The GJEPC’s Gem & Jewellery Buyer-Seller Meet, (7th & 8th April 2025), continues to play a pivotal role in strengthening international trade relations and highlighting India’s exceptional gem and jewellery craftsmanship.
Beyond design excellence, a significant number of global buyers expressed strong interest in outsourcing their jewellery manufacturing to Indian companies, recognising that India is on par with international standards in quality and capability. Solitaire International reports.
GJEPC’s Gem & Jewellery Buyer-Seller Meet (BSM) 2025 held at the Bharat Ratnam, Mega Common Facility Centre (CFC) in Mumbai, served as a dynamic platform for furthering trade relationships between premier Indian manufacturers and global buyers. Secure Logistics was the official logistics partner for the Meet.
This focused edition of the BSM featured 16 top Indian exhibitors showcasing exquisite fine diamond jewellery and hosted 40+ international buyers from 18 countries, including the USA, Canada, UK, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Australia, Mexico, Brazil, and Italy.
The BSM was inaugurated by Chief Guest Shri Dnyaneshwar B. Patil, IAS, Zonal Development Commissioner, SEEPZ, alongside Shri Kirit Bhansali, Chairman, GJEPC, and Shri Sabyasachi Ray, Executive Director, GJEPC.
Buyer Bytes
Johanna Brierley, founder and designer of Johanna Brierley Jewellery Design, has been creating her own line of handcrafted jewellery for over 19 years. Based in Canada, she operates through her website and wholesales to Canadian retailers, without a standalone storefront.
Her collection began with sterling silver and continues to be rooted in metalwork, though she has recently expanded into one-of-a-kind pieces incorporating gemstones like sapphires and diamonds.
Known for her minimalist yet bold aesthetic, Johanna’s work reflects a strong appreciation for the material itself. “My work is very much about the metal itself — I’m a bit of a purist in that sense. While dainty, layered jewellery has been popular for a while, I’ve noticed a shift: bigger, bolder sterling silver pieces are making a comeback, likely due to the rising cost of gold.”
The trip to India has been incredibly valuable for Johanna. “I came here primarily to explore manufacturing capabilities and found some great potential partners. It’s shifting the way I think about production moving forward.”
Lisi Fracchia, Jewellery Designer and Gemmologist from Spain, first visited the recently concluded IGJS in Jaipur to source gemstones. She says the “beauty of the stones I find here, makes me return, despite a hectic and long travel schedule. I work closely with six companies in Jaipur who help me with custom cuts and production. The relationships I’ve built here are essential to my creative process.
At the Gem & Jewellery Buyer-Seller meet in Mumbai, she informed that I mainly work with coloured gemstones — tanzanite, kunzite, morganite, peridot, and sapphires, especially multicoloured ones. I love using colour in my pieces. Some parts of my production are outsourced to India — I send over my CAD and Rhino files for manufacturing, including enamel work, which I’ve incorporated into my latest collection, ‘My Place in the World.’ It features enamel maps from different countries, including India.
Elaborating on the current jewellery trends in Spain, she said that the trend is towards lighter, more minimalist jewellery, often in silver or 9-karat gold. “I design for that market — elegant, wearable pieces that reflect both fashion and identity. I didn’t come from the jewellery world originally — I was a headmistress in Argentina before moving to Spain in 2005. That’s when I studied gemmology, fell in love with design, and started this journey.”
Currently, she is a member of the board at the Spanish Gemological Institute and part of Spain’s Fashion Awards board. I’m proud to say that some of my pieces have reached royal houses, including the Spanish Royal Family. My boutique is in the city centre, but I also sell through other stores and Instagram. What began as a personal transformation has grown into a global, creative path I never could have imagined.”
The consumer trend in the US seems to veer towards 14-karat gold, mixing metals like gold and silver, and exploring lightweight or hollow designs to maintain a bold look while reducing material costs, noted Olga, Founder, Pietra Communications. “There’s also growing interest in 3D printing, sustainable sourcing, and certified manufacturing, especially for silver and diamond jewellery.”
