Australian pearl jewellery supplier Autore will be exhibiting at the inaugural International Contemporary Jewelry Fair (ICJF). To be held on December 4-9, artists from around the globe will present an innovative collection of jewellery design onboard a floating exhibition called SeaFair, as part of Art Basel Miami Beach.
The up-market sale will feature several luxury jewellery pieces by designers, major brands, and artisans. Participants from Australia, Italy, Spain, the Philippines, Lebanon, Brazil, Germany and the United States will present at the global event that is sure to draw an impressive crowd.
Organisers say a broad range of contemporary jewellery will be on display, each utilising local resources and, in effect, embodying their country’s unique style.
Australia’s representative on SeaFair, Autore, will be presenting its designs to guests lucky enough to have been invited onboard. Autore’s creations have adorned some of Hollywood's most beautiful and influential women including Angelina Jolie, Uma Thurman, Scarlett Johansson, Liv Tyler, Cate Blanchett and Halle Berry.
Jewellery connoisseurs
Designed to appeal to sophisticated art collectors and jewellery connoisseurs – the jewellery fair will be held aboard a luxurious 228-ft purpose-built mega-yacht in the heart of downtown Miami at Chopin Plaza. The extraordinary exhibition yacht provides the ultimate upscale environment for ICJF's discerning private clientele.
As the only evening fair venue during Art Basel Miami week, SeaFair owner and ICJF director, David Lester, told Jeweller the idea for a floating fair came to him almost 10 years ago.
“We have been in the fine art fair industry for over 20 years. When we retired and sold our Palm Beach fairs in 2003, we decided a nice retirement would be to sail along the US Eastern seaboard together, visiting friends in these great niche ports like Greenwich, Martha's Vineyard,” he said.
“We noticed the cities didn't have, or didn't have the capacity for, large convention centers where a fine art fair could be held.
“We then thought how interesting it would be to have a mobile venue that could serve all these smaller, affluent ports. Thus the idea of SeaFair was born.”
David and Lee Ann Lester are well-known in the fine art scene after establishing more than 80 art exhibitions over two decades. Since 1990, the Lesters have organised more than 80 major international fairs in Hong Kong, New York, Los Angles, Chicago, Dallas, Newport, Greenwich, Long Island and Florida markets.
Lester said SeaFair offered dealers access to many affluent communities along the US East Coast in a unique, club-like art fair format that has proven to be successful in attracting major collectors and large crowds of potential new collectors.
He said potential buyers (trade and retail) were sourced from extensive lists he had developed from prior Florida fairs and comprehensive research to expand those previous lists. He expected attendance would be between 8,000-10,000.
“All jewellers and designers were welcome to apply,” Lester said. “Once an application was received, myself and a committee of consultants juried the applicants for participation.”
About the SeaFair exhibition yacht
Name: Grand Luxe
Cost: $40 million
Length: 228 feet
Fitout: Deck One features a formal entry, 10 individual exhibit spaces and a coffee bar. Deck Two features 12 exhibit spaces and the Luxe Lounge, an open-air champagne and caviar lounge on the aft deck. Deck Three features six exhibit spaces and the VIP Lounge, our formal glass-walled lounge. The Sky Deck (Deck Four) contains Bistro360, an informal open-air restaurant and Bar360, a cocktail reception area