Europe’s leading B2B trade fair for Jewelry, Watches and Gemstones; Inhorgenta, took place in Munich, Germany from February 21-24. It brought the who’s who of the industry be it jewellers, retailers, experts, manufacturers, traders, visionaries and also the media, students, young talent, designers and more under one roof – The Messegelande. It featured over 1200 brands from high jewellery, watches and gemstones under many categories. The show pulled in more than 25000 visitors and I was one of them. Read on to see what I discovered at Inhorgenta.
The exhibition was divided into aspects like timepieces, high and fine jewellery, carats and bijoux and technology and packaging. The 4-day extravaganza was full of knowledge, networking and recognition.
The excitement was tangible at the Inhorgentas Awards recognised and felicitated the best of the industry in various categories. The unique trophy was certainly picture-worthy and the winning works were a truly remarkable show of art and craft. The category winners were:
– Gerald Charles, Luxury Watch Of The Year
– Arnoldi International, Gemstone Design Of The Year
– Serafino Consoli, High Jewelry Of The Year
– Gellner, Fine Jewelry Of The Year
– Fossil, Fashion Jewelry Of The Year
– Katherine Lindman, Designer Of The Year
– Jony Jewels, Design Newcomer Of The Year
– Junghans, Watch Design Of The Year
– Jeweler Kutter x Patek Philippe Boutique, Next Generation Retail
Al Coro is a leading jeweller that prides itself on making family heirlooms and keepsakes. Their intricate craftsmanship was out on display in their Mezzaluna collection, a range of jewels designed inspired by the crescent moon and set in classic white and modern rose gold with diamonds.
Gandhi Jewels, with their in-house lapidary, are experts in all kinds of gemstones – singles, pairs, layouts, calibrated, you name it. Their 3-decade old expertise shone through in every gem at their stand in the show. My personal favourite was the no-heat hues of the blue layout.
It was a moment of pride for me to know that India was an official country partner at Inhorgenta with a dedicated Indian Pavilion powered by the GJEPC. A nation that is known for its impeccable craft, tradition and antique jewels, India is proud to be the epitome of ‘If it can’t be made anywhere, it can be made in India’
The pavilion provided a platform to 12 Indian brands and took another step towards strengthening the 500-year-old bond between the countries. GJEPC continued to promote the celebration of craftsmanship and innovative designs. My secret favourite were the Indian sweets at the pavilion that brought a nostalgic smile on my face.
The show held a special place in my heart as for the first time I presented my favourite topic, ‘Jewellery Trends and Styling’ in Germany. My passion for jewellery has been nurtured from a young age and after sharing it in various cities of India, Istanbul, Geneva and Bahrain. It was a privilege to be on stage and share what I know with the audience.
I found some rare beauties at the show that included a purplish-cream natural pearl brooch by Leeb Schmuck and the ‘Heart to Earth’ collection of multi-colored diamond jewels by Pasquale Bruni.
The award-winning gemstone manufacturer, Arnoldi International, had their largest collection of garnets ever seen in exquisite cuts and shapes. Their stand at the show was a multi-hued treat to the eyes.
The many brands had one thing in common, finesse and flair. The show was a celebration of luxury and the watches and jewels on display were a testament to it. I cannot wait to see what jewels get created out of the marvellous gems on display and am mentally packing my bags for the next one.