(IDEX Online) - The Bharat Diamond Bourse (BDB) is gearing up for the opening of the second edition of the Bharat Diamond Week on Monday. The October 8-10 polished diamond fair will be opened by Mr Andrei Zhiltsov, Consul General of the Russian Federation in Mumbai, and Mr Evgeny Agureev, Director of ALROSA's United Selling Organisation.
"We are delighted that the Consul General and Mr Agureev," have graciously agreed to join us for the ceremonial opening of the diamond show," said BDB Vice-President Mehul Shah, who heads the Bharat Diamond Week project. "ALROSA is an extremely important supplier of rough goods to the Indian diamond industry, which is by far the world's largest diamond manufacturing centre."
BDB President Anoop Mehta said: "It is not by chance that the second edition of the Bharat Diamond Week is to be opened by these important gentlemen. India is the largest purchaser of Russian goods which are critical for Indian manufacturers. We have excellent relations with Russia, and especially with ALROSA which recognises the importance of the Indian diamond market."
He added that the finishing touches were being put to the diamond fair where 120 Indian polished diamonds companies will be exhibiting a wide range of goods in all shapes, colours and sizes. The BDB has provided 100 free flight tickets for selected buyers to create more sales opportunities for the exhibitors. The buyers who have been selected are from Turkey, Thailand and India. The bourse will also be providing 150 rooms for international buyers at a hotel close to the BDB. More than 750 visitors from India and overseas have already registered for the show.
Among them are set to be representatives of diamond and jewellery companies who were planning to visit the Hong Kong Jewellery and Gem Fair last month, but had to cut
short or cancel planned trips to the show due to Typhoon Mangkhut which battered Hong Kong. The typhoon led to the closure a day early of the initial part of the show dedicated to loose diamonds at the Asia-World venue.
Mr Shah added that with the Bharat Diamond Week taking place shortly before the start of the Diwali festival, the polished diamond event is expected to provide competitively priced diamonds for visitors. "With the Diwali festival starting at the beginning of November, traders will be looking to sell goods ahead of the closure of business for the holiday. BDB members have a huge selection of goods to offer. Those buyers looking for pre-Diwali bargains will find it a highly attractive time to visit the show and to find business opportunities among our 4,000 BDB members."
He added that a new feature at the October fair will be on site facilities for checking for diamonds created using the Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) method. "It is critical for our business that consumer confidence in our products remains intact. This is absolutely paramount. Consequently, we will have a display of equipment for the detection of such stones so that diamantaires can see the equipment available, how straightforward it is to operate, and the financial outlay involved."
October is a busy month for the Bharat Diamond Bourse and the Indian diamond trade, with many members of the global diamond industry visiting Mumbai. "Following the Bharat Diamond Week, we will be holding a meeting of the World Diamond Council on October 22 which is being organised by the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), and then we are hosting the World Diamond Congress from October 23 to 25. We are delighted to be able to hold the meetings here because it is critical that the global diamond industry meets every year to discuss the major issues affecting it."
Registration for the show is available at www.bharatdiamondweek.org and the BDB is recommending that members of the diamond community worldwide do so as quickly as possible to avoid disappointment.