Dubai Jewelry Show Opens

The Dubai International Jewellery Week, the new format of the country’s largest such exhibition, opened Tuesday. Some 300 exhibitors are showcasing their goods to a crowd consisting of wholesalers, retailers and many consumers.

Buyers at a jewelry booth during the show Tuesday

The show’s new format combines three shows that had run separately in the past: the luxury show Areeq Dubai, the retail show Jewellery Collections Dubai, and the trade show Jewellery Trade Dubai.

The largest of the three, Jewellery Collections Dubai, was heavily dominated this week by private consumers with varied tastes and interests, seeking to buy directly from diamond and jewelry wholesalers.

Exhibitors reported inquires for high color loose diamonds in clarities of VS+, usually for diamonds weighing over a carat. However at the same time, many exhibitors reported interest only in finished jewelry. In those cases, inquires focused on items set with smaller goods of SI quality.

In terms of design, buyers sought out rings with large abstract shapes and big heavy necklaces with very ornate designs. In both cases the jewelry was set with baguette cut diamonds. In general, fancy shapes were far more popular than round cuts.