E XCLUSI V E M AG A ZI N E FO R T H E J E W EL L ERY B USI N E SS I N T H E BA LT I C SE A R E G I O N
March 2018 (34)
FASTEST WAY TO THE BALTIC SEA REGION!
Rings by Karolis KURKLIETIS
X V I I N T E R N AT I O N A L B A LT I C J E W E L L E R Y S H O W AMBER TRIP MARCH, 2019
LITEXPO LAISVES av. 5, VILNIUS LITHUANIA Contact us for more information:
+370 618 53538 info@ambertrip.com www.ambertrip.com
The movie Jurassic Park turned out to be one of the most profitable films in cinema history, bringing income of over one billion dollars. How much did the amber industry earn on it? The sum is not so important. Far more important is the fact that its development would not be so rapid and spectacular without the fictional history of cloning a dinosaur from the blood of a mosquito preying on it before being trapped in amber. Probably the development of amber industry would not be so fast, so striking and long-lasting were it not for the International Fair of Amber, Jewellery and Gemstones AMBERIF in Gdansk, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year, and the International Baltic Jewellery Show AMBER TRIP in Vilnius, which will be held for the 15th time in Vilnius, both fairs promoting the Baltic amber in all possible ways. But one thing is certain: rapid development of amber industry over the last 25Â years would have been impossible without the engagement of amber enthusiasts, the people having a vision, who know how to make their bold dreams come true: organisers of fairs, producers, designers, scientists, museum workers, academic lecturers, and purchasers... Anna SADO
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Do you remember what the amber industry was 25 years ago? In fact, it was not yet an industry in the sense of an organised professional group. There were numerous small dispersed cottage workshops that frequently operated for the needs of several large companies and cooperatives that could export. We should remember that these were the times when a political transformation in the former communist countries initiated, luckily, and therefore the conditions for development were not favourable anyway. A man having absolutely no knowledge of amber gave it a chance for a resounding success. It was Steven Spielberg. His Jurassic Park made a revolution in the amber market 25 years ago. It aroused a huge demand for amber stone, in which life from many million years ago was captured and saved forever.
March 2018 (34)
How Ministry of Internal Affairs protects illegal amber digging near Olevsk
Recycled gold is it good or bad?
Euromonitor International data on jewellery
The Kaliningrad Amber Combine has changed vector of development
This year even bigger! XV international Baltic jewellery show “AMBER TRIP”
Dreaming big – enlarging jewellery to the size of a landscape
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Baltic Jewellery News / March 2018 (34) Manufakturu st. 16–7, LT-11342, LT-11342, Vilnius, Lithuania, Tel. +370 616 07506; E-mail: office@balticjewellerynews.com Editor / Anna Sado / E-mail: info@balticjewellerynews.com Designer / SAVITAI, Translators / VERTIMU GURU, CIRCULATION 5 000 Distribution in the whole Baltic Sea Region. Copyright: Contents of “Baltic Jewellery News” are copyright. ISSN 2335-2132 Reproduction of material in part or in whole is not permitted in any form without the written authorization of the publisher. The editorial office is not responsible for the content of advertisements and for the accuracy of the facts presented by the authors.
We invite all those whose interests are related to our goals to join our project. With the help of various perspectives and opening of new discussions the jewellery business in the region can become clear and more beneficiary for everyone. Thank you for your cooperation!
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CONTENT /
AMBER MINING 8 14 18
How Ministry of Internal Affairs protects illegal amber digging near Olevsk From Ukraine with love The Ministry of Environment urges bigger penalties for illegal amber mining
BUSINESS INSIGHTS 22 25 26 28 30 36 38 40 44 48
Recycled gold is it good or bad? Euromonitor International data on jewellery Inspirations are born when people meet The 11th edition of international summer jewellery and watches JUBINALE is fast approaching “MONDO PREZIOSO” – The celebration of Italian jewellery mastery Wanted: New watch and jewellery design talents Kaliningrad scientist presents initiatives in the field of interdisciplinary amber education The Kaliningrad Amber Combine has changed vector of development Gold demand trends full year 2017 This year even bigger! XV international Baltic jewellery show “AMBER TRIP”
JEWELLERY COLLECTIONS 88 90 94
Shaping the view of Finnish contemporary jewellery Jewellery from European Royal houses on display grand anniversary exhibition at Koldinghus Amber Art Deco
INTERNATIONAL AMBER ASSOCIATION 98
Mobile IAA Amber Laboratory
MARKET REVIEW 104 105 108 109 110
List of open selling prices of amber production of JSC Kaliningrad Amber Factory The Worldwide Price for Raw Amber The Worldwide Price for Amber Silver 925 Jewellery The Worldwide Gold Price Major Jewellery Trade Fairs
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Discover the hidden gem of Europe Crafted from wood and steel I discover something new in my mistakes and then I try again It’s not necessarily diamonds that are ‘a girl’s best friend’ Presentations 2017 winner Calling all jewellery makers Art Center Itä, in Finnish Taidekeskus Itä Dreaming big – enlarging jewellery to the size of a landscape The big bang! During munich jewellery week Jablonec ’68 – first summit of jewelry artists from east and west
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ARTISTIC INSPIRATIONS 56 60 62 68 71 72 74 76 80 82
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Photos by Denis KAZANSKY
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HOW MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS PROTECTS ILLEGAL AMBER DIGGING NEAR OLEVSK By Denis KAZANSKY
Illegal amber mining is still one of the unsolved problems in Ukraine. Despite numerous publications in the press showing the true activity range of illegal diggers, the Ukrainian authorities persistently do not want to fight with the pillage of resources. Such inaction is quite understandable: after all, criminal activities on this scale can take place only being protected by law enforcement officials, which means that the officials are on the pad, and they are not willing to lose their corrupt income.
