The international jewellery market was impressed with the Fijian jewellery included in PTI Australia’s inaugural Pacific Showcase at the Sydney International Jewellery Fair in Australia, held in September 2017. Jewellery from Fiji’s J. Hunter Pearls, Fonu Jewellery, Totoka Jewelry and Vanuatu Bijouterie, featured in the showcase.
The International Jewellery Fair is Australia’s number one jewellery event bringing together local and international suppliers and buyers.
The fair provided a fantastic platform to position Fiji as having a unique offering in the jewellery market. This position was further amplified when Goldsmith, Lynarie Kibblewhite bracelet ‘Dancing light’, made with J. Hunter Pearls, won the prestigious IJF Paspaley Pearl Design Award, highlighting the calibre of pearls harvested from Fiji.
Founder and owner of J. Hunter Pearls, Justin Hunter, said the trade fair was an important platform for luxury Pacific brands to share their stories and also to be recognised as ambassadors for the islands, people and environment.
“It is well documented that today’s consumers (and tomorrow’s) are leaning more and more to products that have a story or experience to tell and create a sense of differentiation.
“It is more about experiences than the traditional ‘bricks and mortar’ retailer experience,” said Mr Hunter.
Not only are the pearls grown locally but the company is moving more to finished pearl products, such as matched pearl studs, pendants, strands and superb loose pearls.
“This is about offering consumers something unique and different. It is not just about our pearls. It is about the story of our pearls, where they come from and the many hands involved,” he added.
PTI Australia’s Export Services Manager, Mona Mato, said PTI Australia’s Pacific Showcase had a real impact at the show and provided a great learning opportunity for the businesses involved.
“It was great to elevate the profile of Pacific Island jewellery internationally. Buyers commented on how impressed they were with the unique aesthetic, the craftmanship of the jewellery and use of raw materials from the Pacific Islands.
“The jewellery fair has provided a unique opportunity for these enterprises to share knowledge together, get inspired and also to understand where their pieces sit in the international market in both price and quality. I’m really proud that we could elevate the profile of Pacific Island and Fiji jewellery, to show the world the diversity of what we produce and to also tell the stories of an industry that empowers our Pacific communities.”
