Jewellery, Gem & Technology in Dubai (JGTD) saw a year-over-year 20 per cent boost in buyer attendance throughout its three-day run, driven by an influx of new and returning buyers from 95 countries and regions.

Held from February 12 to 14 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), the B2B show is poised to live up to its boundless potential as one of the top jewellery sourcing destinations in the world, event organisers Informa Markets Jewellery and Italian Exhibition Group SpA (IEG) said. 

The fair hosted close to 350 suppliers from 25 countries and regions spread across an expanded show floor that was 46 per cent bigger than the inaugural edition. Among the exhibitors were industry-leading companies representing finished and semi-finished jewellery, loose gemstones, jewellery-related technologies and other key product categories. The B2B event was powered by DMCC (Dubai Multi Commodities Centre) and Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group (DGJG) – the fair’s Official and Industry Partners, respectively. 

Buyers were at JGTD in force, with 5,093 unique visitors from 95 countries and regions in attendance. Year-on-year, visitor traffic was up 20 per cent. International representation remained strong, with overseas buyers making up 40 per cent of overall attendance. Show attendees made a total of 7,210 visits to the fair, up 20 per cent over 2022. By region, the largest number of visitors came from the Middle East (71.9 per cent), Asia (15.5 per cent) and Europe (7.6 per cent). 

“The energy was positive on the show floor, and the opportunities to do business were incredible. Participants came away with renewed energy and purpose for the year ahead,” said David Bondi, senior vice president of Informa Markets in Asia. “Challenges and uncertainties are here to stay, but so are opportunities for growth and expansion. The need for powerful marketplaces like JGTD has never been more evident or more important than today. I have mentioned before that our partnership with IEG works because we are committed to the same goal – to deliver real value to the jewellery community. With the full backing of DMCC and DGJG, we will continue to bring the full weight of our resources, industry expertise, global reach and local knowledge to Dubai in the years to come.” 

JGTD has opened up opportunities for trade members to connect, collaborate and learn. 

“The market appreciation for the second edition already consolidates the role of IEG and IM’s joint initiative as a central sourcing event for the industry, focused on development, technology and innovation,” said Corrado Peraboni, CEO of Italian Exhibition Group. “The numbers and the level of internationalisation – factors that are growing on both the exhibitor and visitor sides – urge us to look with even greater interest on the future developments of this destination event. Together with our strategic partners, we are glad to contribute on a global scale to the growth of the jewellery community and offer, as leading trade show organisers, increasingly qualified business opportunities like JGTD, which is able to attract visitors from 95 countries and regions to a primary hub such as Dubai, the City of Gold.” 

JGTD’s timing could not have been more ideal as the industry enters a new phase of growth and transformation, according to Ahmed Bin Sulayem, executive chairman and CEO of DMCC. 

“It is an exciting time for all of us. This is a sourcing event where you can actually feel and see the future of the jewellery industry,” Bin Sulayem said. “People participate in JGTD, not only to sell or buy goods, but to learn, adapt and understand what our industry is going to be like one, two or three years from now. Every category is represented here, from diamond polishers and finished jewellery suppliers to new players in the technology and lab-grown diamond fields, which was unheard of 10 to 15 years ago. We expect to see even greater diversity in JGTD’s third edition next year.” 

The B2B show reinforces Dubai’s standing as the “jewellery destination of the world,” added DGJG Chairman Tawhid Abdullah.

“I believe the partnership between Informa and IEG has led to the creation of a promising B2B jewellery sourcing platform for professional buyers in the Middle East and beyond. Our inaugural show in 2022 was successful, but even more so this year,” Abdullah said. “We will have challenges along the way, but I think we are in the right direction. We are more optimistic than ever. We are confident that JGTD will fortify Dubai’s standing as the ‘City of Gold and Jewellery,’ create business opportunities for the global industry, and further drive innovation in the marketplace.” 

Further enriching the JGTD sourcing experience was the 2023 JWA Dubai Special Edition Awards Presentation Ceremony, which celebrated the achievements of four industry stars, namely Dhamani Jewels, Brand of the Year – Retail; Pure Gold Jewellers, Outstanding Enterprise of the Year; Belmont Emeralds, Outstanding Coloured Gemstone Enterprise of the Year, and Kobi Sevdermish of Advanced Quality ACC Ltd, Young Entrepreneur of the Year. The event was complemented by a panel discussion on “Inspired Leadership In A Post-Pandemic World,” featuring JWA Dubai Special Edition Honourees, DMCC’s Bin Sulayem, and DGJG’s Abdullah, who was also the recipient of JWA Dubai 2022’s Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Also adding excitement to the show was a session on “The Jewellery Trendbook 2024+ – From Consumer Culture to New Market Opportunities” by Paola De Luca, creative director and founder of Trendvision Jewellery + Forecasting. 

JGTD will return for its third edition from February 6 to 8, 2024 at DWTC. 

Buyers also had a positive experience at the show. According to Elias El-Sayegh of Sayegh Jeweller from Lebanon, he discovered a broad assortment of jewellery collections, and met suppliers from Italy, India, Spain and Turkey at the “well-organised” fair. 

Alyson Lucia Mazai of Velucia Jewelry from Botswana added, “I have seen mostly modern designs, which I could actually introduce back home. I have four stores in Botswana where I also offer custom design services to my clients. I am looking for suppliers who can make whatever my customers want. Botswana has quite a big market for finished jewellery.”  

Meanwhile, Blanca Luzia Do Amaral Soares of Blanca Leone Jewelry from São Paulo, Brazil said she was able to find new suppliers at the fair. Savvas Samourakis of Savvas Samourakis Jewellery from Greece added, “JGTD met all of my expectations! This was exactly the show that I needed. As a buyer, I would say that my Dubai trip was a success since I found two new suppliers from whom I purchased good-value products at fair prices.”

For exhibitors, JGTD was an effective platform to reconnect with existing clients and find potential customers. Alice Alessi, board member at Alessi Domenico Spa from Italy, remarked, “Dubai surprised us yet again this year. These days, the aim of trade shows is for us to meet new customers and understand other areas and markets that we do not usually deal with. At JGTD, we came into contact with buyers from countries that we rarely reach, such as different parts of Africa, like Angola and Tunisia; Southeast Asia, and even Australia and New Zealand. We gathered interest in particular types of products, which also gave us the impetus to develop new references.”  

Guillermo Galvis, president of ACODES (Colombian Emeralds Exporters Association) in Colombia also underscored opportunities for coloured gemstone suppliers in Dubai. “This market has a lot of potential for Colombian emeralds. People are looking for different types of goods in different qualities. Since the customers are coming from different places, they all have different preferences. We also introduced at the show the Colombian emerald industry’s Butterfly Conservation Project, which aims to conserve and protect Colombia’s beautiful butterflies and their habitat,” he noted.