This year’s International Jewellery & Watch Fair (IJWF) will be held at the ICC Exhibition Centre in Sydney from 24 to 26 August, and attendees will have a variety of activities to take in between buying sessions.
The ‘IJWF Talks’ seminar series will cover topics such as leveraging your online reputation to gain new customers, connecting with your customers through retail design and modern marketing techniques for manufacturing jewellers.
Speakers will range from social media experts, including Taylor Cutler and Steve Garcia of Podium, to retail design specialist Ian Cunningham from Brisbane’s ID Solutions as well as Colin Pocklington, managing director Nationwide Jewellers and other dedicated industry specialists.
Meanwhile there will be ‘IJWF Create’ hands-on workshops held on each day of the fair, covering technical sketching in a ‘draw along’ session, appreciating gemstones and watchmaking basics.
Presenters include colour gemstone expert George Palos and jeweller Samantha Kelly.
“I am so pleased to say that the educational content at this year’s show will be a genuine drawcard to attend,” Joshua Zarb, general manager Expertise Events, said. “We have put so much effort into the sessions to ensure they are relevant to what is important in our industry now.”
“We aim to provide leadership for visitors and our talks and workshops this year will be first class. I am really excited to attend this year’s show and I hope everyone else will be too,” he added.
Judging panel announced for awards
The judging panel for the 2019 Jewellery Design Awards (JDA) has also been officially announced. The JDA will take place on the show floor at the IJWF, with organisers Expertise Events confirming Brett Low, Lester Brand and David Ole will critique the awards submissions across the 11 categories.
“The JDA is the icing on the cake for me for this year’s jewellery fair – the fact that we celebrate some amazing jewellery designers in a year when we are truly tying to unite the industry is exciting,” Zarb said.
Low is a manufacturing jeweller and founder of Deer Honey Jewellery on the Gold Coast as well as co-owner of the Young Jewellers Group. He designs, makes and sets custom pieces and aims to “never design the same thing twice”.
Of this year’s entrants, he is hoping to see “thinking outside the box with creative design and setting. Something that isn’t going to be easily replicated!”
Those sentiments are echoed by Brand and Ole, who list “originality and innovation” and “authenticity, vision and creativity” as essential components of the winning designs.
Brand, founder of his namesake jewellery company, specialises in high-quality bespoke manufacturing, exclusive collections and design development. He holds a degree in design and goldsmithing, and earned a gemmology diploma from Gem-A, the Gemmological Association of Great Britain. His experience also spans jewellery retail and manufacturing.
Meanwhile, Ole – a 35-year veteran of the industry – is owner of Jarrett Jewellery in Sydney. He has worked as a senior merchandise manager at two Australian buying groups, advising more than 500 independent jewellers, as well as being an experienced product developer and designer.
While Brand is looking forward to judging all the categories, Low is particularly looking forward to the Opal Award, while Ole is curious to see the Coloured Gemstone Award entrants.
Entrants for the JDAs will be competing for a $20,000 prize pool across the categories. Entries have been extended to Sunday 21 July. Visit: jewelleryfair.com.au/2019/jewellery-design-awards.
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