Goldsmiths told to tap world market
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)