Rassegna stampa miart 2023 [POST IN AGGIORNAMENTO] 

Articoli dedicati alla partecipazione del Club a miart con la mostra Double Face, Tangible and Intangible in Art Jewelry

Artribune: https://www.artribune.com/mostre-evento-arte/miart-2023/

ADC Group: https://www.adcgroup.it/e20-express/portfolio-eventi/culturale/con-169-gallerie-partecipanti-da-27-paesi-torna-a-milano-miart-presentata-alla-stampa-la-27-edizione-della-fiera-internazionale-d-arte.html

Il Giornale d’Italia: https://www.ilgiornaleditalia.it/news/mondo-imprese/470584/miart-2023-la-fiera-di-arte-moderna-e-contemporanea-torna-nel-segno-del-crescendo.html

Il Giornale: https://www.ilgiornale.it/news/nazionale/miart-2132917.html

miart 2023

Il Club degli Orafi Italia parteciperà a miart – fiera internazionale di arte moderna e contemporanea 
con la mostra Double Face, Tangible and Intangible in Art Jewelry a cura di Alba Cappellieri

DOUBLE FACE
TANGIBLE AND INTANGIBLE IN ART JEWELRY

Mostra del Club degli Orafi per miart 2023 | A cura di Alba Cappellieri

Il Club degli Orafi Italia, grazie all’indispensabile supporto di ICE Agenzia, partecipa per la prima volta a miart – fiera internazionale di arte moderna e contemporanea che si svolgerà dal 14 al 16 aprile 2023 presso Allianz MiCo, con la mostra Double Face che vede esposti i gioielli d’artista di otto Soci a cura di Alba Cappellieri.

Il Double Face non è soltanto una metafora o un espediente narrativo ma una vera e propria attitudine che permette di indagare e riflettere sulla “doppia” capacità dei gioielli in mostra. Gioielli che hanno conquistato un doppio valore in quanto espressioni tanto delle qualità tangibili della gioielleria, rappresentate dalla preziosità dei materiali e della manifattura, quanto di quelle qualità intangibili, che sono quelle dalla creatività, dall’innovazione, dalla sperimentazione e dalle contaminazioni dove l’arte è l’elemento unificatore che pone interrogativi sul senso della preziosità nel contemporaneo.

Il tema del doppio è centrale nelle arti dove può assumere diverse sfaccettature a seconda del contesto artistico e culturale in cui viene rappresentato. Da Tiziano ad Anish Kapoor, da Salvador Dali a Cindy Sherman, da Jan Vermeer a Claes Oldenburg e ancora Giuseppe Penone, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Marina Abramovic, sono numerosi gli artisti che in tutte le epoche hanno esplorato e indagato la diplopia come riflessione sull’identità ma anche sull’invisibile, lo spirituale, le illusioni o le ombre.

Nel gioiello il doppio non ha avuto pari fortuna esegetica, probabilmente perché esso è storicamente un oggetto monofacciale, che affida la sua preziosità allo splendore dei suoi materiali: le gemme, i metalli o l’alta manifattura. Gemme preziose e artigianato artistico rappresentano le qualità tangibili del gioiello della tradizione, riconosciute e riconoscibili in tutte le civiltà e in tutti i tempi. La contemporaneità ha donato al gioiello nuovi valori e significati, considerando preziosi anche valori e qualità intangibili come la creatività, la sperimentazione, le contaminazioni, l’autorialità.

Il gioiello d’artista nasce, infatti, con gli artisti figurativi che consideravano il gioiello come arte indossabile e come uno dei numerosi media per esprimere la propria poetica. Nei gioielli d’artista non vi è alcun anelito ornamentale, come accade nella gioielleria o nel gioiello moda, ma neanche simbolismo sociale, religioso, politico o funzione apotropaica, che caratterizzano, invece, i diversi contesti del gioiello dalla preistoria a oggi. Il valore delle loro creazioni è dato dal pensiero artistico dell’autore, dalla sua ricerca e sperimentazione.

Le opere sono state selezionate per le loro Double Face, in termini di qualità tangibili e intangibili, per la loro capacità artistica di esprimere gemme e manifatture preziose ma anche idee, concetti, paesaggi non convenzionali della contemporaneità.

I gioielli in mostra racchiudono concetti artistici maturati da prospettive multiple: sono espressione di importanti collaborazioni con artisti quali Giò Pomodoro, che ha creato i gioielli di Cesari e UnoaErre, e Sergio Fermariello, autore del bracciale per de’Nobili, che qui hanno interpretato le rispettive ricerche nel medium del gioiello con risultati di grande interesse e qualità; sono gioielli ispirati all’arte, come negli orecchini Puzzle Arlecchino di Mattioli ispirati al Pointillisme e al Carnevale di Mirò, o come nelle avvolgenti creazioni di Vhernier, che rimandano alle forme eleganti e morbide delle sculture di Constantin Brancusi, Max Bill o Barbara Hepworth, o come la collana trasformabile di Alfredo Correnti, ispirata alle sinuosità dell’Art Nouveau. Sono gioielli che esplorano le sperimentazioni artistiche, come nel bracciale Wave di Angeletti dove la tradizione millenaria della gioielleria incontra l’innovazione dei nuovi materiali o come nel teschio di corallo di Liverino che si trasforma in scultura.

