The Jewellery, Gem & Technology (JGT) Dubai show’s third edition reaffirmed the city’s position as a favorable destination for diamantaires and its ability to overtake Hong Kong as the fall trade show destination.Last week’s JGT Dubai was a success for both loose and certified diamond dealers. The UAE diamond trade sector, which is predicted to hit $40 billion this year, is now ranked third in the world, behind the US and India.
Ashish Garg, business head of KGK Diamonds in Dubai, stated that dealers from Israel, Belgium, and India had been very busy on the first two days of the event. “There was more diamond trading than [there were] customers from the retail and jewelry side,” he added.
More than 350 exhibitors from 25 nations participated in this year’s event. There were pavilions specifically for China, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey, and the United States. Choron, Hari Krishna Exports, Pace Gems, Shree Ramkrishna Exports (SRK), and Stargems were among the diamond companies that had booths.
The poor foot traffic from jewelry purchasers may have been caused by the event’s overlap with the Jewellery & Watch Show (JWS) in Abu Dhabi, which took place from November 13 to 17. Alongside packaging and jewelry-technology companies, there were businesses selling gold, diamonds, colorful gemstones, and finished and semi-finished jewelry. Although participants noted the little visitation for this segment, synthetic-diamond businesses were also present.
According to Garg, KGK was among the first businesses to relocate from Antwerp to Dubai in the last five years, with 30 to 40 more businesses following suit. According to him, the city of the United Arab Emirates is a serious candidate to take the position of the September expo in Hong Kong on the itineraries of diamond dealers.
He clarified, “Hong Kong’s diamond trade has not been doing so well for the last two to three years.” “Dubai is more practical. The infrastructure, hotels, and nightlife are excellent, and obtaining a visa is not a problem. Visitors find it to be quite comfortable.
The increased number of exhibitors in this third edition of the event is another indication why a representative for the diamond maker Venus Jewel anticipates JGT Dubai to grow to the size of the Hong Kong fair. The representative stated that fancy forms attracted attention in larger sizes, and buyers asked about lower-clarity, upgradeable items with certification from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and HRD Antwerp.