Rare gems take the limelight at SIJE 2019, the largest jewelry show in Singapore

An impressive jewelry collection in excess of  US$150 million by 230 exhibitors from 26 countries

Honouring jewelry designers and their creations

The inaugural International Jewellery Stars (IJS) Awards at SIJE 2019 celebrates excellence in jewelry design

July 18, 2019 Singapore: The largest jewelry event in Singapore which gathers the biggest names from the world’s jewelry capitals opened its doors this morning to showcase rare gemstones and stunning creations worth more than US$150 million. This year’s showcase of more than 230 jewelers, designers and manufacturers from 26 countries filled two convention halls to present one of the largest editions of the Singapore International Jewelry Expo(SIJE). The event was opened by Guest of Honour, Dr Lily Neo, Member of Parliament, Jalan Besar GRC.

Over the years, the show has amassed an increasing number of visitors, a testament to Singapore’s prominence as a jewelry meeting place for international jewelers and jewelry enthusiasts. The highly anticipated annual event plays host to visitors and jewelers from Singapore and around the world over four days at the Expo & Convention Centre which is located at the ritzy Marina Bay Sands.

In celebration of excellence in the artistic expression of jewelry design in Asia, the opening day of SIJE 2019 held an awards presentation ceremony for winners of the inaugural International Jewellery Stars (IJS) Awards. Riding on the theme of ‘Fantasy’, the IJS Awards is held in recognition of jewellery designers and their creations and innovation across generations, markets and cultures in the region. The inaugural International Jewellery Stars Awards (IJS) was launched earlier this year to celebrate excellence in jewelry arts from the heart of Asia. The Awards received a total of 154 submissions from 16 countries. Out of these entries, 18 finalists were selected and the 3 winners of each category and 3 merit mentions were announced at the Opening Ceremony this afternoon. The winning designs came to live under the direction of Michael Koh of Caratell who manufactured the winning pieces. The winning designs will be auctioned at the show by HotLotz Auction House. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to charity, Mercy Relief. The IJS awards is organised by SIJE’s organiser, Conference & Exhibition Management Services Pte Ltd (CEMS), Caratell Singapore and Jewellery Design & Management International School (JDMIS).

The importance of design in bringing out the beauty and life in gemstones was also the focus of this year’s SIJE jewellery fashion show. Singaporean fashion designer, Alfie Leong of W.E. + studio, a past winner of the President’s Design Award Singapore, presented his brand new collection of clothes designed especially for the SIJE jewelry runway show.

Visitors to SIJE 2019 this year will be amazed at the collection of rare gems. These include an absolute showstopper ring assembled with an impressive flawless round brilliant diamond, weighing a massive 27 carats. This rare piece from IVY Masterpiece makes a highly prized investment piece worth SGD3 million. A captivating ring by DeGem which features a magnificent lush green hue Colombia emerald (no oil treatment) in emerald cut, weighing approximately 12 carats, perched beautifully amidst two peerless trilliant-shaped diamond side stones to ensure ideal and harmonious proportions priced at SGD3 million.

Also on display is a 40.09-carat Flawless Fancy Intense Yellow Diamond brought in by Infiniti Jewels by Diastar. This flawless diamond is priced at USD2.8 million. Mor Brothers presents a rectangular-cut, 30-carat, D-colour Internally Flawless ring.  It is one of Mor Brothers’ exclusive private collection of high end diamonds. Purchased by the family as an investment item in 1967, the stone was cut from a 96.06-carat rough, originally from a South African mine. Initially, it was cut in 1972 to a 41.11-carat. In later years, Mr Mor who had learnt to cut diamonds to the highest standards of brilliance, re-cut the diamond to its present 30 carats in 1986.

On the industry front, SIJE has endured and sustained its presence here in Singapore, and plays an important role for the industry in this region. It is a hub for fine jewelers and jewelry designers from around the globe to present their collections to a fast expanding Asian market.

The jewelry industry seems poised for continuous growth and is projected to grow even further during 2019 to 2023. Annual global sales are expected to grow at a healthy rate of 5 to 6 percent each year. Consumer appetite for jewelry is expected to be fueled  by various growth enhancing factors such as the growing number of digital buyers, growing female workforce population, increasing middle-class population, growing high net worth individuals (HNWI) population and the growth of international tourism.*

SIJE’s partnership with DBS, offers its DBS/POSB cardmembers exclusive privileges when they spend at the show. The exquisite gifts are sponsored by Ivy Masterpiece, an outstanding local jewelry house. The generous sponsors for the show’s lucky draw prizes are Infiniti Jewels by Diastar, Zydo, Leonori, Simone Jewels and Jaipore Jewels.

SIJE 2019 is supported by the Hong Kong Jewellery and Jade Manufacturers Association, Hong Kong Jewelry Manufacturers’ Association, Italian Trade Agency Singapore, Ministry of Commerce, Cambodia, Myanmar Gems & Jewellery Entrepreneur Association, The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council and of course, the Singapore Exhibition Convention Bureau and Community Partners, Business Women Network, CRIB (Creating Responsible and Innovative Businesses), International Women’s Federation of Commerce and Industry Singapore, Italian Women’s Group Singapore, Spanish Speaking Women’s Association and The Peranakan Association Singapore.

Courtesy: Retail Jeweller News Service