“I
give the security forces two weeks to eliminate the protection racket in the areas of amber digging. 90% amber in Ukraine is extracted illegally under wing of legal bodies. I'll go unescorted to one of the three west regions, and I'll show who and in which way protects lawlessness!” — Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko wrote in his Facebook page on July 3, 2015. 2.5 years passed since then, but President has yet not found time to
get there and show who protects lawlessness. Or, maybe, he just does not know exactly where to go? Well, then, Petro Poroshenko can refer to the author of this article – I will show the way. One of the largest “Klondikes” of the illegal amber digging is located in the Olevsk district, Zhitomir region. This is the so-called “Korabel” (a ship in Ukrainian): a few big spots located in the vicinity of villages Shebedikha, Obyshche, Sushchany, and Poyasky.
The fields constantly change their boundaries: bald spots in the forest grow rapidly; they intergrow, and capture new spaces. I visited these diggings in 2015. That time, once we approached, the diggers scattered to the woods; though, when we called the police, the “Korabel” was promptly visited by the police officers, the governor, and representatives of the local authorities, each of them pretending to see the “Klondike” for the first time.
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AMBER MINING / UKRAINIAN JEWELLERY REPORT
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“pill”, alias “loaf” – a spacious, cheap, and what is most important, passable sort of transport able to travel along waterlogged forest roads and swampy terrain. You can also often see the cars Niva, UAZ-469, and LUAZ. Some people are up ahead: several National Guard soldiers dressed in uniform, next to them there are some unknown guys, one of them wearing a balaclava. Cars brake beside them, and then pass on. The pictures of the checkpoint were done by me through the car window both at the entrance and at the exit, at different times, therefore, some photos are darker, others are lighter. ⊲
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from Zhitomir. They not ask anybody to show documents here”, — I was instructed prior to the ride. To be counted as a digger, I had to dress in a dirty pair of overalls and rubber overshoes. Our group set off to the “Klondike” early in the morning, before sunrise. Work at the “Korabel” starts at daybreak. It is only 7 am, but the worn down rural road from Olevsk to the villages Obyshche and Shebedikha is already crowded. Basically, there are creations of the Soviet automotive industry, shattered to the extreme degree. The most popular car here is the UAZ-452 nicknamed “tablet”, or
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The cars go one by one. A column of dozens of cars are on their way to the checkpoint
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Two years passed, but illegal “Klondikes” still keep growing in the Olevsk district, nowadays under control of the law enforcement officials who, for bribes, allow the illegals with pumps get to work sites. This year, thanks to the warm winter, amber is being dug even in January, although winter is normally not a season for this kind of activity. On January 4, I managed to get to an illegal amber “Klondike” near the village Shebedikha which is guarded by the forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Masquerading as a digger, in one of the cars, I was brought through the National Guard checkpoint and got to the field where I saw diggers working. Cars with amber digging equipment pass the checkpoint in absolutely open way just paying admission to the soldiers who stand there. I was helped to get to the field by some local diggers on the conditions of complete anonymity. I apologize in advance for the quality of pictures: I was allowed to take pictures and videos only through the car windows that were not too clean. Any open shooting at the “Klondike” was obviously out of the question. “If they realise you're taking photos, we're sunk. They'll turn over the car, beat us up, and, at the best, simply take your phone from you. So you better don’t get out. If anything, you’re
AMBER MINING / UKRAINIAN JEWELLERY REPORT
This is the view on the places in the Olevsk district that have already been completely excavated by the diggers. The scorched desert that, at best, will get covered with woods again in decades. These old “Klondikes” are simply abandoned; any recultivation is carried out there. The fertile layer is not restored, trees are not planted. If such recultivation was carried out, it would be possible to recover the destroyed parts of the forest much faster ⊲
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The photos are of bad quality, but people in the National Guard uniform in the picture are quite discernible
Pay attention to this yellow car that crosses the checkpoint. We will see it again at the “Klondike”
⊳ Our driver forbids taking pictures of him while communicating with people at the checkpoint. We pass the National Guards unhindered and make our way to the place of extraction. There are noticeably less people in January than in spring or summer. Anyway, not so many people want to dig amber during New Year's holidays. Digging will develop to its full extent only in April. On our way to the field, my companions have time to tell me that in the beginning the National Guard really guarded the illegal fields and prevented extraction. But then, a wellknown Zhitomir authority nicknamed Pirate, supposedly, managed to “solve the questions” with the Ministry of Internal Affairs management, and the extraction started working again, now under joint control of law enforcement officials and the gangs. Through waterlogged land, we get to the “Klondike”. The cars of the diggers can be seen ahead, among them the very yellow minivan that we have already seen on the checkpoint.
We drive a little further and see how work is moving along in high gear on either side. A few hundred people are tinkering about with pumps in guck. During the season, there are usually several thousand people digging in large fields.
