The Jewellery & Gem Fair at AsiaWorld-Expo (AWE) opened under an air of muted expectations. With many Chinese buyers absent, and American participation low for obvious geopolitical and trade reasons, the first day felt subdued. Yet behind the thinner crowds were serious players, and by the second day, loose diamonds were finding traction. Though the people were fewer than usual, their intent was sharp.

Jewellery Section Opens at HKCEC

Adding to the week’s momentum, the finished jewellery section at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) opened today, while the loose diamonds and gemstones section at AWE continues for two more days. This split-venue format allows the show to spotlight both materials and finished designs, reinforcing Hong Kong’s position as a global jewellery hub.

Gathering Momentum After Day One

Exhibitors report that while the opening was slow, they were not disheartened. The second day saw noticeably better activity, particularly in loose diamonds — even if footfall remained limited, many transactions and quality queries suggested that business was meaningful.

Voices from the Show Floor

• Devansh Shah, Venus Jewel

“The response over the last two days has been encouraging. Buyers may be scattered across regions, but the quality of engagement has been strong.”

• Priyal Shankar, SJW Shivam Jewels

“Day two was very good with quality queries coming in. We expect the following days to improve further, as many buyers head to AWE after visiting the Grand Hall.”

• Ashish Gandhi, BHC Diamonds

“Markets remain unstable due to tariffs, yet India continues to hold steady. Despite challenges, business sentiment is cautiously optimistic.”

• Vatsal Shah, Lamha

“Chinese buyers have been missing for quite some time, and the US impact is visible. But we came with limited expectations, and so far, the results have been decent.”

Show Facts & Scale: Setting the Stage

• The Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair (also known as Jewellery & Gem World Hong Kong, or JGW) is one of the industry’s major global sourcing events. In its most recent edition, it drew 53,879 buyers from 142 countries.

• There were over 3,400 exhibitors representing 44 countries/regions in that edition.

• The show is split between two venues: AWE (loose stones, pearls, components) and HKCEC (finished jewellery, tools, packaging).

• In past editions, the fair has covered as much as 130,000 square metres of exhibition space.