Goldsmiths told to tap world market
SEMARANG (JP): Indonesian goldsmiths have big opportunities to tap the growing demand for gold jewelry in the world market, says an official.
Directorate General for chemical, metal-based and machinery industries Effendi Soedarsono said Saturday the value of Indonesia's gold jewelry exports has thus far reached only about US$800 million, accounting for only 2 percent of the total market.
"Thus, the chance is still big for local goldsmiths to export their jewelry," Effendi said at a seminar held as part of the Indonesian Gold Exhibition of 1996 in Semarang last week.
Indonesian jewelry exporters at present mostly comprise foreign joint venture companies, which sell most of their gold jewelry products to China, the Philippines and several European countries.
The exhibition, sponsored by the World Gold Council and opened by the directorate general, was aimed at promoting Indonesian gold jewelry, especially that crafted by provincial goldsmiths.
Exhibition
A total of 23 gold jewelry companies from such towns as Jakarta, Semarang, Yogyakarta and Malang took part in the exhibition.
The companies include: PT Inter Media Con, Prima Gold, Gold Jaya, Gold Mart, Goldpindo, Indovisi, Centra Mega Kencana, Naraseni, Sinar Budi, Jawa Jewelry, Lubuk Gadang and Sumber Cipta Logam from Jakarta; Saputra Budi Utama from Bandung; PT Oro Argento, Galery, Pegadaian from Semarang; PT Itamaraya, Sima Gold, Untung Bersama Sejahtera, PT Hartono Wira Teknik, Sumber Bukit Mas, King Halim from Surabaya; and PT Nikijoyo from Malang.
Effendi believed the local gold jewelry makers' products could sell well in the international market, since Indonesia has a long tradition of making gold jewelry.
"Unfortunately, few companies have thus far tried to benefit from the high skills of the local goldsmiths," he said.
The goldsmiths are skillful at making various designs typical to their own culture. The prominence of their skill, he said, was proved, among other things, by the success of gold jewelry from Indonesia in winning the Best Design Outstanding Award of 1996 in the International Gold Design Competition in Vicenza, Italy in June 1996.
The award was given to the design by Alvi Luriani and Adi Asmawan.
Effendi admits there is still a problem with the supply of raw material. The Indonesian gold jewelry industries use about 200 tons of gold each year, about 85 percent of which is imported.
Thereby, the government will keep on developing the produce of the gold mines by searching for new mines. (har/jsk)