[Where] Jewelry shows to participate in

Jewelry Discussion
1

Can anyone tell me where I can search for or find a list of jewelry
shows and/or competitions where I can start participating in?
Especially International ones? Japan and Europe are my first chioce
but anywhere a non-resident can enter. Thanks from Saigon.

2

Sharron: Get in touch with the MJSA, Manufacturing Jewelers &
Suppliers of America,

  401-274-3840.  They are the jewelry trade "referral service",
  and I'm sure they have some of the you want/need.
  Andrea/Guyot
3

Hi Sharron,

If you have access to Lapidary Journal, each copy has a listing of
shows, US & intl. They have a web site at www.lapidaryjournal.com.
I’ve never checked it, but it may also have the shows listed.

Dave

4

The Lapidary Journal publishes the schedules for many shows in the US
and World Wide. Great magazine too. Their e-mail address is:
lapidaryjournal@neodata.com on line sub. and customer service is:
Lapidary Journal - Jewelry Making, Jewelry Arts, Gems, Beads, B&B, Minerals and More Hope that this helps, Karran

5

contact National Jeweler or Jewelers Circular Keystone. I believe they are
both on the web.

Thanks,
Etienne Perret

6

Try Colored Stone Magazine and Lapidary Journal (both published by the same
publisher - Lapidary Journal) - I recommend Colored Stone Magazine. They both have
a section at the back of each issue which contains an updated list of shows in the
USA and International Shows with the contact for the show promoters.

Lapidary Journal: e-mail: Ljcscirc@aol.com e-mail: clrdstone@aol.com
http://www.lapidaryjournal.com One year of Colored Stone (6 issues, including the
Tucson show Guide - January/February issue) by surface mail to a foreign address is
$34.95. Air mail is $53.95.

Here are some of the International Shows listed in the latest issue of Colored
Stone with the Show Promoter contact

Nov. 25-28 Shanghai, China - Shanghai Jewel Time e-mail: baap@navigator.com
http://www.brilliant-art.com

Dec 3-6 Hong Kong Jewelry Manufacturing Exhibit Phone 852 2582 8888

Jan 16-23 Vicenza, Italy - Vicenzaoro 1 e-mail: vicenzafiera@vicenzafiera.com
http://vicenzafiera.it

Jan 26-29 Tokyo, Japan - International Jewellery Tokyo 2000 e-mail:
ijt@reedexpo.co.jp

Jan 28-31 Paris, France - Bijorhca e-mail: info@bijorhca.com http://www.bijorhca.com

Feb. 4-7 Milan, Italy - Macef e-mail: macef@planet.it http://www.fmi.it

Mar 6-9 Wanchai, Hong Kong - Hong Kong International Jewelry Show e-mail:
exhibitions@tdc.org.hk http://www.hkjewellery.tdc.org.hk

Mar 20-23 Basel, Switzerland - Basel 2000 e-mail: basel@messebasel.ch

May 11-14 Hong Kong Jewellery & Watch Fair http://www.jewellery-net-asia.com

Also check out the Tucson February 2000 shows at www.tucsonshowguide.com

Remember that doing shows can be expensive. My booth at the GJX in Tucson (8’ x
10’) with the booth rental (bare floor) and the show cases, lights, electricity and
licenses will cost over $4,200.00 for a 6 day show. Then you must include airfare,
hotel, meals and rental car and shipping your goods both ways by secured carrier.

I have no business connection with Lapidary Jpurnal or any of the above mentioned
companies (wish I did - now a days only the show promoters are guaranteed to make
money - and they all get paid upfront - before the show - sometimes a year in
advance)

Best regards,
Robert Lowe - Lowe Associates - Brasil
e-mail: @Robert

7

Loking for show listings? Then you need to check out AJM
magazine.

Every month, (12 issues a year, folks!) AJM presents a
comprehensive listing of upcoming shows, domestic and
international, finished, fine, fashion, craft, and machinery!
Our January issue will include our Events Calendar 2000, an
exhaustive listing of shows throughout the year. In addition, the
AJM website at http://www.ajm-magazine.com maintains a
regularly-updated Events page.

