Mark Aziz (far left) overseeing some of the pick 'n mix' buying activities at the Rockmin company booth in the International Jewellery London 2003 show in past September.




New York, September 15: Colored gemstones were clearly and abundantly on display at the recent International Jewellery London (IJL) show, the UK's premier dedicated trade jewelry show that ran from August 31 to September 3.
at the Earl's Court Exhibition center.
In this year's show, which according to various commentators had now attained the look and
feel of a truly international jewelry fair, 640 exhibitors from 30 countries participated, making this edition of IJL the biggest show in its 47 -
year history.
For the first time, IJL also featured a “colored gemstone plaza,” where more than a dozen firms displayed their goods, “...often in the laid-back fashion that visitors know well from other shows such as Tucson, making the stones more accessible,” observed William Roberts, of Benjamin Warwick Company who is also the
ICA Ambassador to the UK.

“That is true, our intention is to lower the threshold to the buyers, as it were,” said Mark Aziz, a sales executive at the London firm Rockmin Limited. The firm's principal is ICA Member Martin Azizollahoff. “While our firm specializes in the wholesale of fine ruby, sapphire and emeralds of three carats and larger, at shows like these, we have quantities of affordable goods out, i.e. from stones that are sold for a few pounds per carat to medium quality goods. Such goods attract customer traffic and give us a lot of exposure to the buying retail public, and this brings new clients who, ultimately, will also buy better goods,” he said.
Aziz said the show had been very good in the first two days, while, as often happens at trade
shows, the next two days gave buyers of higher qualities ample of time to conduct their business at the firm's booth. Most other exhibitors on gemstone plaza corroborated Aziz's observations. Mark Payne, principal of Joias Company of Somerset, reported that demand had been strong in particular for aquamarine and emerald. “Also, tourmaline has been good seller this year,” he added.
Other gemstone sellers at the show reported that demand for colored gemstones in the medium range is returning. “With color in fashion, jewelers are keen to bring colored gem-set jewelry back into their showcases,” Roberts noted. “At the show, colored gemstones featured very prominently and I certainly hope we will see a strong growth in demand for colored gemstones in the upcoming season.”


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Source: ICA Gembureau Press release
September 03