Otto autori per interpretazioni Double Face sul rapporto tra arte e gioiello con un unico denominatore comune: sono tutti gioielli fatti ad arte.

ICE Agenzia, grazie al supporto della rete di Uffici esteri presenti in oltre 72 Paesi nel mondo, ha organizzato una delegazione di circa 70 operatori professionali, principalmente provenienti dalle seguenti aree geografiche: Europa, Asia, America del Nord, America del Sud, Sudafrica. L’obiettivo di tale supporto promozionale è favorire lo sviluppo dei contatti commerciali tra le aziende italiane espositrici e i collezionisti esteri in visita alla fiera, accuratamente selezionati da ICE Agenzia con la collaborazione degli organizzatori.

Il Curatore – Alba Cappellieri, Ph.D.

Accademica, curatrice e autrice, è Professore Ordinario di Design del Gioiello e dell’Accessorio Moda al Politecnico di Milano dove è direttore del Master internazionale in Fashion Accessories Design. Dal 2013 al 2016 ha insegnato Design for Innovation alla Stanford University. E’ membro del Comitato Scientifico dell’Ecole Van Cleef&Arpels a Parigi, della fondazione Gijs Bakker ad Amsterdam, della Fondazione Cologni a Milano, del Premio Altagamma Giovani imprese di Milano, del De Beers New Talents Awards a Gaborone. Nel 2017 è stata nominata Ambassador del Design Italiano per l’Italian Design Day a Osaka, nel 2018 a Sydney, nel 2019 a Baku, nel 2020 a Miami, nel 2021 a Rabat, nel 2022 a Hamburg, nel 2023 a Cipro. Nel 2014 ha fondato e diretto, fino al 2021, il Museo del Gioiello in Basilica Palladiana a Vicenza. Svolge attività di ricerca, curatoriale e di consulenza per le principali aziende e istituzioni del gioiello internazionali, tra queste: VanCleef&Arpels, Tiffany, Bulgari, Buccellati, De Beers, Cartier, Pomellato, Chantecler, Roberto Coin, Intisars, Shiphra, Recarlo.

Il Club degli Orafi Italia è un’associazione indipendente che riunisce le più importanti aziende dell’industria orafa italiana, rappresentative delle differenti categorie e leader nei rispettivi segmenti di attività. Nato per sostenere uno dei settori più rappresentativi del Made in Italy nel mondo, l’alta gioielleria italiana, ha l’obiettivo di veicolarne i valori di eccellenza: artigianalità, mestiere, stile, cultura.  All’interno del Club è rappresentata l’intera filiera orafa, dalla produzione di gioielleria ad alto valore aggiunto e quella di tipo industriale, la distribuzione all’ingrosso e al dettaglio, il commercio di pietre preziose, perle e coralli, la promozione delle materie prime (oro, platino e diamanti).

Costituito nel 1980 da cinque Soci fondatori, creato fondamentalmente per tutelare gli aspetti produttivi, ha continuato a promuovere negli anni la cultura imprenditoriale attraverso un intenso programma di incontri volti a monitorare le evoluzioni del mercato orafo, le nuove richieste del consumatore, le sue motivazioni nei confronti del gioiello e le variabili che contribuiscono a conservarne forte il mito. Quattro sono le principali aree di intervento: Ricerca – Formazione – Informazione – Networking. Il Club nel corso degli anni è diventato un vero e proprio catalizzatore per il settore e rappresenta la fonte più affidabile di informazione sull’andamento dell’industria orafa italiana.

Per ulteriori informazioni e approfondimenti
Club degli Orafi Italia – 3668789555 – info@clubdegliorafi.org – http://www.clubdegliorafi.org
Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale – http://www.esteri.it
ICE Agenzia – http://www.ice.it

Notizie dall’ICE marzo 2023

Condividiamo alcune notizie provenienti dagli Uffici Esteri dell’ICE.