(And, of course, AJM is the only magazine dedicated to the
jewelry manufacturer, both small and large!)

And while I’m being ebullient, I’d like to mention that MJSA
just announced a new show for finished fashion jewelry and
accessories: Fashion Jewelry Expo Las Vegas, June 2-5, at the
Flamingo Hilton. For info, contact MJSA at 1-800-444-MJSA.

John Shanahan, Associate Editor
AJM magazine
The Authority on Jewelry Manufacturing
http:\www.ajm-magazine.com
401-274-3840, ext. 3037

8

Just participated in my first . . . Arts/Crafts show . . .
Great show, lots of potential customers . . . but for me, that
is, sales … a real bummer!! . . . 3 small items for the
entire show . . Well! Entire Show!!! Left at the end of the
first day…

How do you separate the good ones from the bad . . atleast for
the A/C and the Art shows?

Gets expensive to just go and see?? Jim

9

Jim:

You must get the Jewelers Resource “Planning Guide”. It gives
you the scoop on all the shows. Go the their website:
www.jewelersresource.com. Trust me- this will help you solve
your problem

dede

10

Dear Jim, Arts and Crafts Shows in California have been in
decline for the past ten years. More and more low end junk from
abroad has been making its’ way through the cracks and the
better stuff has been forsaken for the cheap stuff. Furthermore,
the jewelry industry has been assailed by the media more and
more frequently in recent years because of the various frauds
and treatments which have proliferated. The buying public wants
assurance of what it is getting and is not as apt to place
credibility in itinerant craftspersons as it might with a person
who has a storefront. Some of the people whom I know in the A/C
venues have been converting to web sites with varying degrees of
success. Credibility is the key factor. E-bay is a case in
point. Many of the people who regularly post offerings thereon
are questionable operators who seek gullible buyers through
exagerated claims. It is strictly a “buyer beware” situation. If
you do decide to experiment further with the shows you might
consider confining your efforts to shows that are regional so
that you can be perceived as a person who is accessible and
accountable. Too many craft persons underestimate the cost of
attending remote shows and wind up having to crack a nut which
is unrealistic. Good Luck! Ron at Mills Gem , Los Osos, CA.

11

Hi, There is a terrific book called The Art Fair Source Book.
There phone # is 800 358 2045.

Diane Sadel
www.jdfindings.com

12

Hi Jim Chambers, Re: lousy show This is where persistance pays.
My first show resulted in only one sale. There are stories of
people selling out their stock, but the reality is that rarely
(like once in a thousand times) happens! Occasionally a show
will be so bad that only the vendors show up. I look on these
events as Fate exercising muscle. I spend the free time making
more stock or designing future pieces. There will be folks who
respond with advice on repricing, or display techniques, and
those certainly should be evaluated.

Bottom line is since you can hardly do much worse, try again…
and don’t forget to pass out business cards. You will likely
get some calls later for something special or asking about
repairs. Don’t quit… just yet.

Judymw Judy M. Willingham, Consumer Pollution Prevention
Specialist 237 Seaton Hall Kansas State University Manhattan KS
66506 (785)532-5418 FAX (785) 532-6944

