Shanghai Fair Provides Buying Opportunities for Upcoming Holidays

Jewelry retailers in Asia will have a final opportunity to stock their shelves for the upcoming Christmas holidays and Chinese New Year festivities during the China International Gold, Jewellery & Gem Fair – Shanghai (Shanghai Fair), from November 9 – 12 at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center.

More than 300 exhibitors from 18 countries and regions will showcase the latest contemporary jewelry, classic bestsellers and trends during the eighth edition of the annual trade fair, organized by UBM Asia.

In 2011, retail sales of consumer goods in Shanghai exceeded RMB677 billions, up 12.3 percent from 2010. Retail sales of gold and jewelry alone grew roughly 25 percent, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics of China.

Given its November schedule, the Shanghai Fair provides the last-minute opportunity for buyers wanting to add to their inventory for the busy Christmas and Chinese New Year festivities.

Pavilions dedicated to luxury jewelry manufacturers, jadeite manufacturers from Taiwan and gems from Sri Lanka are among the features of the fair.

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9th China International Gold, Jewellery & Gem Fair – Shanghai opens Nov. 8

The key fine jewelry trade fair in Eastern China, the 9th edition of the China International Gold, Jewellery & Gem Fair – Shanghai, will be held from Nov. 8 – 11 at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center.

More than 300 exhibitors from 17 countries and regions will showcase contemporary jewelry, classic bestsellers and up-and-coming trends in 17,000 square meters of exhibition space.

“The trickle-down effect from China’s booming economy has contributed to the robust growth in jewelry consumption in China,” said officials representing UBM Asia, which owns and operates the tradeshow.

Retail sales of consumer goods in Shanghai totaled RMB388 billion ($63.63 billion) in the first half of 2013, according to the Shanghai government, and sales during that period increased by 60 percent.

With its November schedule, the Shanghai fair provides a last-minute opportunity for buyers to replenish inventories for the Christmas and Chinese New Year seasons.

The fair will have several pavilions and special product displays. They include:

* Premier Pavilion, which features world-renowned high-end jewelry retailers;

* Taiwan Pavilion with 30 exhibitors, featuring with its translucent jade and jadeite jewelry;

* Sri Lanka and Thailand Pavilions with 40 exhibitors featuring colored gemstones;

* The Australia Pavilion will make its debut at the Fair featuring its national gem: opal. It will include the National Opal Collection with its display of rare opal fossils and specimens from the dinosaur age.

Translation services will be provided on site for free, upon request. An on-site professional product testing service to examine the quality of products. In addition, a free shuttle bus service will be provided to take visitors from Exit 4 of “Yaohua Road” Metro Station to the fair venue.

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Montblanc Launches Bohème Watch Collection with Elegant, Elaborate Performance in Shanghai

Celebrities from around the world in attendance with Jérôme Lambert, Montblanc International CEO (fourth from left) at the Bohème ladies watch collection launch.

Luxury brand Montblanc chose Shanghai for the global introduction of its new Bohème ladies watch collection with a star-studded affair on August 28 at the Children’s Art Theatre attended by several hundred invited guests and media. 

In doing so the luxury brand showed to the world that the traditionally masculine brand is looking to the ladies market for growth, that it values its long relationship with China, and that it is able to create a buzz in one of the largest and fastest growing markets in the world.

Montblanc Bohème Perpetual Calendar Jewellery

The event itself was a large-scale production held in a circular theater setting with colorful performances that could rival Las Vegas in terms of spectacle with musicians, dancers and models rising up from beneath the floor of the theater in various places. Several celebrities from around the world strolled the red carpet outside the theater and participated in the performance’s grand finale. The guests of honor were Taiwanese-born actress and Montblanc Brand Ambassador Kwai Lun Mei and Australian actor Chris Hemsworth, a designated friend of the brand. Prior to the performance, watch making demonstrations were held in the lobby of the theater. 

The performance during the August 28 unveiling of the Bohème ladies watch line at the Children’s Art Theatre in Shanghai, China.

Jérôme Lambert, Montblanc International CEO, said the luxury brand’s relationship with China goes back to 1992 and has grown to become one of its top three markets. The company now has 105 points of sale, including 47 mono-brand boutiques. Needless to say the country is very important to the luxury brand.

Colorful Italian Leather Straps for Bohème Watches created by Montblanc’s leather manufacturing operation in Florence, Italy. In addition to traditional styles, the straps are available in yellow, orange, and two shades of blue. 

Then there are the female shoppers, whose appetite in China (and in much of the world) for luxury goods continues to grow. This is the where Montblanc, a traditionally masculine luxury brand, is focusing its efforts. 

Montblanc ambassador and actress Gwei Lun-Mei was the
guest of honor at the global launch of the Bohème watch collection.

“More than 35 percent of our clientele of Montblanc (worldwide) are ladies, but they are buying a lot for their husbands or boyfriends,” said Jérôme Lambert, Montblanc International CEO. “We do believe there is an opportunity to bring them along to the maison…. We know ladies are very determined when it comes to luxury goods these days in China. It’s a natural extension of the market.”

Models wear Bohème watches on stage during the Bohème global launch event at the Children’s Art Theatre in Shanghai, China

Lambert added that products for women now account for 20 percent of Montblanc’s inventory.

Bohème Date Automatic Jewellery

The Bohème ladies watch collection feature both a feminine exterior with precious gems and metals while inside it is powered by serious movements and complications. It is an extension of a feminine writing instruments collection under the same name. The lead item in this collection is the “Bohème Perpetual Calendar Jewellery.”