ANNATA RECORD PER LE VENDITE DI OROLOGI E GIOIELLI IN FRANCIA

(ICE) – ROMA, 30 MAR – Secondo il comitato professionale Franceclat, le vendite di orologi e gioielli sono aumentate del 20% nel 2022 per raggiungere i 7,5 miliardi di euro in Francia. Ciò testimonia un “eccezionale dinamismo” nonostante un “contesto incerto” legato al conflitto in Ucraina, all’aumento del costo dell’energia ea quello dell’inflazione, secondo il rapporto annuale del settore. Il settore francese dell’orologeria, della gioielleria e della gioielleria ha registrato una produzione di 5 miliardi di euro, con un aumento del 29%.
Con un fatturato di 381 milioni di euro, in crescita del 12% rispetto al 2021, la produzione orologiera (2.968 posti di lavoro) ha avuto “il suo anno migliore da 20 anni”. I marchi francesi, tuttavia, non catturano più del 2% delle vendite del settore in Francia. Da parte sua, la produzione di gioielli è balzata del 31% a 4,6 miliardi di euro.
In cinque anni, dal 2018 al 2022, la produzione francese di orologi e gioielli è più che raddoppiata, passando da 2,4 a 5 miliardi di euro, il che ha creato più di 2.000 posti di lavoro industriali in un settore che impiega 14.000 persone – solo per la produzione, che quindi non include le vendite e altre funzioni.
Dopo essere scese a 4,7 miliardi di euro nel 2020, contro i 7,5 miliardi di euro del 2019 – anno di attività gonfiato dalle massicce esportazioni verso il Regno Unito, prima della Brexit -, le esportazioni di orologi e gioielli lo scorso anno sono “ritornate con vigore”, indica Francéclat, per raggiungere 9,5 miliardi di euro nel 2022. «Dopo un 2021 ancora segnato da periodi di lockdown più o meno lunghi a seconda delle superfici commerciali, il 2022 è tornato a ritmi più consueti, fenomeno amplificato dal ritorno di molti turisti», commenta Francexplosion. (ICE PARIGI)

ALPHANUMERIC HALLMARKING TO CURB SMUGGLED GOLD TRADING

(ICE) – ROMA, 10 MAR – The government’s move to make six-digit alphanumeric hallmark unique identification (HUID) number mandatory on jewellery from April 1 is expected to reduce the volume of smuggled gold in the organised jewellery trade by 15 tonnes, said industry executives.

It is estimated that about 150 tonnes of smuggled gold enters the country through the grey route annually, they said.

Jewellers said smuggled gold will no longer be used for jewellery because of HUID, which helps trace the jewellery. No invoice is issued against smuggled gold and therefore any jeweller using smuggled gold will get caught if the source of gold is not mentioned in the new system, they said.

At present, hallmarking standards in India require gold to be marked with a Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) logo, a purity grade in carat and fineness, and a jeweller’s identification mark. The purity grade indicates the percentage of gold in the jewellery, with 24-carat gold being 100% pure. From April 1, only six-digit alphanumeric hallmarking will be valid for gold and gold jewellery sales. Without this, sales will not be allowed.

“It is difficult to completely stop the entry of smuggled gold in the country unless the import duty is brought down,” said Saiyam Mehra, chairman, All India Gem & Jewellery Domestic Council. “Also, if the BIS starts hallmarking of gold bullion, for which talks are underway, the entry of gold through illegal routes will be stopped. But definitely, the government’s decision to introduce mandatory HUID will reduce usage of smuggled gold in jewellery by 10%.”

Malabar Gold & Diamonds chairman MP Ahammed said, “With HUID made mandatory, the government agencies will be able to effectively prevent tax evasion, which has been a cause of concern in the sector. This will also put the jewellery retail industry on a level playing field.”

Read more at:
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com//industry/cons-products/fashion-/-cosmetics-/-jewellery/alphanumeric-hallmarking-to-curb-smuggled-gold-trading/articleshow/98459757.cms (ICE MUMBAI)

FRANCIA: GUCCI LANCIA UN PROGETTO DI ECONOMIA CIRCOLARE IN TOSCANA

(ICE) – ROMA, 10 MAR – Per ridurre l’impatto ambientale, lavorare su nuove tecnologie e improntare programmi di riciclo e riuso dei materiali di scarto, Gucci, col sostegno di Kering, il gruppo del lusso francese di proprietà di Francois-Henri Pinault, al quale appartiene, lancia Circular Hub. Esso nasce con l’obiettivo di accelerare la trasformazione del modello produttivo del settore moda in Italia in chiave circolare, ripensando l’intera catena del valore, a partire dalle materie prime e dal design dei prodotti fino all’ottimizzazione dei processi produttivi e logistici, secondo principi di economia circolare. La sede sarà a Scandicci presso l’Art Lab e a Campi Bisenzio. L’investimento complessivo in tre anni sarà pari a 15 milioni di euro con grande rilevanza sul territorio. Per lo sviluppo delle attività progettuali, la piattaforma prevedrà inoltre il supporto di partner industriali e la collaborazione scientifica della Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa. (ICE PARIGI)

ALE OF GOLD JEWELLERY AND GOLD ARTEFACTS HALLMARKED WITHOUT SIX-DIGIT CODE TO BE BANNED FROM APRIL 1

(ICE) – ROMA, 6 MAR – Sale of gold jewellery and gold artefacts hallmarked without six-digit alphanumeric HUID — unique identification number — shall not be permitted from April 1, the government on Friday said. Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday chaired a meeting to review the activities of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

To promote quality culture in micro scale units, it has been decided that the BIS will provide 80 per cent concession on the certification/minimum marking fee across various product certification schemes.