After the voyage to the “Klondike” was completed, I decided to drop down to Olevsk police station to get a comment from the local law enforcement officials. There I managed to communicate to the Olevsk police chief Major Aleksey Zozulya. In response to my assumption that the National Guard protects the illegal amber extraction, Zozulya assured that there were no such facts: — We verified this information, but it wasn't proven. We involve the staff of the Ovrutch Interdistrict SSU department, at the moment we’re keeping work at all the posts controlled, I check regularly. As for amber digging – there is no global digging. Some “partisans”
And this is a so-called “chip” – a surveillance team posted by the bandits at the crossroad. In case any unfamiliar car with suspicious numbers approaches, a person in the minivan warns a guard at the checkpoint who gives a signal to the diggers.
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Authors page: http://deniskazansky.com.ua Authors facebook page: @den.kazansky2016
December 29 … Someone was lucky before the New Year
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try to jump out time after time, but we react, 6 pumps were seized on December 29. In fact, in order to find out whether or not amber is being dug, one does not even have to go to the “Klondike”: it is enough to simply enter the appropriate group in “VK” and see the photos posted by the diggers themselves. Thus, according to the results of a one more trip to the places of massive illegal amber digging, it can be stated that the pillage of resources continues in the same way as before; and the authorities know about this full well since everything happens upon consent of the Ministry of Internal Affairs officers and right in front of their very eyes. As I have written on repeated occasions, the only way out of the situation is legalization of the digging practice and simplification of the procedure for obtaining a license necessary to dig amber. In this case, the digging practice will acquire more or less civilized forms, and the shadow revenues of the amber mafia will officially go into the budget in the form of tax revenues. The amber fever cannot be stopped by prohibition: too fast and too much money can be made in this way. But the legalization case ended in talk and never got further. People's deputies sabotage voting in Rada; besides, the illegals are protected by the Cabinet of Ministers as well. The officials understand that in the case amber digging is legalised, the Prosecutor’s Office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the SSU and all kinds of Rosenblats will lose a huge amount of shadow income. But who wants to lose suitcases of black cash, especially before elections? ■
Tradition and Innovation Over 30 years of Experience
Amber-Art-Gutowski P.P.H.U. Marek Gutowski Gdańsk, ul. Wegi 16 gutowski@amber.art.pl, www.amber.art.pl, tel. +48 795 610 121
AMBER MINING / UKRAINIAN JEWELLERY REPORT
FROM UKRAINE WITH LOVE By Vitaliy PETROVSKY
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While state officials for five consecutive years cannot legalize amber extraction, amber export from Ukraine continues. This has already reached commercial size. Despite the fact that nobody can export amber from Ukraine legally, Ukrainian amber is present in the global markets. How does this miracle happen? The answer is simple: smuggling. Here are examples of large amber shipments detained by Ukrainian customs officers and security guards. According to the customs officials, this is only the top of the iceberg. They manage to fix and confiscate only 10–15 percent of the whole illegally mined amber. Rivne, Volyn, or Zhitomir region – who is leading? So, only in the Rivne region customs officers collected a truly record harvest. According to the regional police, just this year the Rivne law enforcers confiscated from illegal diggers 2 494.235 kg of amber, 149 motor pumps, and 58 vehicles. The department notes that, awaiting results of trial, the amber confiscates are kept in the “Privatbank” and in the State Depository for Precious Metals and Gems. The law enforcement officers managed to make the biggest catch in early December. “05.12.2017, the Rivne region prosecutors jointly with officers of the Rivne Regional Economic Protection Department, the Economic Protection Department of the Ukrainian National Police, and the Investigation Department of the Rivne Regional National Police Main Directorate conducted 9 searches in Rivne and the territory of Rivne and Sarny districts as part of the criminal proceedings against unlawful activities related to illegal operations with amber”, said Spokesman of the Ukrainian General Prosecutor's Office Andrei Lysenko. The searches resulted in liquidation of the underground amber processing workshop and confiscation of both 1017 kg of processed and raw amber at a total cost of about UAH 10 mln, and special equipment for its illegal extraction and manual processing. Investigative actions were carried out as part of criminal proceedings
initiated by the police under the Criminal Code of Ukraine, art. 240, 294, 342, and 345 (illegal mining of national-level importance minerals, mass riot, resistance and violence against a law enforcement officer). Based on the results of the joint work of the National Guard and police officers, since the start of the Operation Centre working, they have registered 1 600 facts of illegal amber raw material mining, put 975 data on the Unified Register of Pre-Trial Investigations, and elicited 140 people involved in the illegal mining. The Volyn region is not far behind. In the Volyn region, law enforcement officers seized about 200 kg of amber from the underground workshops, reported the Volyn Regional Prosecutor's Office press service. A number of court-ordered searches in residential and nonresidential premises in Lutsk were held on the 24th November. “During the searches, they found and seized almost 200 kg of both amber raw material of various fractions and the processed amber, as well as machines for its processing”, the report said. The cost of the seized is estimated at more than UAH 1 mln. A real industrial amber mining facility has located in a forest near the village of Gulanka, Korosten district, Zhitomir region. On the 15th October, at night, at the same place, the Ukrainian Security Service officers detained a group of “prospectors”. The malefactors managed to remove topsoil at the amber deposit outcrop
