This year’s honorees include a Midwest retailer and two multi-store independents, one in New York and the other in New England.
GJEPC focusing on US, Canadian markets
India’s Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council has a new three-year marketing campaign designed to develop business relationships in the U.S., Canadian and South American markets.
Las Vegas--India’s Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council has a new three-year marketing campaign designed to develop business relationships in the U.S., Canadian and South American markets.
Announced at breakfast press conference held during the Las Vegas jewelry shows, the new campaign centers around what the GJEPC is calling Business Development Conferences, or BDCs, which will be held in the Americas and give Indian manufacturers and exporters the chance to meet in person with clients to discuss issues and hammer out possible solutions.
The dates for the first conference already have been set. It is scheduled to take place in Chicago from Sept. 5 to 8 and will be the first of several face-to-face meetings in phase one of the GJEPC’s three-year-long campaign.
GJEPC Chairman Pankaj Parekh said they expect 15 manufacturers/exporters from India to attend the Chicago conference, along with 15 to 20 companies from North America.
Former National Jeweler Publisher and Editorial Director Whitney Sielaff and Rick Bannerot of S&B Partners LLC are organizing and running the conference on behalf of the GJEPC. Sielaff and Bannerot also organized two BDCs recently held by the GJEPC in India.
“This September BDC is the first such event held in the USA,” GJEPC Chairman Vipul Shah said. “For us, it is a significant outreach program to the Western Hemisphere, not only looking at our important markets but including our colleagues, clients and competitors.”
The latest statistics from the GJEPC show that Indian gem and jewelry markets to the U.S. alone grew 11 percent year-over-year, increasing from $4.03 billion in 2012 to $4.79 billion in 2013, and the GJEPC notes that the Indian manufacturers supply the majority of the U.S.’s leading traders.
“In today’s world, change is constant and we hope BDCs…will make sure India’s gem and jewelry industry is tied firmly into the world’s trends, technologies and capabilities,” Shah said.
Sponsored by India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the GJEPC is a trade organization for Indian jewelry designers, manufacturers and exporters, representing more than 5,300 members of the gem and jewelry industry.
The Latest

As an homage to iconic crochet blankets, the necklace features the nostalgic motif through a kaleidoscope of cabochon-cut stones.

Discover the dozen up-and-coming brands exhibiting in the Design Atelier for the first time.

When investing in your jewelry business, it's important not to overlook the most crucial element of success: the sales associates.

The “Royal Ruby” Collection is a quintet of untreated rubies curated by collector Jack Abraham.


The entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” star will share his top tips for success.

Two existing executives have been given new roles.

More shoppers are walking out without buying. Here’s how smart jewelers can bring them back—and the tool they need to do it right.

Meredith Tiderington, an electrical engineering student, was selected for the award.

It will quit assigning the stones specific color and clarity grades in favor of applying “new descriptive terminology.”

From design trends to sustainability, here’s a roundup of can’t-miss education sessions at JCK Las Vegas.

The Jewelers’ Security Alliance offers advice for those attending the annual trade shows.

Her new role is director of strategic initiatives.

The designer is embracing bold pieces with weight to them in “AU79,” a collection she celebrated with a creative launch party.

On an earnings call, CEO J.K. Symancyk discussed what’s working for the company and how it’s preparing for the potential impact of tariffs.

The index partially rebounded after months of decline, due in part to the U.S.-China deal to temporarily reduce import tariffs.

The actress stars in the latest campaign set in Venice, Italy, and is set to participate in other creative initiatives for the jeweler.

The company has joined other labs, including GIA and Lotus Gemology, in adopting the Chinese term for "jadeite jade."

The large stone will be offered at its June sale along with a selection of secondary-type rubies from a new area of the Montepuez mine.

Located in Bangkok, the laboratory is Gemological Science International’s 14th location worldwide.

Those born in June have a myriad of options for their birthstone jewelry.

The diamond industry veteran has been named its senior sales executive.

The company plans to raise the prices of select watches to offset the impact of tariffs.

Between tariffs and the sky-high cost of gold, designers enter this year’s Las Vegas shows with a lot of questions and few answers.

Designed by founder Renato and his daughter Serena Cipullo, it showcases a flame motif representing unity and the power of gathering.

However, the tariffs remain in effect in the short term, as an appeals court has stayed the U.S. Court of International Trade’s decision.

The pop icon is one step closer to launching her “B Tiny” jewelry collection, a collection she first began posting about last fall.