Gold hallmarking is a purity certification of the precious metal. It was voluntary in nature till June 16, 2021.

After that, the government decided to implement mandatory gold hallmarking in a phased manner. In the first phase, it was made mandatory in 256 districts and 32 more districts were added in the second stage, taking the total number to 288 districts. 51 more districts are being added.

“starting from 1st April 2023, the sale of only gold jewellery with HUID shall be permitted,” an official statement said.

Nidhi Khare, additional secretary in the department of consumer affairs, said that “in consumers interest, it has been decided that after March 31st, sale of gold jewellery and gold artefacts hallmarked without HUID will not be permitted.”

At present, she said four digits as well as six-digit HUID are being used currently.

She said the hallmarked gold jwellery items are being sold across the country, even in those districts where it is not mandatory yet because of consumers demand for quality product.

Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) number is a six-digit alphanumeric code consisting of numbers and letters.

HUID will be given to every piece of jewellery at the time of hallmarking and it is unique for every piece of jewellery.

The jewellery is stamped with the unique number manually at the Assaying & Hallmarking Centre (AHC).

In the meeting, Goyal directed the BIS to augment the testing infrastructure in the country.

The BIS was told to increase the frequency of product testing and market surveillance depending on the criticality of components used for the consumer safety.

BIS should also increase the frequency of lab inspection.

BIS has been directed to enhance market surveillance for different products such as pressure cooker, helmets, and other consumer products to ensure product safety.

BIS has proposed Quality Control Orders (QCO) for 663 products in the coming time.

Currently, there are 462 products covered under QCOs, the statement said.

“In an effort to promote quality culture in micro scale units, BIS is providing an 80 per cent concession on the certification/minimum marking fee across various product certification schemes of BIS,” the statement said.

Additionally, units located in the northeast will continue to receive an extra 10 per cent concession.

“We are committed to ensuring that all products in India meet the highest quality and safety standards,” Goyal said.

These measures shall promote micro scale units, enhance the testing infrastructure, and develop a culture of quality consciousness among citizens, he added.

Read more at:
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/cons-products/fashion-/-cosmetics-/-jewellery/sale-of-gold-jewellery-and-gold-artefacts-hallmarked-without-six-digit-code-to-be-banned-from-april-1/articleshow/98401734.cms (ICE MUMBAI)

Notizie dall’ICE febbraio 2023

Condividiamo alcune notizie provenienti dagli Uffici Esteri dell’ICE.

GIAPPONE – SONDAGGIO SULL’AQUISTO DELLE FEDI NUZIALI

(ICE) – ROMA, 24 FEB – “Review Lu”, un web-media locale, il mese scorso ha condotto un sondaggio su 225 uomini e donne tra i 20 e i 30 anni che hanno acquistato fedi nuziali.

Il 62,2% degli intervistati per gli anelli nuziali ha speso tra i 100.000 e i 300.000 Yen (700 -2.100 Euro), mentre il 19,5% ha speso tra i 300.000 e i 500.000 Yen (2.100 – 3.500 Euro).

Il marchio giapponese “4°C” si è classificato al primo posto in termini di marca di fedi nuziali acquistate, tenendo testa ai piu’ noti brand internazionali come Tiffany (secondo) e Cartier (terzo).

Altri 3 marchi giapponesi – I-Primo (quarto), Ginza Diamonds Shiraishi (quinto) e Niwaka (sesto) sono stati inclusi nella top 10. Il marchio Bvlgari, unico brand italiano incluso nella lista, si è classificato al 21° posto. I risultati lasciano intuire che i giovani sposi giapponesi non sono orientati al lusso, ma tendenzialmente preferiscono selezionare fedi nuziali non appariscenti e di fascia non eccessivamente alta. (ICE TOKYO)

DMCC ANNOUNCES 17% DIAMOND TRADE GROWTH IN 2022

(ICE) – ROMA, 17 FEB – Dubai rises rapidly as the world’s leading hub for rough and polished diamonds:

DMCC has reported a 17 per cent year-on-year increase in the value of diamond trade in 2022, totalling $37.4 billion combined for rough and polished diamonds, including a 42 per cent rise in the polished category and a consistently strong 7 per cent rise in rough.

The soaring figures are further evidence of the rapid rise of Dubai as the world’s leading hub for rough and polished diamonds. The UAE has witnessed soaring growth over the past three years, with rough diamond trade rising by a total value of 72 per cent and polished by 50 per cent, representing a combined increase of 64 per cent. The announcements were made on Wednesday at the International Coloured Gemstone Association (ICA) Congress 2023 at Almas Conference Centre in Dubai, convening key players and industry stakeholders to advance the global trade of coloured gemstones.