and proceeded to the open amber mining and washing. The diggers mainly worked at night. According to the Zhitomir Regional SSU press service, the Special Service operatives seized equipment for the illegal amber extraction with a total value of more than USD 30 000, in particular, five industrially manufactured hydraulic motor pumps, some electric generators and fuel for them, and 2 500 m of hydraulic hoses, as well as some other equipment for the illegal amber extraction. They have opened criminal proceedings under the Criminal Code of Ukraine, Art. 240. Prior investigative activities are in progress. And what is there at the customs? Besides, customs officers at the borders of Ukraine are watchful. So, a driver on a Volkswagen with Lithuanian numbers was on his way to Poland through the checkpoint Rava-Russkaya. To cross, he chose the red corridor and confessed carrying 10 blocks of cigarettes. He also provided a customs declaration which referred to 25 kg of amber worth EUR 1000. However, the customs officers inspected the car in detail and found unprocessed amber with a total weight of 28.25 kg in a specially prepared storage in the dashboard. The man had no documents confirming the cost, place of acquisition, and origin of the amber. A citizen of Poland was caught on the Polish border, too. Ukrainian border guards detained a Polish citizen who tried to export from Ukraine more
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more than 12 kg that our compatriot was trying to illegally export to China was found by the SFC officers of the Kiev Customs at the checkpoint Boryspil. According to the press service, to pass the customs control, the man chose a simplified system – the green corridor which supposes the passengers not to have items neither for declaring nor prohibited or restricted for moving across the customs border of Ukraine. So, two suitcases with amber of large and medium fractions, packaged in several plastic bags, were found
State Border Service operational divisions in cooperation with the representatives of the Security Service and the Fiscal Service stopped the attempt to export 20 kg of amber from Ukraine. “The information about intentions to smuggle across the border illegally amber came from the SBU officers. Therefore, the offender was expected, it appeared to be a citizen of Turkey. The foreigner planned to leave our country by the flight Kiev – Istanbul. However, during registration and verification, law enforcers found amber in his baggage. Totally in the suitcase there were 20 kg of amber. The cost of the finding can reach USD 60 000”, the report says. Another incident in Boryspil occurred with a Ukrainian citizen. Yet another batch of amber weighing
in the luggage compartment of the terminal with help of the customs control technical means.
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“The female Chinese citizens were detected during the check-in for a flight departing for Istanbul. In total, 35 and 53 year-old women carried in their suitcases about 35 kilograms of unprocessed amber”, the border guards said. Now the law enforcers are investigating the circumstances of the incident. A Turkish citizen tried to export 20 kg of amber worth about USD 60 000 through the Boryspil airport, reported the press centre of the Ukrainian State Border Service (SBS). It was noted that the officers of the
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than 13 kg of processed amber. Yet another case of export more than of 13 kg of precious amber from Ukraine to Poland was stopped at the border crossing point Grushev by the Lviv detachment border guards in cooperation with the fiscal service officers. Amber was carried on a Toyota car, registered in Poland, by a Polish citizen who was crossing the border through the green corridor. The border guards and the customs officers initiated a joint in-depth inspection of the vehicle and found 13.3 kg of the processed amber in the car boot, namely in the side plate under the spare wheel, and also in the bumper guards. At the checkpoint Ugrinov on the Polish border, the Lviv detachment border guards discovered and seized from a Ukrainian citizen almost 20 kg of raw amber. This was reported by the press centre of the State Border Service. It was noted that the attempt to export the goods to the neighbouring country was made by a man travelling on a Dodge. "However, during the inspection with the help of technical border control means, the patrol group discovered amber hidden under the decorative coating in the boot. Further, the checkpoint officers also found ambers in a pillow that was in the vehicle. According to the report, 19.5 kg of the amber were found in cashes in total. As the agency claims, they drew up an administrative protocol against the citizen of Ukraine and seized the discovered ambers. The amount of the goods evaluation is being established. Two female Chinese citizens tried to smuggle amber through Kharkiv. 35 kg of amber were seized from the women. At the Kharkov airport, border guards in cooperation with the customs and SSU officers detained two Chinese women illegally transporting a large quantity of amber. According to the press centre of the State Border Service, the law enforcers in advance learned about the intention of foreigners bring amber across the border, so they increased their vigilance at the airport.
AMOUNT INVOLVED Buying from illegals is profitable Black market of Ukraine is ready to pay for amber (according to social networks): • up to 5 g fractions – $ 205/kg • 5 – 10 g fractions – $ 540/kg • 10 – 20 g fractions – $ 1160/kg • 50 – 100 g fractions – $ 2000/kg. Prices of Gdansk Amber Exchange House, Poland (according to the site http://www.amber.com.pl/) • up to 5 g – $ 500–600/kg • 5 – 10 g – $ 900–1200/kg • 10 – 20 g – $ 2000–2500/kg • 50 – 100 g – $ 5000–5500/kg. ■
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AMBER MINING / POLISH JEWELLERY REPORT
THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT URGES BIGGER PENALTIES FOR ILLEGAL AMBER MINING Poland has a deposit of over 1,100 tons of amber. Its value is estimated at several PLN billion. Annually, about 10 tons of amber goes into the market, of which 600 kilograms are acquired legally, according to the Ministry of Environment. The amendment to the Mining and Geological Law, being at the stage of revision, assumes that amber will be covered by the mining property law. As a result, the fees for mining this raw material will go up, and penalties for illegal search for and exploitation of amber will also increase. This procedure will be treated as a crime.
