Jewelry's beauty still lies in the eye of beholders
Jewelry's beauty still lies in the eye of beholders
Emmy Fitri, The Jakarta Post/Surabaya
Like fashion, jewelry takes the same fickle path, going from one trend to another, sometimes in retrospective mood or looking to the brave new world of the future.
Fashion design trends tend not to stand out for their individuality, as they borrow from previous trends and styles.
Yet while in fashion the line is quite clear, with a few big names and a legion of imitators, in the jewelry industry there is more freedom for brands with a particular design.
At the recent Indonesia Jewelry Exhibition 2004, each brand showed its particular strengths, with crowds flocking to the Shangri-La Hotel for the four-day expo.
Yet, it is obvious that whatever the trends, for jewelry enthusiasts no price is too much when they like what they see.
Indonesian world-class companies like Prima Gold, Pauline, Elegance and Elite Gold showcased glamorous motifs inspired by nature and classical lines with diamonds, absolute gold or white gold and colored precious stones.
Exhibitors from Singapore and China tended to delve more into Western simple designs.
Companies classified in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have particular and unique designs not to be missed. Craftsmen from Bali, Yogyakarta, West Nusa Tenggara, Aceh and host East Java displayed strong traditional influenced jewels of varying materials, with gems, gold, silver, bronze and pearls.
Aceh's Keuchik Leumik still showcased its renowned traditional Pintoe Aceh motif -- lushly carved miniature doors -- for pendant, brooches, earrings, rings and bracelets. Similarly, Bumbunan, the Balinese classical royal motif with meticulously layered details, is the leader among goldsmiths in the area.
Jewelry lovers also flocked to stands of international brands which were displayed at top Singapore Tianpo jewelry store. The store is home to internationally famous brands like Italian Tagliamonte, Raima and Staurino Fratelli.
Italian Nino Tagliamonte, who was present at the exhibition, said the event was a great chance for him and his company to determine the local market's potential. His Vicenza-based company presented Venetian cameos in diverse combinations -- gold, metals and stones.
His experience showed that the competition was not about the design so much as in approaching potentials buyers, making them aware of his products and convincing them of their merits.
"Each company must have distinctive styles, therefore there is no need to worry about being out of date or having almost similar motifs. Lovers of our jewelry know what they are looking for, they just need to be told we are here," he said.
While big companies generally earn awed looks for their beautiful designs and huge prices, SMEs do better in snagging business deals and individual transactions.
Fortunately, the majority of women here still regard jewelry as an investment, but appreciate its esthetic qualities.
"Our traditional advice tells us that jewelry is an investment but some people get it wrong, because if now we are speaking about investment, then they should go for gold bars. Jewelry is part of fashion and it means design and the meticulous job done must be paid for dearly, too," said Iskandar Iksan, chairman of Indonesian Gold and Jewelers Association (APEPI).
Commenting on the flood of visitors, Iskandar said that local goldsmiths and jewelry traders must be given more chances to display what they have.
He added that the prolonged economic crisis had not had a devastating effect on his sector.
"The purchasing power may have weakened but it has not vanished. They (jewelry lovers) are still buying but perhaps those items that are more affordable to their budget," he said, admitting that the last five years showed a decline in the jewelry purchase in the country.
The proof of his statement could be seen in corners of the hotel ballroom, where women, of all ages, stood patiently in line to pay for their stuff.
Nana Tommy bought pearls from a West Nusa Tenggara stand. She is also a hobbyist, as she loves to design and make her own jewelry, including hairpins made of gold and gems that she uses on her head scarf.
"I prefer pearls to gold, gemstones or silver. They are more flexible to go with my fashion orientation," said Nana.