Held under the theme “The Future of Coloured Gemstones,” the ICA Congress 2023 focused on the key opportunities to unlock sustainable growth in the global coloured gemstone industry. This event also marked 15 years since DMCC last hosted the ICA Congress. Dubai is now looking to increase support and add further value to the coloured gemstone industry. This includes gemstones like emeralds, rubies, and sapphires mined, manufactured, and sold worldwide.

“We could not have chosen a better moment to reveal these figures, which further proves Dubai’s monumental rise in the diamond trade. DMCC is growing and maturing fast, and it goes without saying that we want to replicate our success with diamonds to other precious stones and commodities,” said Ahmed bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DMCC. “The coloured gemstone industry is exciting given the strong growing global demand, and we want to firmly position Dubai centrally in that trajectory. We have seen this first hand with the number of emerald, ruby, and sapphire tenders held at our Dubai Diamond Exchange. DMCC has a proven track record of boosting commodities trade from nearly zero to multi-billion dollar figures, and as such, I am confident that the future of the coloured gemstones industry is in, and through, Dubai.”

The ICA is one of the top industry bodies for the global coloured gemstone industry. It comprises over 500 gem industry leaders, including miners, manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, trade associations and others committed to promoting coloured gemstones. Clement Sabbagh, President of the ICA, added: “We are delighted to be back in Dubai after 15 years to discuss the future of coloured gemstones. DMCC has played a key role in building Dubai’s diamond industry, and we are confident that their efforts in the coloured gemstone space will benefit all global players. I look forward to working with Ahmed Bin Sulayem and the wider DMCC team more closely over the coming years.” (ICE DUBAI)

ISRAEL’S JEWELRY INDUSTRY ENJOYING AN UPSURGE

(ICE) – ROMA, 17 FEB – Exports of jewelry totaled $873 million in 2022. Personalized silver items top the sales list.
Israel’s jewelry industry has been on an upsurge since the Covid-19 pandemic. Worldwide sales totaled $873 million in 2022, which compares with $791 million in 2021 and just $552 million in 2020.

Among the post prominent Israeli manufacturers and exporters are Tenengroup, which trades under the Myka brand, and has a production facility in Kiryat Gat; Yvel, based in Motza, near Jerusalem; and Zuman Jewelry from Ness Ziona.

Oren Harambam, executive director at the Manufacturers Association of Israel and head of the consumer goods and construction materials association, says, “The upsurge mainly stems from growth in sales of jewelry on Internet platforms developed in the past few years, and from the reopening of malls and stores in Europe and the US after the peak of the pandemic. The main countries to which Israel exports are the US (65%), India, the UK, Sweden, Turkey, the Netherlands, Germany, and Italy.

“We see the demand trend continuing at least at its current level. Although there is uncertainty in Israel and around the world, which affects luxury purchases like jewelry, on the whole the manufacturers are giving positive feedback, and the feeling is that export revenue will remain at least at the current level.”

According to the Manufacturers Association’s breakdown, global demand for personalized Israeli jewelry (such as with a personal engraving or a dedication) is on the rise, and silver jewelry is the top seller. Sales of gold jewelry, by contrast, are declining; a global trend, according to Bloomberg, with slowing demand in the largest markets.

The Manufacturers Association points to some outstanding trends among Israeli buyers in 2022 that have continued into 2023: cocktail rings with large stones; earrings with pearls and precious stones reaching to the shoulder; wide and massive cuff bracelets; and also massive chokers. In addition, the “grandma pins” trend has made a comeback, and is expected to gather momentum in 2023. (ICE TEL AVIV)

DONGHAI, CHINA’S COUNTY FOR CRYSTAL IS GLITTERING OVERSEAS

(ICE) – ROMA, 16 FEB – In a live broadcast room in East China’s Donghai Crystal City, the 29-year-old Fan Fan is doing her best to present a set of glittering crystals to her customers in the UK in front of a bright screen in chirpy English.

In 2021, an overseas e-commerce team of the Crystal City opened a small shop on the TikTok platform in the UK, where Fan first got in touch with British customers and found crystals – which are endowed with meanings such as good luck, healing, and energy in the West – may be more popular than she thought in some foreign countries.

“Running our store on the platform for a while, we found that sales of crystal products were quite good in the UK, and it is also easier for foreign merchants to learn about our crystal products directly through live broadcasting,” Fan told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Up to now, Donghai Crystal City has nearly 1,000 online shops overseas, with a particularly high penetration in nations like Indonesia, Southeast Asia and some regions in the US.

Among them, sales in the UK have been “particularly stable,” according to Fan.

Fan is just one of the increasing players who are engaging in the cross-border e-commerce industry in Donghai county.

From January to September of 2022, there were more than 5,100 cross-border e-commerce operators in the county, with a transaction volume of over 2.4 billion yuan ($350.53 million), who created more than 30,000 jobs, according to data from the local government.

Glittering history

Donghai county, located in East China’s Jiangsu Province, is well-known for its rich silicon mineral resources, with crystal reserves of 300,000 tons and quartz reserves of 300 million tons, accounting for more than half of the country’s total.