The Montblanc name and star logo clearly visible on the exterior of the Children’s Art Theatre.

The 36mm watch features a silver guilloché dial that shows the month and leap year cycle at 12 o’clock, date at 3 o’clock, moon phases at 6 o’clock and day of the week at 9 o’clock. The bezel of the red-gold case is adorned with 60 diamonds and the winding crown is topped with a diamond in the shape of the Montblanc star emblem. 

Actor Chris Hemsworth, a friend of the Montblanc brand, attends the launch of the Bohème collection.

The watch is powered by the automatic caliber MB 29.15, which was introduced at Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) in January for the Montblanc Meisterstück Heritage Perpetual Calendar men’s watch, which distinguished itself as perhaps the first watch with a perpetual calendar and a moon phase for 10,000 euros. The perpetual calendar requires no manual adjustment until the year 2100. However, if a correction is needed, tiny controls hidden inside the watch allow for fast and easy adjustments.

Musicians perform at the global launch of the Bohème watch collection.

The Bohème Date Automatic features several styles of diamonds, gold and stainless steel with mother-of-pearl, diamond pavé or guilloche dial finishes. The 30mm watch features an elongated date display at 6 o’clock. The shape serves as the signature style of the Bohème collection.

Bohème was traditionally a collection of feminine writing instruments. It's fitting that new writing instruments would accompany the introduction of the Bohème watch collection.

Floral Arabic numerals with “filet sauté” minute scale, the blued or red gold-plated leaf-shaped hour-and minute-hand and the central second hand extended with the Montblanc star emblem. It is powered by a MB 24.14 automatic movement. The bezel of the jewelry version of the watch can be adorned with 62 diamonds and a dial topped with 8 diamonds. 

Celebrity blogger Chiara Ferragni

Lambert, who has led Montblanc for a little over a year has been credited with finding synergies between the brand’s various manufacturing facilities. In this case, he used Montblanc’s leather manufacturing operation in Florence, Italy, to create colorful watch straps for the Bohème collection, thus giving buyers more options when selecting watches. In addition to traditional styles, the wristbands are available in yellow, orange, and two shades of blue. 

Bohème red gold and silver jewelry collection to accompany the new watch collection.

“We believe that cross fertilization, in this case leather and watches, combines itself quite nicely,” Lambert said. “It’s a good way for us to sustain a better approach to a lifestyle.”

Jérôme Lambert, Montblanc International CEO

The Bohème collection also includes complementary jewelry and writing instruments. 

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Luxury Brands Still Bet on China

Hublot Shanghai boutique.

Despite the recent reports of an economic slowdown in China, luxury companies continue to build their extravagant retail spaces for the growing mass of wealthy and middle class shoppers.

The latest example of this is Swiss luxury watch brand, Hublot, which opened its second boutique in Shanghai Tuesday. Located on Nanjing West Road, an area renowned for its concentration of top luxury brands, the boutique features the black that defines the Hublot brand along with leather furnishings, glass and metal fixtures, and high-tech details that create a contemporary space.

The boutique is the fourth in China for Hublot along with four other points of sale in Beijing, Shanghai, Dalian, Shenyang and Wuhan. The brand said it plans to have 15 outlets in China “within a short time frame.”

A month earlier, the German luxury brand, Montblanc, opened a four-story flagship in Beijing to house its luxury writing instruments, timepieces, fine jewelry and leather goods with an extravagant party attended by 1,000 persons, including Jessica Alba, Naomi Watts, Nicolas Cage and Amber Heard.

It is the largest store by the brand and includes interactive displays throughout the store that focuses on the company’s heritage.

So while investors take a pause, luxury brands continue to bet that China will continue on its road to prosperity.

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China International Gold, Jewellery & Gem Fair – Shanghai Attracts More than 7,000 Visitors

The 10th edition of the China International Gold, Jewellery & Gem Fair – Shanghai ended with more than 7,000 visitors from 32 countries.

The event held November 6 – 9, at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center, also featured 340 exhibitors from 21 countries.

“We always strive to make the Shanghai Fair an ideal springboard for jewelers who aim to enter China's vibrant jewellery market,” said Celine Lau, director of Jewellery Fairs, UBM Asia Ltd. “This year, we introduced a new element to the fair—the first-ever Korea Pavilion and the preview of Mineral & Gem Asia. This new feature joins other fair attractions, among them the Premier Pavilion, the largest Sri Lanka Pavilion in this fair’s history. Other group pavilions housing exhibitors from United States, Thailand and Taiwan region. The exhibits offered visitors a wide range of jewelry, diamonds, gemstones and jadeite from world-class suppliers as well as unmatched opportunity to network and see the latest trends.”

UBM China Holdings Ltd., hosted a seminar titled, “Investment and Collection of Mineral Crystals,” that provided information on the latest market information on gems and minerals.

“Shanghai is an important market for the jewelry trade, which is why we’ve been participating in the Shanghai Fair for many years,” said Safraz Jabir, color stone specialist of Safaiyers, a gemstone exporter of Sri Lanka, exhibiting at the fair. “We met many buyers, mainly from China, and received some orders with them. We are happy with the overall result.”

Con Arsenikakis of Olympic Opal Co Pty Ltd from Australia, said it was his first time at the fair.

“I am a retailer in Australia and I came to update myself with the latest trends,” he said. “The fair offers buyers a wide array of quality exhibits; I met my suppliers, mostly from Hong Kong.”

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