JAIPUR IS SOUL AND LIFELINE OF COLOUR GEMSTONES
Jaipur 22 December – The tenth edition of the much acclaimed Jaipur Jewellery Show 2012(JJS) got off to a rousing start on Saturday at Rajmahal Palace Lawns. The exposition showcases resplendent and exquisite jewelleries crafted by master craftsmen of the Pink City which is also called the Gems city, because of its 250 year old lapidary tradition. The show because of its richness in variety has grown from strength to strength and now figures as one of world’s big gems and jewellery show.
D: Mr. Sean Gilbertson, the Executive Director of the Gemfields cutting the ribbon today at the inaugural session. He was the Chief Guest of the event.
The show which had a humble beginning in 2003 with just 67 stalls at Entertainment Paradise(EP) is now being held at a bigger venue with the display stalls snowballing to an amazing figure of 464 booths with a waiting list of 72 booths. The show was inaugurated by Sean Gilbertson, the Executive Director of the Gemfields, the world’s foremost gemstone producer.
A: (fourth from left) Mr. Sean Gilbertson, the Executive Director of the Gemfields and JJS organizing committee members releasing JJS show Guide today at the inaugural session.
Gilbertson said Gemfields passion with gemstones has elements of devotion and transparency.” Gemfields believe in collaboration, not competition, because in unity, there is strength”. He said Jaipur is known as world’s foremost and number one centre for gemstone and it is also known as universe’s knowledge base with centuries of experience, skills and craftsmanship.
“I first came to Jaipur in 2008 and since then I received warm welcome, legendary hospitality in the city which has tradition of celebrations. Jaipur has heart, soul, lifeblood and pulse”
Gilbertson further elaborated that in one of the emerald mines in Zambia, 450 people work seven days in a week and dig five million kilograms of rocks to obtain one kilogram of emerald-that shows the devotion of Gemfields.
B: (fourth from left) Mr. Sean Gilbertson, the Executive Director of the Gemfields and JJS organizing committee members releasing JJS Calendar today at the inaugural session.
“Gemfields is listed in London Stock Exchange and it maintains all the transparency to give true and factual data about its production and cost. In Zambia we also mine amethyst. The ruby mined in north Mozambique will make its way to Jaipur market in June 2013” disclosed Gilbertson.
Jayant Mishra, the Development Commissioner of Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Noida said that since mythological times gems and jewelleries were loved and adored by the gods and goddesses. He said the nature gave gold, silver and gemstones, but it was the jewellers who gave the minerals value additions through their skills.
He said the SEZ at Jaipur started with a modest export of Rs 5.8 crores in the year 2008 and today its almost touching the figure of Rs 1000 crores. Mishra said out of the Rs 3200 crore exports from Jaipur, the SEZ Sitapura contribution was about Rs 1000 crores. He invited entrepreneurs to use the facilities at Sitapura which still has 40 blocks to be allotted.
Vice chairman of the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council,Pankaj Parekh said jewellery has always been most intrinsically connected with royalty and the city of Jaipur is most apt to be hailed as the seat of a show that is the ideal platform to showcase the best in the gem and jewellery industry “. The Kundan and the Meenakari were born of the heritage of this city and the colored gemstones that Jaipur is so renowned for, have been the pillars of its gem and jewellery trade. Renowned world over for its unique product offering, Jaipur is well regarded as a business hub for cutting, polishing & trading of all types of precious and semi-precious colored gemstones and is the leading supplier of emeralds, tanzanites and other precious stones. The JJS has been actively promoting various colored gemstones over the years. The colored gemstones industry, as per the last financial year’s figures stood at USD 3.44 billion, demonstrating a growth of 10% over the previous year. The industry has been growing steadily in the last 5 years, and initiatives such as the Mines to Market held in Jaipur last year, has gone further in bringing the international market to Jaipur” he added.
C: (Third from left in the first row) Mr. Sean Gilbertson, the Executive Director of the Gemfields and JJS organizing committee members today at the inaugural session. Also seen are Vice chairman of the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council, Pankaj Parekh and Jayant Mishra, the Development Commissioner of Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Noida.
He said each year JJS focuses on promoting a particular gemstone and this year, the focus is on promoting the King of all precious stones, the diamond.
He said the GJEPC would provide Rs 45 crore grant for setting up the gem bourse in Jaipur.The GJEPC is also holding talks with the government on reducing the duty on import of rough of coloured gemstones.The council is also trying to start a buyer-seller meet between Jaipur and Moscow and efforts are on for trade with Afghanistan for gemstones.
Welcoming the guests, the convener of the JJS Vimal Chand Surana said that it has been a memorable decade for the JJS as it hasspecial affinity with the Pink City and jewellery fraternity. The tourists prefer to come to Jaipur during the time the JJS is on and he was happy that the show would culminate on Christmas day and the New Year in offing.
He said this year actor and model Simran Kaur is the brand ambassador of the JJS and she will be present on December 23 for the show. Surana remembered late Rashmikant Durlabhji as a true visionary and the main architect of JJS. He said it was brainchild of late Rashmikant which has resulted in the present format of the jewellery show.
Rajiv Jain said the JJS has become the biggest B2C show and the show is growing which is reflected by the desire of the peoplefrom the industry who are vying with each other for participation.
Jain said the revenue receipts from the JJS is used in promotion of emerald and other gemstones. He said the JJS has come out with a coffee table book on Emeralds and on Kundan Meena in association with the National Institute of Design.
He said diamond is the theme this time as the coloured stones add colours to diamonds.The media coordinator of the JJS Ajay Kala, who conducted the inaugural ceremony invited the chief guest Gilbertson to release the show guide and a publication on the 10th year of the JJS.
Mehul Durlabhji and Dr Nawal Agarwal got the JSS calendar released which has music melody and jewelleries as the theme. The jewelleries shown in the calendar are the 12 best creations of the jewellery makers of Jaipur showing the unique craftsmanship. The JJS show guide was presented by Ashok Singhi and Kamal Kothari.
Vijay Chordia, a member of the executive proposed the vote of thanks.
Jaipur Jewellery Show 