Cloyette Harris Stoute, Founder of Alliyette, USA, said that this was her first time in India, and she was having a wonderful time exploring the many opportunities to connect with manufacturers and witness their impressive technological advancements. “It’s great to get an insight into the product development and end-to-end supply chain process.”
Bassam Alashker, Najd Deer Jewelry Co., from Saudi Arabia and has been running the jewellery business for many years with a factory and three showrooms in Saudi Arabia, including one in Jeddah. “We are currently looking for manufacturers who can produce diamond and coloured stone in 18-karat jewellery. It’s incredibly convenient to source natural diamonds and gemstones here, and working with Indian counterparts has been a very comfortable and seamless experience.”
Jim Zulick from MBI, marketing under the Danbury Mint, a US-based brand that sells directly to consumers via mail-order catalogues and online, informed, “We’re a highly item-driven business—our focus isn’t on building collections but on finding individual, compelling pieces we can market at scale. Think of it as a TV shopping network, but instead of screens, we reach customers through their mailboxes. Our sweet spot is in the $99 to $149 price range, with products like gold-plated brass pendants, often personalised in-house. We work with slim margins, so cost-effective manufacturing is crucial.
“While we’ve traditionally sourced through New York-based traders, coming to India has opened up exciting possibilities—particularly through direct relationships with factories. Some of the fine jewellery manufacturers in India are surprisingly open to working with more accessible materials like brass and customising to our specifications. Visiting Indian factories—especially in Jaipur—was eye-opening. The level of technology, craftsmanship exceeded my expectations. This being my first visit to India, I’d sum it up as eye-opening, educational, and incredibly welcoming.”
Exhibitors Speak
Priyank Shah, Partner, Imaginarium Jewel Tech: “This is our first time participating in the CFC Buyer-Seller Meet, and it’s been a wonderful experience. We had the opportunity to connect with buyers from Kazakhstan, the US, Brazil, and several other countries. The event has brought in a very focused and relevant audience — buyers who are specifically looking for the kind of custom-made products we specialise in, rather than just in-stock inventory. It’s been a very promising platform for us.”
Hitesh Thakar, General Manager, Mohit Diamond Pvt. Ltd. (Jewellery Division, based in SEEPZ) found the concept of curated buyers and sellers very interesting. The company had the opportunity to meet not only their regular customers but also new ones who were looking for products that aligned with their unique design sensibilities. “We’re looking forward to growing our business with them.”
Hiral Parikh, Managing Director, Minal Infojewels Ltd., one of the 16 participants at the Gem & Jewellery BSM, Mumbai, took us through the company’s journey and the importance of e-commerce: “We’ve been part of the lab-grown diamond movement long before it was mainstream. I started this journey at 20, building an e-commerce business when no one else believed in it.
“Today, we operate a dual model: high-end B2B and a growing B2C presence across Amazon, eBay, Walmart, and our own platform. Our focus has always been affordability, offering silver, 10-karat gold, and lab-grown stones at mass-market price points around $100. What’s exciting now is seeing the global shift.
“Last year, at the BSM, only a few buyers were interested in lab-grown diamonds—this year, everyone from the US to Egypt and even Saudi Arabia is asking for them. It’s not just bridal anymore—it’s fashion-forward, everyday wear, designed with a fresh aesthetic. Lab-grown is here to stay. It’s giving consumers choice, safety, and accessibility—and we as manufacturers have a huge opportunity to lead.
“E-commerce exports from India are still under 1% globally, despite the demand. We’ve fought for years to streamline processes, tackle invoice hurdles, and bypass tariffs via D2C channels under de minimis rules. There’s a massive untapped market, and if the government truly enables this sector, Indian sellers can compete—and win—globally, because the potential is limitless.”