On October 1, 1991, Donghai county held its first Crystal Festival and paved the way for its nationwide fame as China’s “Crystal County”. At that time, the county with a permanent population of only 40,000 people attracted nearly 200,000 people to the scene, setting a record in 30 years.

“Not only do we have the largest quantity of crystal but also the best quality,” said Chen Lin, president of the Donghai Crystal Research Association.

The crystal in Donghai has the highest purity. More than 99.99 percent of its content is silicon, according to Chen.

In 1992, Donghai Crystal City was established to standardize trade and industrial chains as businesses are rising. With a construction area of about 450,000 square meters and facilities such as restaurants, hotels, a cinema, banks, logistics, insurance, exhibitions and auctions, Crystal City became a national center for crystal trade to the domestic and outbound markets.

It also has the largest collection of crystal displays and provides sales channels for the interaction of online and on-site merchants.

Empowered by the booming crystal industry, the county is currently one of the top 100 counties of China.

Silver lining

However, as COVID-19 disrupted traditional sales channels, the crystal industry in Donghai explored more ways to reach more buyers online, and livestreaming and cross-border e-commerce platforms were found to be the most cost-efficient ways, becoming a silver-lining for local traders.

Unlike photos, which may show a distorted image, the crystal’s gloss, fullness and its three-dimensional craftsmanship can be seen very clearly in a video, Zhang Hong, a local crystal trader, told the Global Times.

With the use of just one mobile phone and access to the internet, many traders who once relied on on-site sales channels have turned their attention to cross-border platforms with lower promotion costs and the stronger consumption power of foreign buyers, Zhang said.

This “easy” method also encouraged more villagers to join the “nugget boom”.

Domestic platforms such as Taobao, Douyin and Kuaishou have opened livestreaming bases in the county.

“We will further promote the creation of local e-commerce brands, through various methods such as government promotion and platform incubation,” Crystal City said in a statement it sent to the Global Times on Wednesday.

It is also striving to build up the intellectual property of the Donghai Crystal brand, deepen the regionalization and brand image of local crystal products, and encourage and guide e-commerce companies to promote and sell crystal products through professional packaging and standard building. (ICE SHANGHAI)

QUALITY GOLD ACQUIRES HERCO

(ICE) – ROMA, 3 FEB – Quality Gold, the jewelry wholesaler and distributor has announced it is buying Herco Jewelry Company, the San Francisco-based wholesaler started by the Itelman family in 1979. Herco President Reuven Itelman is retiring, and I believe he has found in Qulity Gold a buyer who keeps the Herco name alive.

Itelman said that knowing Michael Langhammer (co-founder and CEO of Quality Gold) believes that Herco is in good hands also considering that Quality Gold already has a plan for the survival of Herco. The acquisition of Herco by Quality Gold is strategic to have the ability to distribute more 18-karat gold and platinum jewelry and tap into Herco’s network of independent luxury retailers.

Herco generated more than $25 million in revenue in its most recent fiscal year ended December 31, 2022. Jason Langhammer, chief operating officer of Quality Gold, believes this acquisition is a “smart and strong addition” to the company.

Quality Gold will begin fulfilling Herco orders in mid to late February and will comply with all current dealer notices, the company confirmed. Over time, all Herco’s operations will move from San Francisco to Quality Gold’s headquarters in Fairfield, Ohio. The operation should be completed by mid-February.

Itelman believes that there is nothing more beautiful than the jewelry business. It’s where art, engineering, and design meet, and he’s very pleased with his journey. The pending acquisition of Herco is the latest in a series of acquisitions for Quality Gold, which recently purchased IBGoodman Manufacturing Co.

Last fall, Quality Gold announced plans to go public through a merger with Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) Tastemaker Acquisition Corp. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2023. Once done, Quality Gold will become Quality Gold Holdings Inc. and will trade on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “QGLD”. (ICE HOUSTON)

BUDGET 2023: GOVT TO CUT IMPORT DUTY ON RAW MATERIAL FOR LAB-GROWN DIAMONDS

(ICE) – ROMA, 1 FEB – Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday proposed a cut in import duty on seeds used to make lab-grown diamonds with a view to boosting domestic manufacturing.

In her budget speech, the Finance Minister said that India is a global leader in the cutting and polishing of natural diamonds, contributing about three-fourths of the global turnover by value.

“With the depletion in deposits of natural diamonds, the industry is moving towards Lab Grown Diamonds (LGDs) and it holds huge promise. To seize this opportunity, I propose to reduce basic customs duty on seeds used in their manufacture,” she said.

Gem and jewellery exporters had demanded a cut in the import duty.

The industry stated that the conventional source of rough diamonds across the world faces threats of deposit depletion, which also contribute to the exponential increase in the cost of extraction. Industries have thus found lab-grown diamonds to be a profitable alternative.

These lab-grown or man-made diamonds are grown inside a lab using cutting-edge technologies under specific parameters.