C
urrently, the draft amendment to the Mining and Geological Law is being developed by the Ministry of Environment. The Ministry’s proposal assumes a modified catalogue of mineral deposits covered by the mining property law. It is going to be extended to include amber, noble gases and rare-earth elements. “The Ministry of Environment argues that in light of the increase
in illegal amber extraction, it is necessary to improve state supervision over this area and propose criminal or preventive solutions to fight this”, says dr Grzegorz Wasiewski, legal counsel at the law firm Kancelaria BSJP Brockhuis Jurczak Prusak to Newseria Biznes information agency. It follows from the data presented by the Polish Geological Institute that
in Poland there is a deposit of over 1138 tons of amber. Statements of the Chief Geologist of Poland from 2016 suggest that there is about 10 tons of amber available for stock trade per year in the country, of which only 600 kilograms are extracted legally. An audit carried out at the Ministry of Environment assessed that the failure to counteract the illegal extraction of aggregate and amber could result in
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a loss for the state budget in the amount of over PLN 8 billion. By placing amber in the catalogue of mineral deposits, the situation is to improve. “It is a key change. The deposits that are covered by the mining property are owned by the State Treasury. This has a significant impact on two spheres. On the one hand, the state acts as an administrative body that regulates a certain area of economic activity through the granting of a concession, but on the other hand, it also acts as the owner of particular goods. In terms of administration, the concession authority competent in these fields will change, and it will be the minister responsible for environmental matters”, Wasiewski explains. In the sphere of regulation of economic activity, the proposed changes mean that not only extraction, but also the search for and identification of amber deposits will require a concession. As for the ownership, amber searchers will have to sign a contract not only with the owner of the property on which the digging will be carried out, but also with the State Treasury, being the owner of the minerals in accordance with the proposed regulations. “Perhaps it is not a big increase in the administrative burden as such, but certainly the expected increase in the operating fee to PLN 300 per kilogram of amber will be an additional burden on entrepreneurs”, Wasiewski estimates. Currently, the fees for amber mining slightly exceed PLN 10 per kilogram. The bill assumes an increase in the fee to PLN 300, which is, according to the Ministry, more adequate, if we consider the market prices of the raw material. Some commentators believe, however, that new regulations may reduce domestic amber mining and affect the profitability of the industry.
New regulations assume illegal amber mining to be a crime, ensuring bigger financial penalties – up to PLN 400,000 for a square kilometer of the area on which the extraction will be carried out. “If the regulations come into force in such a form, the practice will show whether it will actually be effective. Will the regulations serve a preventive function and will discourage those who are trying to conduct this activity in an illegitimate way, and, on the other hand, will not become an excessive burden, especially a financial one, for those who comply with these regulations”, dr Grzegorz Wąsiewski emphasizes. ■
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28th Sept. - 01st Oct.
2018 www.intergem.de
BUSINESS INSIGHTS / DANISH JEWELLERY REPORT
RECYCLED GOLD IS IT GOOD OR BAD? By Rikke BORCH
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Rikke BORCH has a BA in Jewelry, Technology and Business and has been working with sustainability and jewelry in practice through her education and hereafter, relative to people, planet and product. Her mission is to focus on sustainability in the jewelry industry. The purpose is to seek solutions to the industry's common challenges towards business models, production methods and materials of a sustainable future.
Over
the past 10 years, consumers have more and more often encountered the use of recycled gold in the jewelry industry. There is really nothing new in that, as it is ancient practices in the working of precious metal jewelry. The new lies in the fact that companies use it as a marketing tool. Some use recycled gold because they are opponents of newly mined gold and the negative impact that can have, environmentally and socially. So the argument is that the more recycled gold is used in the jewelry industry, the less gold will be mined. The idea is beautiful, but if you take the gold market under closer inspection, this thought seems somewhat naive and superficial. There is a need for more in-depth knowledge of recycled gold. Therefore, I have chosen to dedicate this newsletter to this particular subject. THE GLOBAL GOLD MARKET The global gold market has three major purchasers; the jewelry industry, the electronics industry and investors. The first two – the jewelry industry and the electronics industry – are still growing. This is, among other things, because there is huge economic growth in countries such as Brazil, India and China and it is estimated that by 2020 there will be 4,000,000,000 (billion) more in the middle class of these countries. That generates a huge purchasing power and they all want to have gold jewelry,
Here we should, as an industry, pat ourselves on the shoulder for having a tradition for designing in a manner that allows recycling of both metals and stones.
Rikke BORCH
cell phones, PCs and tablets like us. So in these two industries there is a steady, rising demand for gold. Further there is a waste problem in the electronics industry. So far, in the electronics industry, products are designed with planned obsolecence, generating more waste than necessary. In addition, it is designed in a way that makes it difficult to separate the components of the electronics so they can be recycled. In our industry there are, as mentioned, ancient traditions for recycling gold, but as it appears right now in the electronics industry, for the first time in history, literally gold is being thrown at the landfill (eg India).
GOLD AS AN INVESTMENT In times of crisis gold has been the means to secure economies, both nationally and privately. Therefore, gold is continuously an object for investment. National Banks around the globe has bought and stored gold and continues to make it a safe haven in times of economic crisis. Private investors see gold as a safe investment which always, in the long term, increases in value. So, considering the 4 billion people moving from the underclass to the middle class in the next few years, the tendency seems to be an increasing accumulation of gold. MAJOR FINANCIAL INTERESTS AT STAKE There are enormous economic forces at stake in the extractive industry. Both in terms of ISM (industrial scale mining) and ASM (artisanal and small-scale mining). Huge amounts of money is generated in this industry and as long as there are such strong financial interests in gold, it will be hard to stop the mining of it. The graph below shows how global gold extraction increased despite the fact that more and more jewelry companies have claimed to use recycled gold over the last 10 years.
