What’s On at Jewellery & Watch Birmingham?
BIRMINGHAM, England – On February 2, the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham will open its doors for Jewellery & Watch Birmingham, co-located with Spring Fair International and organised by i2i Events Group.
Over 400 leading jewellery and watch exhibitors will showcase their latest brands and collections, with key trends being brought to life in daily inspirational catwalks.
The theme of this year’s show, “The Story Behind the Brand”, is set to encourage designers and jewellery makers to share the stories behind their collections.
Buyers can gain a greater understanding of the background to each brand and item, and in turn, use this information to educate their customers.
Exhibitors at the show this year, which takes place from February 2-6, 2014, include Rachel Galley, whose Enkai Sun Collection has been used throughout the show’s marketing and branding material, as well as Fei Liu, Allumer London, Mark Milton, Banyan Jewellery, Jos Von Arx, Alexis Dove, Babette Wasserman, Bering Time, CARAT* London, Charmian Beaton Design, Clogau Gold, Kissing Diamonds, Dryberg Kern, Fable Jewels, Gecko, Hot Diamonds, Lars Larsen Watches, Missoma, Pandora Jewellery, Source Watches, Storm of London and Tresor Paris.
In addition to these established names, the event will also see some exciting debuts with new Danish watch brand Lars Larsen Watches, using the show as the platform to launch its first collection and jewellery brand Esoteric Luxury will be debuting its new Lucky Talisman collection at the show.
BQ Watches, a leading buyer and seller of pre-owned luxury watches, will also bring a host of designs from premium brands and will also be giving out special Rolex-themed cupcakes at the show entrance and on their stand.
In addition to the beautiful jewellery pieces on display, a host of intuitive seminars and on-site events will take place across each day of the show.
Highlights for the first day include Michael Allchin’s industry overview at 11am, providing a detailed analysis of market trends, the latest trade figures, and an informed guide to buying for the year ahead.
A panel discussion will then take place at 1pm, chaired by Jewellery Outlook Editor, David Brough, in which industry experts will share their views on the outlook for international jewellery, precious metals and gemstone markets in 2014.
The panel will include Gary Williams, Chairman of the British Jewellers Association and Director of Master Melts; Pravin A Pattni, Owner and Director of Minar Jewellers; and Philip Newman, Director of Metal Focus.
The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Birmingham will visit Jewellery & Watch Birmingham on the second day of the show to join manufacturers of cufflinks and fine jewellery Deakin & Francis at stand T04 in Hall17 at 10.15am for the launch of the brand’s new Mechanimals Collection.
Jo Henderson will open the stage at 11am on the second day of the show with a creative seminar on visual display and store layouts. Henderson, Brand Manager at Fei Liu, will share inspirational tips and insight towards attracting customers, maximising store potential and effectively showcasing stock.
The British Jewellers Association will then be announcing the winners of their prestigious BJA Award 2014, at 12:30pm at the Catwalk Café at the heart of the show. The competition to design a cocktail ring was split into two categories, precious metal and non-precious fashion rings, both winners will be chosen based on their design talent.
Following this, Sarah Carpin, Director of CMJ Media, will explore modern jewellery marketing and how to generate the best return on investment. Taking place at 1pm, Carpin will cover matters of PR, social media marketing, and creating achievable strategies.
At 4pm on Monday, the Houlden Group will announce the winners of their Bridal Design of the Year competition. CEO Stuart Laing will present the awards for both categories; one of which has a retail price of £1,500 – £3,000, the other £3,000 – £5,000. The day will be rounded off with exhibitor drinks taking place at the Catwalk Café at 6pm.
Tuesday will open with Retail Jeweller editor Laura McCreddie’s top jewellery picks at 11am. Laura will reveal her favourite designs, styles and colours for the season ahead, while offering buyers trend advice.
For those looking to set up in retail, an innovative guide to entering the jewellery market will be discussed at 1pm.
This will consist of a panel discussion, chaired by Simon Rainer, Director of the British Jewellers Association, including speakers: Jo Henderson, Brand Manager of Fei Liu; Alexis Dove, Owner and Director of Alexis Dove Jewellery; Annette Allen, Owner and Director of Source Watches; and Fay Hosannah,Assistant Vice President – Accessories and Jewellery, TJX Europe .
At 3:30pm, the CMJ Award will be given to the winner of the Best New Collection. This will take place at Stand 17559 in Hall 17.
On Wednesday February 5th, the show will begin with a panel discussion on the business of retail at 11am. Established retailers will share their experiences of developing retail businesses and offer advice and inspiration for those looking to do same.
The session will be chaired by Michael Rawlinson, Chief Executive of The National Association of Goldsmiths, and include the following speakers: Alan Frampton, Managing Director of Cred Jewellery; Babette Wasserman, Chief Executive Officer of Babette Wasserman; and Natalie Kabiri, Founder of Kabiri.
A second panel discussion will take place at 2pm, offering guidance for retailers looking to break into the watch market. Chairperson James Buttery, Editor of WatchPro, will be joined by Lloyd Amsdon, Director of Watchfinder, and Tom Milner, Director of Tustains.
Gabrielle Hase will host the final seminar of the day, ‘Business Abroad: Capitalising on New Opportunities’, which will take place at 4pm. Hase, Director of Soleberry, will take a look at global emerging markets in which to start selling, offering expertise for retailers and designers alike.
As well as the aforementioned, a full seminar programme across the five days of the show includes three daily catwalks and additional industry speakers, all of which can be viewed online here www.jewelleryandwatchbirmingham.com/seminars