13

I have also been participating in Arts/crafts shows, and have
been having mixed results. I have been learning the hard way
that every show is different, sometimes from year to year, and
that you can’t predict what products will sell, because people
are unpredictable. I am beginning to wonder if I should try to
find a different way to market my products. I have learned
several important things about doing shows that may help: 1) Find
out how many other dealers with similar products will be there.
Too much competetion hurts everyone. Small shows with a limited
number of vendors seem to work best. 2) Find a way to contact some
previous participants. Or you could possibly ask how many vendors
returned from last year and how many are new vendors. Too many
new vendors is not a good sign.
3)LOCATION–LOCATION–LOCATION—if the show is located in a
venue that has a large number of shows- especially flea markets,
then that is what the customers will expect your prices to
reflect. Two spaces are probably better than one, especially in
the middle of the aisle. One space works pretty well if you are
on the corner. 4)Learn how to SELL. First you have to attract the
customer into your space. Second, people on average,work from
right to left, so display something that will make them want to
keep looking, in the front on the right. Then be a sales man.
Talk to the customers. Fourth, demonstrations work really well.
I ran into a guy that makes rings and bracelets out of old
silverware. He sets up his anvil and makes the jewelry right
there on the spot while you wait. You should have seen the crowd.
I know that won’t work for most, but you could explain how you
make your product, what it’s made of, “here, try one on” etc.
5)KIDS have all the money. My best sellers are low end products
for children and teenagers. How many parents can refuse to spend
3-5-10 dollars to calm their kids down at a boring art show?
That’s all I can think of for now. Can’t wait to here what
everyone else has to say.

14

OK…California craft shows HAVE declined, but not because the
craft work is any shoddier, there are just too many shows. “Cheap
stuff” has not taken over any more now, than in the past. Buyers
generally recognize quality. Why on earth would they buy junk
rather than fine work? We are consumers too. Do any of you
irrationally gravitate towards dreck and then lay out your hard
earned money for it? Its all about personal taste. Eye of the
beholder. If you treat the craft show circuit like a business,
and your work merits a second look, customers will buy it, store
front or not. Doing shows, you are in fact a “store”…you’re
just a traveling one…Here’s some hints, maybe they’ll help.
:slight_smile:

  1. Choose the type of show that suits your work. If you mass
    produce inexpensive identical work, don’t try to sell at a
    high-end “art” show. Conversely, if you make pricey fine-art
    jewelry, avoid the country-fixins shows. Use common sense. Finding
    the market that is appropriate for your type of work is
    overwhelmingly important to your success.

  2. Develop a mailing list. People that buy your work once,
    obviously like your style of work, and will buy it again and
    again, AND will drag along their friends to introduce them to you
    and your work…and they will drag along THEIR freinds…and so
    on. Many repeat customers become friends, seeking you out at
    shows that aren’t even local to them.

  3. USE the mailing list religiously. If they don’t know you’re
    there, they won’t necessarily stumble into the show by
    serendipity. Send a copy of your mailing list to the promoter,
    double mailings never hurt attendance.

  4. Have an attractive booth, distinctive and easily spotted.
    Just like any store, presentation counts.

  5. Remember the details, wrap the work sold, (nicely), provide
    gift boxes and bags, be helpful and courteous, inform the customer
    about what regions the stones come from how they are treated,
    etc…just as you would in a store or a gallery.

I just returned from doing the Contemporary Crafts Market in San
Francisco, at a new venue…the (ugh) Cow Palace. It was cold,
the roof leaked, the electricity had a mind of its own, they had
just finished shoveling the remains of the rodeo that they had
the day before in the hall next door…and frankly, at times
there were more flies than people. I sold very well despite all
of that, AND…met a bunch of Orchid folks there, who can tell you
that I am just as mouthy in person as I am on-line. HI GUYS!!
Doesn’t always happen that way, but with the right preparation,
at least you have a fighting chance.

Best wishes,
Lisa, ( 2 fair-sized earthquakes today…wheee…we’re having
some fun now!..yipes…), Topanga, CA USA

15

Judy, I heard those ‘sold out stories’ at the end of the first
day! . . . Not once but 3 times . . . but not from jewelers . .
from the crafters. Right, can’t do much worse!! . . . and I
got the same thing . . change this. change that . . and you ar
are right again … change my displays, and prices… just would
like have a successful show real soon . . . I’m afraid
my skin or patience isn’t real thick!! jim chambers

16

I recently interviewed some designers, manufacturers, and
suppliers about this topic. My article, "The Trade Show Game,"
will appear in the January issue of AJM. I hope their suggestions
will help you choose the trade shows right for your company.

Tina Wojtkielo
Assistant Editor, AJM