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1940: 1,510
1,500 1,000
1970: 1,480
1912: 705
500 0
1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Source: http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Gold_mining
According to World Gold Council recycled gold makes up between 25–30 % of the total supply; “Mine production accounts for the largest part of gold supply – typically, 75 % each year. However annual demand requires more gold than is newly mined and the shortfall is made up from recycling.” (https://www.gold. org/about-gold/gold-supply) According to this quote from the World Gold Council website, recycled gold is used as supplement to satisfy the demand. The statement also shows that recycled gold is not seen as a primary source, but rather a secondary one. The supply of recycled gold is also regulated by the world economy. When it goes well economically, people hold on to their gold while they tend to sell easier during financial crisis. According to the Boston Consulting Group's report of 2015, "The Ups and Downs of Gold Recycling" made for the World Gold Council, recycled gold represented 17 % of supply in 1999 and in 2009, after a global economic crisis, recycled gold accounted for 42 % of the supply.
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The conclusion must be that we can not stop extraction of new gold by resorting to recycled gold. In addition, there are approximately 90 million people globally relying on goldmining. 10 million miners and their families and communities. Their livelihood and possibility of survival will be removed, should wesucceed in using only recycled gold. If you wear those glasses it would be a social disaster if only recycled gold was used. Recycled gold does not solve environmental or social problems, so it's not a very good argument. With the possibilities that we as an industry has of informing ourselves nowadays, it is closer to looking the other way. CHEATING WITH RECYCLED GOLD Something else to be aware of is that not all recycled gold is recycled. It happens that newly mined gold is smuggled disguised as silver or as scrap-looking gold and exported directly to refineries as waste. Furthermore there seems to be little control with the payment with cash in certain refineries. These are
https://www.globalwitness.org/en/ archive/revealed-why-dubais-firstconflict-gold-audit-never-saw-lightday/ https://panamapapers. investigativecenters.org/drc/ SHOULD WE JUST STOP USING IT? No, we should not all stop using recycled gold. Recycling materials are as we all know of an ancient tradition in our industry which is very good. It is circular economy, which is currently being promoted vehemently in all industries, globally. When we directly reuse the consumer's own gold, we are at the forefront of sustainability. When we do that, it can not get more transparent. When buying recycled gold from a supplier, I think it's important to inform yourself, especially if you want to use it in your marketing. It is important that your decisions on working with sustainability actually has a sustainable output and is not just a facade. Ultimately It will not be for the benefit of anyone. Your business will probably be reviewed by consumers as they become more and more informed. Consumers are not as loyal as before and they are becoming more and more interested in the origin of goods. The planet wouldn’t take advantage of such kind of superficial initiatives either. ⊲
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2,000
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2001: 2,600
2,500
actions done either as a tax-exempt maneuver or to conceal the origin of the gold. In the links below you can read a few examples of this:
B A LT I C J E W E L L E R Y N E W S
2014: 2,860
Mine Production, metric tons
3,000
BUSINESS INSIGHTS / DANISH JEWELLERY REPORT
⊳ In addition, it is important to make sure that we are thoroughly informed about the choices we make so that they are still in line with our values when taking a closer look. AVOID GREENWASHING When you claim to customers that using recycled gold is a better option, it also requires that you are well informed. I will say that the further back in the supply chain you can trace the gold, the better. It is not enough to know that one's supplier has its CSR policies in place. What about the refineries and their practices? And
where do they get the gold from? Can you exclude the possibility of dirty gold being mixed into the “clean” recycled gold? If you are not well informed, is it actually greenwashing, because how can you guarantee the origin and cleanliness of gold simply because you have been told that it is recycled? WHAT IS GOOD ABOUT RECYCLED GOLD? The use of recycled gold and the marketing of it is undoubtedly not only bad. It has contributed to putting
sustainable practices on the agenda in the jewelery industry, but also in the consumers’ minds. For many in the industry, it has probably been an attempt to do its best in a sustainable context which is a good sign of goodwill. It has been a first step on the road towards more awareness. This is where my newsletter on recycled gold ends. I hope you have learned something that you didn't already know or that I have opened up to more awareness towards sustainable practices in the jewellery industry. ■
You can subscribe to Jewellery and Sustainability newsletter: here: https://mailchi.mp/5a2ed37e9543/recycled-gold-is-it-good-or-bad Rikke BORCH does workshops and presentations about sustainability, you can contact her by email: boprch.rikke@gmail.com
BUSINESS INSIGHTS / EUROPE JEWELLERY REPORT
EUROMONITOR INTERNATIONAL DATA ON JEWELLERY POLAND TOTAL EXPENDITURE ON JEWELLERY
RUSSIA TOTAL EXPENDITURE ON JEWELLERY
2015 2016 2017
2015 2016 2017
0 500 1,000 0
Category
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Category
Jewellery
543.7
565.4
598.5
634.6
661.5
Jewellery
Costume Jewellery
119.2
123.6
129.5
136.2
141.1
Fine Jewellery
424.5
441.9
469.0
498.4
520.4
GERMANY TOTAL EXPENDITURE ON JEWELLERY
2013
5,000 10,000
2014
2015
2016
2017
6,054.6 6,155.9 4,485.9 4,148.9 3,988.8
Costume Jewellery
1,079.2 1,083.6
Fine Jewellery
