The Australian jewellery industry’s first major gathering of the year takes place this weekend at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The Melbourne Jewellery Expo will begin on Saturday and conclude on Monday (3-5 February). It is hosted alongside the Gift & Lifestyle Fair.
The Expo offers the opportunity to arrange new orders before Valentine’s Day (14 February) and Mother’s Day (12 May) and is designed to be time-efficient for jewellers based in regional areas.
Expertise Events general manager Zac Fitz-Roy said the event is also an opportunity for the industry to reconnect after the holiday period, assess the retail environment, and study new trends heading into the year.
“It’s a great chance to reflect with other jewellers on a busy holiday period and to restock on popular items that have sold out in preparation for some important upcoming holidays,” he told Jeweller.
“It’s also an opportunity to view a broader range of products for those retailers that also stock gift and lifestyle products. We’ve designed the Expo to suit the needs of regional retailers, in particular, who might not be able to spend a significant amount of time away from their store.”
Interior designer Shaynna Blaze, well-known for her role on Channel 9’s The Block, will speak at 1pm on Saturday, offering her expertise and insights into the latest trends for the year ahead.
Another highlight will be a presentation by television and radio presenter Jo Stanley about the importance of work-life balance, scheduled for 1pm on Sunday.
“We’ve got some great guest speakers lined up. Shaynna Blaze is very popular, and she’ll be discussing insights into the latest trends in design,” Fitz-Roy said.
“Jo Stanley will be discussing work-life balance, which has become an important talking point in business circles over the past few years.”
He continued: “Small business owners, in general, can find it difficult to step back and work ‘on the business’ rather than work ‘in the business’, and I think the advice that Jo will provide will be very valuable.”
Following the Melbourne Jewellery Expo, the industry will travel to the Gold Coast in March for the Australian Jewellery Fair.
Visitors will head to the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre for the first time, with the event previously held in Sydney. The fair is scheduled for 24-25 March.
The International Jewellery Fair, the industry’s largest annual gathering, will take place in Sydney on 17-19 August.
For further details and registration information, visit jewelleryfair.com.au.
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