Mumbai: The positive sentiment among exhibitors and visitors at the India International Jewellery Show (IIJS Virtual) has lifted the mood of the entire Indian gem and jewellery industry. The upbeat trend could perhaps continue through the festive and wedding season and well into the first quarter of 2021.

Mr. Sachin Jain, Managing Director of De Beers (India) says, “I truly believe that virtual platforms like these are the need of the hour. I congratulate the organisers and leadership of GJEPC for taking a proactive stand at a time, when the industry needs to come together and bring creative ideas to the table and work towards a common vision towards the future that lies ahead.

Technology has played and will continue to play a central role, and the transaction of thoughts and ideas is only possible through such platforms, and GJEPC have done a phenomenal job with this year’s virtual IIJS.

I would not compare the physical event to the virtual one yet, both have their pros and cons. A physical event has a completely different level of intimacy and is a great way to engage on ground, with partners and peers from the industry. While a virtual platform allows engagement with a much wider audience and saves a lot of time.

The event was very efficiently handled and I didn’t see anything lacking. The new reality that lies ahead will be a combination of these virtual and physical events with multiple digital activities. People have now become more comfortable with virtual events, you get a lot of things done in a shorter amount of time, you also save on travelling time and it is not as expensive as organising a physical event.”

Mr. Hardik Shah, Director, BR Designs, Surat, informs, “The IIJS Virtual platform has given us an opportunity to interact with jewellers and wholesalers from tier 3 and 4 towns, which otherwise would not have been possible during the ongoing the pandemic. The response has been fantastic and I would go ahead and say it is better than the physical show! We are able to showcase our entire catalogue of designs and product, and are not limited by the size of the booth. The visitor, therefore, gets to see a wider variety of our collections, and that is a huge plus.”

Demand for handcrafted gold jewellery is on the rise this season. Mr. Prakash Chandra Pincha, Owner, Jewel India Pvt. Ltd., Kolkata, commented, “We were keen on meeting new buyers through the IIJS Virtual format and we did some good business, too. Most of our buyers were from South India and they preferred our handcrafted gold jewellery for the upcoming wedding season. I would definitely be part of another such virtual show, if the Council is planning one.”

And diamond jewellery was not far behind in terms of popularity. Mr. Shailesh Sangani, Founder, Priority Jewels, Mumbai, stated that the show has garnered decent orders from its regular buyers, from the South, West and North regions. “Most preferred our 18-karat pink and yellow gold collections studded with diamonds.”