Ernie Blom says industry can be optimistic

Expectations were exceeded at the Hong Kong Jewellery and Gems Fair, according to World Federation of Diamond Bourses' (WFDB) President Ernie Blom. He believes the diamond and jewellery industries have reason to be optimistic as they head into the critical fourth quarter holiday season after solid results at the Show, although sales were generally far from spectacular.

Blom said, "Given the slowdown in China and Hong Kong, we were not expecting an exceptional performance, but foot traffic was heavier than forecast and there was certainly plenty of interest from buyers, even if they were looking for highly specific items and not buying in large volumes. Prices were firm given the reduction in manufacturing towards the end of last year. Of course there was price resistance, that's part of the negotiating procedure, but it was important that we saw a healthy show, and one that was definitely better than the 2015 fair. With the American market stable and even growing slightly, I believe we can be hopeful as we enter the holiday sales season, with Diwali, Christmas and the Chinese New Year ahead of us," Blom concluded.

The Hong Kong fair was also notable for the inaugural meeting of the WFDB's Young Diamantaires group on September 15.