Hong Kong Gem Fair
The first time I heard about the Hong Kong Jewellery and Gem Fair was 11 years ago, while working at a high-end jewellery shop in Melbourne. My boss attended the fair each year, sometimes going twice per year. He would come back with beautiful gemstones in all colours, shapes and sizes. I dreamed about the day it would be my turn to go to purchase gemstones for my clients and for jewellery I had designed.
I am currently writing this blog at my hotel in Hong Kong after attending the fair for the past four days, and thought I would share the story with you.
The HK Jewellery and Gem Fair is a place where designers, jewellers, suppliers and gem merchants from around the world meet to create new connections, get updated industry knowledge and to find gems, jewellery and supplies that aren’t available locally.
Before attending, I had spoken to a number of people in the industry to find out how to navigate the fair. The general consensus was that it is overwhelming and to get through it, I must be prepared!
To gain admittance, I had to register online and prove that I run a jewellery business. Once my business was confirmed and registered, I could access general entry passes. I then had to go through another round of checks to get a buyers’ ID badge, which gives you the ability to make purchases from the fair’s vendors. I was able to take one visitor with me so I brought my partner, Will, for ‘moral support’.
After passing through all the security checks, we ventured into the hall. It was a huge space; about 150 meters by 150 meters. All I could see were pearl suppliers and I initially thought the coloured gems would be at the back. I soon realised that this was one room of ten or more the same size, each having at least 200 stalls per hall!
Before heading to Hong Kong, I had contacted Sam, a gem merchant I had purchased off while in Sri Lanka a few years back. He was attending the fair, so I thought it would be good to see him if only to see a familiar face at the fair. Catching up with Sam was great and eased my nerves about heading deeper into the fair.
Following the advice I had received from my old boss and others in the trade, I had prepared a list of gems I wanted so as to have a clear list of what I needed to look for. Because the gem types are grouped into sections we could explore specific areas to find what we needed.
The main stock pieces I was looking for were Peridots, Tourmalines, Aquamarines, Tsavorite Garnets and small yellow and green Sapphires. My next range of jewellery will be based on the forest – more about this in my next blog. I was also on the hunt for a few very specific sapphires for clients.
After two very busy days spent at this fair, I managed to find everything that I had come to purchase.
As a female buyer I was definitely a minority, and almost every seller initially spoke to Will as the ‘man in charge’. I got used to it though, and once the merchants realised I was the one in charge they treated me with the same level of respect as everyone else.
The last two days were spent at the other part of the Hong Kong Jewellery and Gem Fair…yes that’s right, that was only half of the fair! The other half sells finished jewellery, equipment and packaging and was located at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, near Central on Hong Kong Island. It was a huge five-story building - each floor packed with 200 or more suppliers.
The main things I was looking for at this fair were tool supplies and packaging solutions. This part of the fair is aimed more at big chain stores and big suppliers though, so minimum orders of 3000 ring boxes were quite a lot more than I needed at this point!
I did find well-priced tool supplies, gemmology equipment and other bits and pieces for the workshop at this part of the fair though.
Venturing through the five floors, I saw beautiful large diamonds, unheated sapphires and rubies that were almost 100carats in size (about the size of a chicken egg). I saw necklaces and bracelets covered in diamonds and jewels that are often seen on the red carpet and other luxury events. The stalls had everything from antique jewellery to one-off bespoke items, Rolex watches to mass-produced jewellery that is purchased by various chain-stores around the world.
The fair exceeded my expectations. It was everything I had dreamed it would be, and more. Hong Kong itself is an amazing place. It really is one of the great business hubs of the world. There is a great restaurant and bar scene and the city itself is beautiful, with its many skyscrapers surrounded by water and huge mountains as the backdrop. I will definitely be back!
If you are looking for a diamond or beautiful coloured gemstone for the centerpiece of your engagement ring, send me an email or visit the Set Together jewellery studio in Forest Glen on the Sunshine Coast QLD. Set Together Jewellery specialise in creating bespoke engagement rings. I design, source every stone and make each piece personally.