4,975.5 5,072.3 3,535.5 3,220.8 3,050.6
950.4
928.2
938.3
SWEDEN TOTAL EXPENDITURE ON JEWELLERY
EUR million
EUR million
3,935.1 3,886.0 3,921.3 3,983.8 4,076.7
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
6,054.6 6,155.9 4,485.9 4,148.9 3,988.8
2013 2014
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2014
p. 25
EUR million
543.7 565.4 598.5 634.6 661.5
2013
B A LT I C J E W E L L E R Y N E W S
EUR million
0
Category
2013
Jewellery Fine Jewellery
815.7 3,119.4
2015 2016 2017
0 500 1,000 5,000 10,000
2014
2015
2016
2017
3,935.1 3,886.0 3,921.3 3,983.8 4,076.7
Costume Jewellery
492.8 480.5 497.7 502.3 509.3
2013 2014
816.7
831.6
837.0
831.1
3,069.3 3,089.7 3,146.7 3,245.6
Category
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Jewellery
492.8
480.5
497.7
502.3
509.3
Costume Jewellery
115.8
118.3
123.4
122.6
123.5
Fine Jewellery
376.9
362.2
374.3
379.6
385.8
■
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BUSINESS INSIGHTS / POLISH JEWELLERY REPORT
INSPIRATIONS ARE BORN WHEN PEOPLE MEET A conversation with Ewa RACHOŃ
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1994: AMBERIF 1st edition | 49 exhibitors 2018: AMBERIF 25th edition | 480 exhibitors from 15 countries Inspirations are born when people meet. A conversation with Ewa Rachoń On 21–24 March 2018, Gdańsk will host the 25th edition of AMBERIF, the International Fair of Amber, Jewellery and Gemstones. The past 25 years are summed up by Ewa Rachoń, its long-standing Project Director. 25 years seems to be a very long time for a project? A lot has happened over that period. A vast array of people, trade associations and organisations working together succeeded in creating a remarkable event which each year attracts fans of amber and jewellery from all over the world. Obviously, AMBERIF is mainly about business but since the very beginning we have put emphasis on an attractive side agenda, including scientific seminars, design competitions—the Amberif Design Award and Mercurius Gedanensis, exhibitions of contemporary jewellery art and the AMBER LOOK fashion show. This particular added value makes AMBERIF interesting for a wider audience whose presence and activity cause the show to be not only a forum for business but also a place to exchange the latest information. Such a large annual meeting is also an opportunity to assess the current state-of-play in the jewellery and amber industry. Observing and analysing events and trends makes it possible to draw conclusions for the future. This also goes for us, the organiser, so that we know
how to deliver an even better next edition— —and to support the manufacturers even better. For 25 years, we have invariably made every effort to create the best possible conditions for the industry to meet, so that it would be here that exhibitors wanted to show their latest collections and here that buyers wanted to come to see them, having oftentimes travelled half the world, but most of all to be able to meet. Meeting is the essence of a trade fair: without inspiring conversations, without positive feelings emerging among people it is impossible to establish true relations, be it commercial or personal. Jewellery is a special commodity: the contact with the artist is really important here, not only to find out more about the item but most of all to be able to share the passion and build the trust that is so important in this industry. What was Amberif like 25 years ago and what is it like today? When we started off, the “amber sector” was only an add-on to a fashion show. We should remember that it was a time of political transformation in Poland and very few amber businesses had contacts with customers from abroad, while others were either their subcontractors or manufactured for the domestic market. Besides, running a business was determined by raw amber quotas and allocations, along with other system-based restrictions.
Provided by AMBERIF, the opportunity to present their products to a large group of customers allowed many companies to spread their wings. The AMBERIF meetings have been an inspiration to consolidate the community and establish organisations for amber enthusiasts to take up many interesting initiatives and deliver amber promotion projects important to the whole industry. Today, it seems the most important to work out good prospects: the second generation of amber artists and artisans is taking over; they are well educated, conscious of their goals and equipped with new tools to achieve them. It was a very interesting quarter of a century, not just for AMBERIF but also for the entire amber industry. So what will the next quarter of a century be like? If buyers came to buy amber to the shores of the Baltic thousands of years ago, I presume that they will still be coming here in thousands of years as well. What we need to do is study amber and reach out with the knowledge about its properties, educate the future generations of amber artists, jewellers, gemmologists and designers hoping that beautifully designed and made pieces will always be part of human life by delighting the eye and shielding us from the emptiness of virtual spaces. ■
www.balticjewellerynews.com
amberif 25th International Fair of Amber,
Jewellery & Gemstones
21-24.03.2018 GDAŃSK / POLAND amberif.pl
19th International Amber Fair
06-08.09.2018 GDAŃSK / POLAND ambermart.pl
organizer Gdańsk International Fair Co. venue AMBEREXPO Exhibition & Convention Centre partners
jewellery by Jarosław Westermark
ambermart
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BUSINESS INSIGHTS / POLISH JEWELLERY REPORT
THE 11th EDITION OF INTERNATIONAL SUMMER JEWELLERY AND WATCHES JUBINALE IS FAST APPROACHING – IT WILL BE HELD AT EXPO KRAKÓW ON 07–09.06.2018 For the past 10 years JUBINALE has been an important meeting point for the industry members from Central Europe. Also this year the offer of exhibitors will provide all guests with wide range of products from almost all sectors of the industry. At the stands, next to the collection of jewellery and watches for the next season, the exhibitors will present packaging, tools, machines, services and technological solutions for the industry.