They have a similar physical appearance, chemical composition and optical qualities as natural diamonds.

An LGD is produced using a seed, which is a crucial raw material.

“It was a mixed budget for the gems and jewellery industry as the finance minister did acknowledge the potential of the LGDs for exports, and to create employment,” Kama Jewelry fonder and Managing Director Colin Shah told

Read more at:
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/cons-products/fashion-/-cosmetics-/-jewellery/budget-2023-govt-to-cut-import-duty-on-raw-material-for-lab-grown-diamonds/articleshow/97520683.cms (ICE MUMBAI)

CENTRE RAISES IMPORT DUTIES ON SILVER IN BUDGET 2023

(ICE) – ROMA, 1 FEB – The Indian government on Wednesday announced an increase in import taxes on silver and silver dore. The move comes as the Cenrte aims to align the duty structure with gold, pulling silver imports up to 15% and silver dore to 14.35%.

India is the world’s biggest importer of silver.

“I also propose to increase the import duty on silver dore, bars and articles to align them with that on gold and platinum,” Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, while she was presenting the Budget for 2023-24 in Parliament.

India raised its import duty on gold in July 2022.

The basic customs duty on silver was raised to 10% from 7.5% and Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess (AIDC) on the imports to 5% from 2.5%. Silver dore will carry a 10% basic import duty and 4.35% AIDC.

Local silver prices jumped by up to 2% after the duty changes.

The import duty on articles made of precious metals was increased to 25% from 22%. There has been no change in import duties on gold.

Read more at:
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/cons-products/fashion-/-cosmetics-/-jewellery/centre-raises-import-duties-on-silver-in-budget-2023/articleshow/97520446.cms (ICE MUMBAI)

Comunicato stampa 20 gennaio 2023 Convegno: ll settore orafo italiano e le sfide del 2023

Presentata la terza edizione dell’Inchiesta congiunturale Club degli Orafi – Intesa Sanpaolo

Il Club degli Orafi e Intesa Sanpaolo hanno realizzato la terza edizione dell’inchiesta congiunturale presso le imprese produttive e distributive leader del settore orafo italiano, che completa ed integra i risultati quantitativi sul settore e offre una view aggiornata sul sentiment degli operatori.

Continue reading “Comunicato stampa 20 gennaio 2023 Convegno: ll settore orafo italiano e le sfide del 2023”

Notizie dall’ICE gennaio 2023

Condividiamo alcune notizie provenienti dagli Uffici Esteri dell’ICE.

GIA’S MIGRATION TO ALL-DIGITAL REPORTS HAS BEGUN

(ICE) – ROMA, 19 GEN – The Gemological Institute of America has begun the two-year process to phase out the paper. The laboratory released the fully digital GIA Diamond Dossier earlier this year at the GIA laboratory in Ramat Gan, Israel. This process will make the institution’s dealings safer and reduce paper and plastic waste, as well as shipping and storage. Also, for Diamonds, instead of a paper Diamond Dossier, they will be classified by the GIA and will be returned with a QR code. People who want to access the report can scan the QR code to open it in the GIA app, which launched in June and is widely available for Apple and Android devices and can then save the report from the app to their Apple Wallet. Diamond Dossier reports can also be accessed via the GIA Report Check or, for commercial users, on the GIA Advanced Application Programming Interface (API). More detailed information is available on the laboratory website. GIA laboratory customers may also contact customer service at labservices@gia.edu. All GIA reports are expected to go digital by 2025. (ICE HOUSTON)

QUALITY GOLD PLANS TO GO PUBLIC THROUGH A SPAC

(ICE) – ROMA, 19 GEN – Quality Gold, a jewelry wholesaler founded by David Langhammer and led by sons Michael (CEO) and Jason (Chief Operating Officer), reported revenues of $534 million for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022. The wholesaler plans to become Through a merger with a SPAC (special purpose acquisition company) in the first quarter of 2023, after merging with Tastemaker Acquisition Corp., Quality Gold hopes to go public on the Nasdaq under the ticker QGLD. The initial public offering (IPO) aims to raise $279 million, which would imply an enterprise value for Quality Gold of $989 million. Quality Gold aims to acquire IBGoodman in June using funds from the IPO. Since 2012 it has acquired 12 companies including Leslie’s, Star Ring and Wideband.

The CEO said the environment is ripe for scaling up the company and they want to capitalize on M&A opportunities. According to his statement, current holders of Quality Gold shares will retain more than 90% stake in the combined company. Langhammer noted how the jewelry industry is fragmented with no dominant player, he said Quality Gold is a leader in the gold and silver space and has a strong position in lab-grown diamonds, which now represent the 16% of its sales. The company sells mostly unbranded jewelry, he said, but has more than 30 active commercial brands. It has more than 15,000 customers, most of whom are independent jewelers. He also stated that company performance is very high, it has increased even despite the pandemic period. Quality Gold has established an investor relations website that includes an investor presentation. (ICE HOUSTON)

UAE DIAMOND BRAND EVERMORE TO DAZZLE INDIAN MARKET WITH BIG ENTRY PLANS

(ICE) – ROMA, 19 GEN – Evermore is scouting for a big name from Bollywood – either from the film or the music industry – to rope in as its brand ambassador to make a splash in the highly competitive sub-continent market

Evermore, the popular diamond brand from Dubai-based Siroya ALTR, is set to dazzle the Indian market, with plans to open stores in metros and major cities. The company is also scouting for a big name from Bollywood – either from the film or the music industry – to rope in as its brand ambassador to make a splash in the highly competitive sub-continent market.

