Retailers commend The Select Club, variety, and seamless organisation at IIJS Premiere 2024

For retailers, this year’s IIJS Premier went beyond regular purchases. Apart from the efficient execution of the show, they applauded the innovative designs, the visual merchandising and other factors making the jewellery show stand out from the previous editions 

Mumbai: For most attendees and visitors, the India International Jewellery Show Premiere 2024 was a hit in terms of the venues, organisation, booth placements, and the overall management. Retailers present at either of the two IIJS venues or both shared their experience regarding the purchases they made, their idea of the entire show, and how it met or exceeded their expectations. 

For Talla Jewellers, about 80% of their business was regular buying temple jewellery, antique jewellery, and chains. However, the brand also aimed to look for some new designs. 

“We observed that earlier everyone was selling jewellery as a commodity but this time, they made a great effort with the visual merchandising. By the second day, everything was nearly sold out and we had seen such a rush at the show before,” said Aman Talla, MD, Talla Jewellers. 

He also noted that the trend of moving from heavyweight jewellery to lightweight ornaments was evident in this show with the use of better alloys. Additionally, the well-managed booth placements and indicators helped many retailers save their time.

The premium experience of this year’s show and The Select Club were two of the major factors that even Anmol Jewellers pointed out. “I was at the Jio venue, while my team was at Nesco. The entry, parking and the complete organisation was top-notch and the exhibitors, especially in The Select Club, had some wonderful offerings,” commented Ishu Datwani, Founder, Anmol Jewellers. The brand carefully looked out and opted for unique designs in polki sets, high-end temple jewellery, and also some lightweight jewellery.  

Jewellery retailers also commended the quality and level of physical and digital security at both venues while noting how the digital system of face recognition this time eliminated the hassle of carrying physical or even online passes, which facilitated smoother and quicker check-ins at the venue. They also pointed out how GJEPC’s stringent checks and measures ensured that retail consumers and end buyers kept the show reserved exclusively for B2B buyers and sellers.

Mehul Oswal, Managing Director, Mahendra Jewellers, chimed in that this was the best IIJS Premiere after the pandemic for them and many others. Right from the number of booths to the merchandise was something that the brand appreciated. 

“The retailers’ demand was so high that everyone was buying from all segments, whether it is gold, diamond or platinum. The import duty was recently revised, and this also was one of the reasons for the demand, which has been there for the last 10-12 days,” he explained. This, added, came after a period of 3-4 months, where gold rates fluctuated. 

Oswal also appreciated the selections at The Select Club and observed that the festive season, starting with Navratri and going up to the wedding season, led to the demand for pieces such as mangalsutras, chains and bracelets among others, reflecting an increase in demand.

Jewellers who have been part of the IIJS exhibitions for over a decade observed how newer manufacturers and their offerings had become a part of the show over the years. Sudhir S Parekh, Shri Vraj Madhuri Jewellers, Mumbai, said, “We bought gold chains, bracelets, casting rings and liked the variety in all of them. Both the venues were great this time, but we preferred Nesco due to more variety and the number of stalls.” He also spoke about how the seamless and time-saving entry and exit from the venue added to the experience.

The increased number of booths meant that more retail buyers were drawn to the show. Darpan Anand, Managing Director, Punjab Jewellers, observed that all segments, be it gold, diamond or any other category, attracted a lot of crowds, which pointed towards a busy show. “We are into couture jewellery and plain gold and diamond jewellery along with platinum. So, the mix was very good for us. The Select Club was very nicely organised, so, couture jewellery was the best part,” he said. 

Anand also spoke about the impact of the customs duty cut, which boosted demand almost immediately after a slow first quarter. This resulted in good opportunities for manufacturers and retailers. Considering the ample amount of time between the show and the start of the festive season, he observed that this time would enable manufacturers to fulfil and process their orders well in time.

For Shreenath Jewels, this year’s IIJS was systematically organised and digitalised, which was crucial for such a large-scale show exhibiting jewellery products under one roof. Shitanshu Rindani, Partner of Shreenath Jewels, commented, “I have been coming here for 3-4 years. The process of getting around the venues has been greatly simplified and that has helped us save time.” Since the brand’s customers are keen on purchasing their necklaces, chains, and other types of authentic jewellery, Rindani said the brand could meet their requirements at IIJS. 

RC Jewellers has also been a regular at IIJS ever since the show started, and according to Manoj Soni, the brand’s director, their purchases this year was twice as much as the previous year. “We have noticed a lot of change over the years at the show and it will continue to improve. I felt Jio was much more organised with the ground floor exhibition and The Select Club as well. We purchased mainly diamond and uncut diamond jewellery. The customs duty cut also had a psychological impact on the whole show which made it even better,” he said.

Pratap Kamath, Managing Director, Abaran Timeless Jewellery, explained how his brand sought and acquired bridal, diamond and heritage jewellery at the show as per their liking. 

“We visited both the venues for five days and this is the longest time I have spent at IIJS as compared to my earlier visits. This is because in the last three weeks, we have seen a higher number of footfalls across all our showrooms, and we wanted to replenish our stocks and prepare for the season ahead. We look forward to good business in the next three months till Dhanteras and Diwali,” he added. 

Kamath was particularly impressed by the new designs manufacturers displayed and with The Select Club whose spacious stalls and aesthetic and global appeal stood out. 

Written by Aparna Bhowmick 

Retail Jeweller India Exclusive