By David Brough
VICENZA, Italy – Italian gold and silver jewellery exports surged by 36.5 percent in value year on-year in the first five months of 2022 to just under 4 billion euros, according to figures released at the September edition of Vicenzaoro.
Opening Ceremony at Vicenzaoro on September 9, 2022
Giorgio Villa, who heads Italy’s goldsmiths’ association, Club degli Orafi, told Jewellery Outlook that the jump in export value was linked to an increasing shift towards branding of fine jewellery; challenges to travel during the pandemic, which led to more consumer spending on jewellery; and the soft euro against the U.S. dollar.
Vicenzaoro, staged twice a year, is a leading conduit for Italian gold and silver jewellery exports.
Separately, a tour of the India pavilion in Hall 2.1 at Vicenzaoro on September 9 revealed that some manufacturers are using innovative lightweight designs to reduce the impact of high gold prices.
In the middle market, some manufacturers are shifting into 9-carat gold away from 18-carat, and others are using coloured gemstones, including say blue topaz, tourmalines and white sapphires, instead of natural diamonds which have surged in price.
Vicenzaoro runs until September 13, 2022.
