The Istanbul Jewelry Show took place from April 17 to 20, the show provided a unique information-sharing and business opportunities for all jewellery professionals from Eastern Europe to the Near East, from Russia to North Africa, and from CIS Countries to the Middle East!
Recognised as one of the top five jewellery exhibitions in the world and as Turkey’s first and only specialized international jewellery exhibition, IJS was a platform for the leading brands of the industry to showcase their newest jewellery collections In the IJS Tech section of the fair, where the latest products, designs and collections, especially gold jewellery, jewellery, mountings, diamonds, precious stones and silver, were showcased, the machinery, equipment and technologies that give life to jewelry were exhibited together.
I have enjoyed adorning myself with million-dollar diamond jewellery but it was for the very first time that I saw a MILLION dollar gold bar, 999.9 purity and weighing appx 12 kg at the show. Turkey remains one of the world’s leading producers and consumers of gold and Turkish gold jewellery is renowned for its craftsmanship and intricate designs making it highly sought after both domestically and internationally by consumers.
No matter how high the price of gold will rise, it will never go out of fashion!
Turkey is one of the leading jewelry manufacturing centres around the world and its gold jewellery is heavily influenced by the Ottoman Empire. This has encouraged many people to start jewellery business within the country leading to a good number of jewellery manufacturers. Turkish artisans often incorporate traditional motifs and symbols into their designs, reflecting the country’s rich history and heritage making gold jewellery much sought after worldwide.
Featured above is one such example of an exquisite piece of Turkish Jewellery made in 22KT.
It was a pleasure being a part of a panel discussion and speaking on “Jewelry Trends” along with my dear friends Shohista Turdiyeva and David Borough.
Let me introduce you to a stone setting machine that gives 12000 wax pieces setting per hour. This stone-setting robot sets 12000pcs with utmost accuracy in just one hour, which if done manually will take an entire day for a skilled artisan to set just one wax piece! Technology has significantly advanced in the field of jewelry manufacturing and design, offering new possibilities and innovations! And that is such a time saver!
Call it superstition or blind belief, but the evil eye symbol 🧿 has been around for thousands of years and across various cultures. The evil eye bracelet featured above is known as Nazar Boncuk in Turkey and is worn as it is believed it has the power to ward off the jealous look of others, which, according to popular belief, has the power to cause misfortune to a person or his property. Turkish people believe that this amulet protects its holder from the bad energies by absorbing them thus offering protection to the wearer.
I would like to highlight one of the most important aspects of jewellery making; known as Jewellery Mounting. Jewelry mounting forms the framework for the gemstones to be set and is a very important base of the jewellery, and the skilled artisans from Turkey specialize in making intricate jewellery mountings
If you are looking for jewellery mounting to expand your business then the Istanbul jewellery show is the place for you.
Accessorize with attitude. Presenting a never seen before black and white diamond studded Gun; made with meticulous detailing and craftsmanship. This masterpiece is made by Ariş Pırlanta, a company that has been sharing its passion for jewellery since 1906.
One of the key highlights of this edition of the Istanbul Jewelry Show was the Gala Night and award ceremony of the 14th International Jewelry Design Competition. The theme for the competition was REBORN: The Infinite Cycle Of The Jewel.
It was a memorable experience being at the 55 edition of the Istanbul Jewelry Show, and I had a great time exploring new innovative jewels and meeting my friends from around the world.