UAE-India CEPA helps India to achieve over 8% jump in gem and jewellery exports in FY23 Evermore’s entry plans. “We will have our first store in Pune in the Western Indian state of Maharashtra, followed by two more stores in the city and one in Delhi in the next few months,” Rohan Siroya, founder, Evermore, told Arabian Business. “Within each of the top five [Indian] metros, we plan to have five key retailers selling the brand eventually,” Siroya said. Siroya said all store formats will be full scale shop-in-shops with reputable retailers in the respective cities. Siroya ALTR, a joint venture between well-known UAE-based jewellery brand Siroya and New York-based ALTR created diamonds, has earmarked $500,000 for its initial India entry plans, which will be increased significantly as its expansion plans gather more momentum going forward. Regarding brand ambassador, Siroya said: “We are in talks with many iconic celebrities to work with the brand, within the film and music industries.”

He, however, said it was vital for the company to tie up with people who represent sustainability and the uncompromising quality values of its brand in their own personas. Siroya said the India entry plan is in line with the company’s move to focus on the Middle East and sub-continent in the first phase of its global expansion plans.

Evermore was first launched in Dubai, London and Bahrain. “India is a continent within itself and it requires concentrated effort. We understand this, being an international brand that truly understands regional tastes,” he said. “We are beginning with the major metros first, but any store in India requires a minimum of $75000-$100,000 investment to begin with,” Siroya said. Regarding the challenges in the Indian market, which already has several players in the field, Siroya said the diamond category requires end-to-end service by a wholesale provider who understands jewellery, not just diamonds. (ICE DUBAI)

KAZAKHSTAN-SWITZERLAND-CONVENTION-JEWELRY

(ICE) – ROMA, 16 GEN – Kazakh Parliament ratified convention with Switzerland on recognition of hallmarks on precious metals articles

Kazakhstan’s Senate adopted the bill “On the ratification of the convention between Kazakhstan and the Swiss Confederation on mutual recognition of official hallmarks on precious metal articles.”

The convention was signed in Geneva on November 29, 2021.

Senator Lyazzat Rysbekova said that at present, in accordance with the legislation of Kazakhstan, all jewelry items bear national hallmarks.

The convention will facilitate the export of jewelry and other precious metal articles, as they will not have to be re-hallmarked, as national hallmarks guarantee the purity of the metal.

Switzerland has concluded bilateral conventions with France, Italy, Austria, Spain, and the Russian Federation. (ICE ALMATY)

QATAR’S LUXURY GOODS ESTIMATED AT CAGR OF 2.55%

(ICE) – ROMA, 8 GEN – Qatar is considered one of the world’s swiftly-enhancing nations with millions of trade deals increasing each day.

The opulent market in the region holds the majority of stake in the Italian fashion brand Valentino in addition to many other London and Paris-based department stores.

With the rise of surging goods sold in the country, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.55 percent is estimated in the coming years, according to data shown by a market intelligence and advisory firm, Mordor Intelligence.

The country is also developing by innovating its products and label markets such as luxury fashion outlet QELA contriving Qatar to be the biggest buyer of goods in the Middle East.

Various infrastructures instigated in the region have helped the country’s economy thrive as many goods were sold in line with FIFA World Cup 2022 and other global events in Qatar.

The report says that “Rising funding for the fashion sector in Qatar and increasing disposable income of consumers are major factors propelling the growth of the global Qatari luxury goods market.”

Over the period, changing the preference of urban consumers for various products like jewelry will enable the luxury goods market to gain profit rapidly in the country as many conveniently opt to buy them online.

The market is highly coveted and affluent in the region due to its soaring demand and is divided by several distribution channels including clothing and
apparel.

“Qatar is increasingly becoming a regional hub for luxury brands with Qatari brands such as global fashion brand QELA and high-end luxury health and beauty boutique store Pharmakeia”, the report noted.

With several international events in the country, the luxury retail sector has attracted various customers locally and globally.

The data said: “Single branded stores are highly influencing the quality-oriented customers in the country with a wide range of single branded quality products making it one of the major retail channels in the market.”

“The Qatar luxury market is moderately fragmented, with more than 50 percent of the market taken by many smaller local players tying up with luxury retailers across various sectors such as fashion, jewelry, and other accessories such as eyewear and leather goods,” it added.

Source: The Peninsula (ICE Doha)