Gold Jewellery; Gold Jewellery (Mass); Diamond/Colour Gemstone Jewellery; Couture/Bridal Jewellery; Loose colour Gemstone/Silver jewellery /Machinery & Allied.
The Chairman informed that the Indian domestic market has seen an unprecedented rise in bridal jewellery sales, and the second virtual show has been put up to cater to the summer wedding season demand.
Along with the Council’s initiatives, the industry has been able to bounce back because of the quick relief measures undertaken by the Government to support the industry during the pandemic. “I take this opportunity to thank our Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri. Narendra Modi for his visionary leadership and supporting the industry, especially during the difficult times.
“It is our dream to make India the world’s foremost destination for gems and jewellery, and to bring in the much-needed impetus and growth to the sector. The Council is in the process of forging ties with a large E-Commerce partner that would provide a 24 by 7 online retail platform exclusively for all GJEPC members commencing this January.”
Vipul Shah, Vice Chairman, GJEPC, added, “The demand from members for a second edition in quick succession speaks volumes about the IIJS brand’s popularity and influence among industry members. IIJS Virtual 2.0 will carry forward the positive vibe of the first edition, which transacted around Rs.1,000 crore-worth of business.”
The digital platform has set a benchmark for the industry and the expectations from the second edition are high.
Delivering the vote of thanks, Shailesh Sangani, Convener, Exhibition (National), GJEPC, noted, “IIJS Virtual removed all doubt about the success of a virtual trade show format for gems and jewellery. ‘Touch and feel’ have now been replaced by ‘Tag and bag’. This time we have incorporated a host of new features in IIJS Virtual 2.0.
Starting from the exotic walkthrough feature, IIJS Virtual has a superior search engine, on-booth chat facility, product catalogue with a magnifying feature, digital organiser which tracks your meetings and notes, interactive knowledge forums, daily notification on WhatsApp for your appointments, and much more. IIJS Virtual 2.0 is a complete show with the Machinery section added this time.”