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Following the conclusion of the International Jewellery Fair in Sydney, the impact of having Australia’s three major buying groups reunited under one roof has been highlighted extensively.

International Jewellery Fair 2024: Three buying groups under one roof

Posted August 27, 2024 | By Samuel Ord

Following the conclusion of the International Jewellery Fair in Sydney, the impact of having Australia’s three major buying groups reunited under one roof has been highlighted extensively.

Australasia’s largest group, Nationwide Jewellers, was well represented, as was the emerging Independent Jewellers Collective (IJC), which recently reached an important milestone.

The return of Showcase Jewellers to the Sydney Fair generated significant excitement in the lead-up to the event. Expertise Events organiser Gary Fitz-Roy said the feedback following the fair had reflected this enthusiasm.

“We’ve received a great deal of feedback expressing positivity about seeing the three buying groups on the show floor together,” he told Jeweller.

“In these trying times, it was great to hear that seeing the three buying groups together was viewed as a positive outcome for the broader jewellery industry, presenting a united front.”

Independent Jewellers Collective

In the immediate aftermath, IJC CEO Joshua Zarb was over the moon with how the weekend unfolded in Sydney.

“We absolutely loved the Sydney Fair. I didn’t even have a chance to walk the show floor on the final day; we had so many people at our stand,” he said.

“At our conference, we launched five new initiatives for our buying group members, and it was a great opportunity to run them through the changes. We are super pumped with how they’ve all been received, and I’m very excited for the next 12 months.”

The buying group recently recruited its 100th store, just four years after its formation. When asked about the reception to having all three buying groups united under one roof, Zarb said he thought it was terrific.

“I think it’s great to have all three buying groups under one roof together. We’ve got a strong working relationship with everyone, and it was a great thing to see for the broader industry,” he explained.

Showcase Jewellers

After the Australian Jewellery Fair in March, Showcase Jewellers confirmed it would be participating in the Sydney Fair.

Managing director Anthony Enriques echoed Zarb's sentiments and said that it was a harmonious occasion.

“I thought it was an excellent event. We had the chance to speak with some happy suppliers and spend one-on-one time with our members, which is important,” he said.

“In the future, we will do more to incentivise our members to participate in these kinds of events because that kind of collaborative environment is essential, particularly when times are tough.”

He added: “I think having the three buying groups together really adds to the prestige of the events, and it’s encouraged us to look for ways to improve on future shows.”

On the fair's final day, conference coordinator Madeline Hoff told Jeweller that meeting with members face-to-face was invaluable.

“It’s been a very busy weekend, connecting with suppliers and members. I think everyone we’ve spoken to has said they’re happy to see Showcase Jewellers back at the show,” she said.

“Despite what many people may be feeling, many of the retailers we’ve spoken to have been positive and upbeat.”

“I know it’s been a recharging and reenergising experience for our team. Meeting with people face-to-face is something that can’t really be replaced by phone calls and emails, and the fair gave us a chance to spend one-on-one time with a significant amount of people.”

Nationwide Jewellers

Nationwide Jewellers hosted its annual members and suppliers awards night on Saturday evening. General manager Glen Pocklington oversaw the buying group’s activities across the weekend and said that he was pleased with the outcome.

“Speaking with suppliers, I would say that around 90 per cent of them have been busy filling orders and exploring fresh leads and that they’re happy with how the fair has unfolded given the economic climate,” he said.

“We had more registered members this year than we did last year, and our traditional morning briefing on the opening day was well attended, which was great to see.”

As part of the Global Jewellers Network, Nationwide Jewellers hosted a delegation of buyers from the US-based Independent Jewellers Organisation (IJO) at the Sydney Fair.

It didn’t take long for uniquely Australian jewellery to capture the attention of the visitors.

“They were super thrilled with how the weekend was organised and had a great time. It was good to see them get among the action and place some orders for their stores,” Pocklington added.

“It was a good initial foray into collaboration between the groups around major industry gatherings.”

A complete review of the 2024 International Jewellery Fair is available here. This year’s event also featured the debut of the Benchies Mystery Box Challenge.