Jewellery among world's priciest to go on show at Hong Kong fair

Sep 17, 2009, 4:52 GMT

   Hong Kong - Some of the world's most expensive pieces of jewellery with price tags of up to 50 million US dollars each are to go on show in Hong Kong next week as the city hosts the world's biggest gem fair

   Organizers said Thursday that the Hong Kong Jewellery and Gem Fair would feature several multimillion-dollar pieces made by around 30 prestigious jewellers.

   The event, which begins Monday and runs to September 27, is to bring together more than 3,000 exhibitors from 44 countries, surpassing the 2,700 exhibitors at the JCK Las Vegas jewellery show held in June and making it the largest jewellery event in the world.

   It is to also include the largest-ever diamond pavilion as well as exhibitions of raw materials and other precious gems.

   Jime Essink, president and chief executive of event organizer United Business Media Asia, said he expected the fair to benefit from the economic rebound and pull in buyers wishing to replenish stock in time for the holiday season as well as private collectors and designers.

   'The fair is one of the top-ranking sourcing trips of serious buyers,' Essink said.

   Of the exhibitors, the most, 1,292, are from Hong Kong, followed by Thailand with 301 exhibitors, the Chinese mainland, Italy and the United States.

   However, Essink remained tight-lipped about security measures for the show except to say that there would be adequate police at the event.

   Past jewellery fairs in Hong Kong have been targeted by jewel thieves on several occasions. According to Thursday's South China Morning Post, police said more than 1,000 jewel thieves from South America arrived for the show in 2006.

   There were four thefts at a jewellery fair in 2003, including that of 200 diamonds worth 7.8 million Hong Kong dollars (1 million US dollars).