60th Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair – Mixed Results

The 60th edition of the Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair showcased a wide range of beautiful gems, jewellery, equipment and more. Sales were up, as were the number of exhibitors in the national pavilions.

- Cynthia Unninayar

At the opening of the five-day show on September 6th, Thailand’s minister of commerce, Apiradi Tantraporn, underscored the economic importance of the biannual Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair (BGJF), which is supported and organised by Thailand’s Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) under the ministry of commerce. “Thailand’s gems and jewellery industry constitutes an essential part of the country’s trade and exports,” she explained. “It is ranked third after the auto industry and electronics, and generates over $10 billion in annual revenue. The gem and jewellery industry also provides decent incomes for over one million artisans and skilled workers in the nation.”

Later, the newly appointed director of the DITP, Chantira Jimreivat Vivatrat, added that Thailand’s gem and jewellery exports are estimated to rise around 5% in 2017, over last year. She noted that the value of Thai exports in 2017 is helped by firmer gold prices and a stronger Thai baht. The director also reiterated the importance of the newly established, and DITP-supported, “Thailand Trust Mark” (or T Mark) that certifies the high-quality and socially-responsible production of gems and jewellery as well as products in other sectors of the Thai economy.

A significant share of Thailand’s gem and jewellery industry is third-party production that Thai manufacturers carry out for many foreign brands, including a number of well-known global luxury brands. These pieces are mainly crafted in gold, diamonds and gemstones, but the nation is also the world’s second-largest supplier of silver jewellery, just behind India.

Sales optimism