September 1, 2021
Vol. 4- Ed.17- Show Edition
Message From the Board of Directors
Welcome New Member
Gil Giladi of GLD Diamonds
Founded in 2010, we have since mastered the production of a variety of cuts, becoming a reputable global diamond trading house with cutting facilities in Israel and Thailand. I am in the midst of relocating to the U.S. to establish a local trading company and am happy to become a new member of the DCWC. My Company specializes in fancy shaped diamonds. 
Show Time at Las Vegas
Antique Show Highlights

The Las Vegas Antique Watch and Jewelry show was long-awaited with much anxiety and excitement. The show this year was at the beautiful Wynn Hotel on Tuesday, August 24th. thru Thursday, the 26th. 
It was the first antique show since the Miami show in 2020. 
 
Vendors and customers were unsure as to whether to attend for up to a few weeks before the event. Many vendors canceled due to the uncertainty of a low customer turnout and the Covid Delta variant. 
 
Ultimately, the regular 500 booths were reduced to no more than 300 with most international vendors staying away. That being said, the consensus was that most had a great show. 
 
The overall sentiment is that the show was met with great positivity.
-L.W

Comments by a few vendors were:

“If your merchandise was priced correctly and competitively, people were hungry for goods.” 
 
“I saw my customers for the first time in a year.”
 
“I was sorry that I didn’t bring an extra helper. We were busy every day.”
 
"Overall the show was OK. There was a lot of traffic. From what I heard, there was more traffic at the Antique Show than at JCK. There was definitely business to be had. There was an abundance of merchandise and for the first time, we were paid on the spot without writing memos. We received calls after the show too." - L.S
AGTA show Highlight

The location of the 3-day AGTA show was in the Encore Ballroom of the Encore/Wynn hotel exhibition center, which also hosted the Couture and Antique/Estate (A/E) Jewelry shows.

It was a 2-minute walk from Couture and a 5-minute walk from A/E.
The first day was relatively slow with sparse attendance but days two and three were busier.  
Some dealers did well considering that it was in a new location and during the pandemic. Others not so well. 

I saw many of my regular clients from around the U.S. and met a few new ones.  
Very few foreign buyers, or sellers for that matter, were at our show.
Overall, it was pretty much what I expected it to be, given the circumstances.
Next year, the word is that we'll probably be back at the LV Convention Center along with the A/E show.
-C.C
JCK Show Highlights
JCK an Insiders perspective 

I was fortunate enough to see this year's JCK show from multiple perspectives. Because it was a relatively slow show, suppliers and buyers had time to share with me a wealth of information. 

From the Exhibitors' end, per usual, you will hear it was a “great” show. Considering all things COVID, perhaps it was. Exhibitors were able to see more serious buyers and fewer “window shoppers.”  Diamond Inventory brought from overseas varied from cream of the crops to the dead weight that suppliers are looking to get rid of. The creams that did sell, commanded high prices. The less attractive diamonds were where deals could be found. Site holders continued their rhetoric that prices remain strong but there were some clear indications that Diamond prices were softening. Bigger players were able to get discounts for large purchases, not available prior to the show. The 1 price model of Indian Diamond suppliers were clearly dependent on buying power. This is the first sign of softening. Terms not given before by these same suppliers were a second indication. 

The Lab Grown diamonds also saw continued success. As demand for these goods continues to increase so do the exhibitors in this pavilion. Prices of Lab-Grown continue to decline as competition increases. The debate of using the Rapaport price list as the base of pricing Lab-Grown continues as the “discount” heads toward 100%. A change in pricing structure seems inevitable now. 

The technology/hardware side of the industry seemed to do well especially in the machines of detecting Lab-Grown Diamonds. Yehuda’s Sherlock Holmes sold out its first day and the orders continued well into the final day of JCK. 

Overall the show was relatively successful, displaying the desire of buyers and exhibitors to come back to trade shows. However, with many cancellations both from exhibitors and buyers, there is much hope for next year's show getting back to normal.
-Anonymous
JCK Show

As an attendee:
"It was a much smaller show than it was five years ago which was great, especially during COVID. However, the attendees were serious buyers. There was strong competition amongst Lab-Grown Diamond suppliers
 
"In my opinion as a visitor, I saw a great response from all the exhibitors to whom I spoke. There were serious buyers at the JCK on Friday and Saturday
The lab-grown section also had heavy foot traffic and goods were trading at higher discounts.
Overall a positive show at the JCK."
-A.R

"Considering the circumstances it was fantastic! Everyone I talked to said less foot traffic than 2019, but many more sales. Most who attended were buyers. All the exhibitors I talked to were very happy too! 
We also had a great turnout at the YD events! -C.Z
JCK Show

As an exhibitor:
"It was a so-so show. Much slower traffic and fewer vendors. In general, moods and atmospheres were not the same as in previous years." -S. L

"I was in the Lab-grown section. The first day was really slow. Saturday and Sunday were busy and many people were showing interest and came to ask questions. Monday was completely dead." -A.R.

"The 2021 JCK Show turned out to be a successful event in terms of traffic and sales. People were purchasing to restock their inventory for the upcoming holidays. The number of attendees seemed less as compared to previous years but quality-wise, they were serious buyers. Empty booths were very noticeable that probably opened opportunities to the vendors that were present." -R.T
Luxury Show Highlight

"It was an amazing show. Slower traffic but the people that were there were there to conduct serious business."-M.G

"We had a very good show and sold mostly ring and bracelets." - N.J.

"It was a great show."- B.J.
Diamond Club West Coast, Inc. | (213)-623-1162 | www.diamondclubwestcoast.com| diamondclub.la@gmail.com |