There was a general air of satisfaction among most exhibitors, visitors and the organisers as the 8th edition of Signature IIJS drew to a close at Goregaon, Mumbai on February 23. The final number of visitors has not yet been announced, but the general consensus was that while traffic was a bit lower than expected, the quality of buyers was high, especially for the jewellery segment. The loose stone segment, particularly diamonds, was an exception with low footfalls and slow business.

Nayan Jain of K Girdharlal said there was no response to loose stones. However their jewellery did well. “The single line bangles, which were the main focus, moved well, and single line necklaces too. But heavy and more expensive necklaces were not in demand.”

He added that there was very little new business, but business was good with existing clients. “The buyers who did come were serious.”

Sama Jewellery saw a steady stream of visitors on most days. Navin Jashnani said that the response had been good overall. The company introduced a range of new collections including some with gold textures. “We have had quality visitors who have shown interest in the new offerings. Those who have worked hard to prepare new and innovative offerings got a good response,” he said.

As reported earlier on gjepc.org, jewellers dealing in gold ornaments did well. O.P. Agarwal of Aabhushan Exclusives from Kolkata said, “The show was quite good for us. We fulfilled the targets we had set for ourselves."

The response from visitors too was largely positive. Harshish, a retailer from Delhi said that they saw some new, interesting designs, and were finalising orders. “Diamond and polki jewellery is moving very well in the North and we are keen to get ornaments in the Rs. 3-5 lakh price range.”

Rajeev Naik of VNM Diamond, a retailer with a presence in Calicut and Mangalore said that the show was good because you could see new offerings on the market and also meet many suppliers at one time. “The market is slow, but shows like Signature help us connect with the manufacturers from other regions more easily than would otherwise have been possible.”

International footfalls were moderate, but some of them were very satisfied with what they saw. Faraz Jhaveri Amin, GJEPC’s coordinator for Iran had come with a delegation of 12 to the show. “Currently demand is a bit subdued back home, else the numbers would have been higher,” he said, explaining that jewellers and traders were keen to source diamonds and coloured gemstones from India.

“In diamonds, smaller sizes are preferred by our jewellers, and in the coloured gemstone category, emeralds are the most popular,” says Faraz, adding that members of the delegations have already made some purchases and placed some orders. “We will be coming back for more in the next few months.”

Expalining why there was no delegation from China, Becky Hiu, GJEPC Coordinator for that country said, “The timing of the show was not good for Chinese visitors because it was immediately after the Chinese New Year. Traditionally the industry stays shut for at least 15 days during this festival.”

She however said that earlier delegations to Signature and IIJS in August had resulted in good business, mainly in diamonds and coloured stones. “China has many large jewellers and they are keen to source diamonds and gemstones from India.”

Nirav Bhansali, Convener, Exhibitions Sub-Committee (National) of GJEPC was happy with the show. His company, Prism Jewellery fared well, particularly with existing clients who came with pre-arranged appointments.

He adds that this is a unique feature of the Signature show today. “It is now in its 8th edition and has matured alongside the development of the larger jewellery industry in India. Today many retailers and manufacturers have established stable mutual relationships which help both sides in supply chain management. Signature is all about consolidating these ties, and developing some incremental business.”

Signature will be held from February 5th -8th, 2016 at NSE, Mumbai. The next edition of the India Gem and Jewellery Machinery Expo (IGJME) will also be held alongside Signature at the same venue.