As
a new decade for JUBINALE starts, the organizer has decided to establish an accompanying event for gifts and decorations industry. Many buyers visiting JUBINALE, in addition to jewellery, offer a diverse range of products from gifts and decorations sector in retail and wholesale. Therefore, in order to combine related industries in one place, the new event, GiftON.top, will be held on the same fairgrounds on 07–09.06.2018. This new initiative was started as a result of the suggestions of exhibitors and buyers, which in turn will make the event more attractive to wider range of participant.
JUBINALE organizer has supported the artists' community since the very first edition of the exhibition. This year, on the first day of the trade fair, the new exhibition will be shown to the jewellery world. The name of the project is “In my opinion...” and it will present the jewellery of designers who want to express their opinion about chosen topic through jewellery. The exhibition is organized together with Open Gallery (Mariusz Pajaczkowski), Magan Gallery (Andrzej Pacak) and Marek Nowaczyk and will be shown in The Goldsmith Museum in Kazimierz Dolny, Amber Museum in Gdansk, Art Gallery in Legnica, YES Gallery, Maggan Gallery in London and in other well known to
jewellery industry places around the world. If you are ready to take up such a challenge and take part in the exhibition, you can still send your works and join the other designers in creating new views. It is worth to combine business with pleasure and visit JUBINALE – see one of the most beautiful Polish cities, make good business contacts and prepare for the summer season in the merchant atmosphere of Krakow. Around 230 exhibitors, thousands of new collections, another decade with new ideas – everything indicates that the upcoming edition of JUBINALE will be at least as successful as the previous ones. ■
www.balticjewellerynews.com
BUSINESS INSIGHTS / ITA LI A N JE W ELLERY R E V IE W
“MONDO PREZIOSO” – THE CELEBRATION OF ITALIAN JEWELLERY MASTERY By Gabrielė PRANEVIČIŪTĖ
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From October 6th to 9th, the Italian jewellery fair “Mondo Prezioso” took place in the south of Italy . It is the fair organised by Marcianise-based Centro Orafo Il Tarì, the only jewellery district in Italy which permanently gathers 400 companies as consortium. The Centre locates just outside of Naples, and is truly a gem of Italian jewellery business.
Besides
the permanent Tarì residents, more than 85 exhibitors, coming from the most important Italian jewellery districts joined the jewellery celebration at the pavillions, showcasing their unique take on high Italian jewellery. One could see the whole jewellery supply and production chain at “Mondo Prezioso” – starting from gems to precious and semiprecious stones, from components to accessories and semifinished products, from production technologies to final products. In addition the buyers were representing more than 1.000 points of sale – coming from Italy, Malta, Greek Islands and Baltic Region. At “Mondo Prezioso” the leitmotif is “craftsmanship”, which means the
modern bridge between past and present, tradition and innovation – starting from the jewellery production deck of the school to the company. “This year Mondo Prezioso is going to start at its best, thanks to Il Tarì registration to Confindustria Federorafi and the great succes of ICE Jewellery Export Lab project, a training program on internationalization for jewellery companies. Our companies have understood the importance of networking and supporting further promotional activities internationally” – the President Mr. Vincenzo Giannotti said. “Our events force us to be more and more competitive, we are experimenting several innovative ways in order to increase the market supply and demand. Mondo Prezioso is the concret result of that competitive
strategy, we have identified more and more qualified exhibitors as well as the most interesting buyers and retailers for the business of our companies, on a strategic point of view”. Besides the fair itself, Mondo Prezioso held an exclusive exhibition “Jewels – A love story”, a real journey within the history of jewellery and jewellery craftsmanship made in Italy, a chronological path which starts from XVIII century towards high end contemporary jewellery collections. It was an unique occasion for admiring the Bourbon style-like jewels. Centro Orafo Il Tarì is located near one of the main architectural and historic treasure in Italy and worldwide, the Reggia di Caserta, the ideal site of Naples Kingdom founded by Carlo di Borbone in 1750. That masterpiece became the exclusive venue of a special event dedicated ⊲
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BUSINESS INSIGHTS / ITA LI A N JE W ELLERY R E V IE W
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p. 32
⊳ to buyers and international medias which will took place on Sunday October 8th, with guided tours of the historic apartments of the Reggia. ABOUT THE TARÌ – A 20 YEAR OLD STORY Centro Orafo Il Tarì, is the only jewellery district in Italy which has permanently gathered 400 companies as consortium since 1996 (30 % production, 30 % services, 40 % retail) in a unique prestigeous site by ensuring a package of specialized services – spanning from security to promotion representing a unique value in Europe, to all registered companies and the visitors alike. The everyday activity of those registered companies is about the production and trade of jewels and is exclusively dedicated to the operators. Three times a year, the Tarì Center hosts an important event which involves both the permanent companies and the most significant jewellery ones in Italy. The Tarì hosts also a valuable training school, the Tarì Design School. The Centro Orafo represents an interesting goal in terms of investments and placement for
the production companies of the whole industry: location security, organizational stability, accomodation and hospitality services, specialized skills and expertise about communication, design and training sectors, are some features to be emphasized, just to name a few. SOME FACTS ABOUT THE CENTRO ORAFO IL TARÌ: • 3500 daily attendees (7000 during the industry trade fairs) • 400.000 operators every year • 3 industry trade fairs a year (March, May, October) with more than 22.000 attendees per edition and the participation of 400 internal companies and 80 external exhibitors • Different exhibitions and events out of industry every year • A sales volume of 850 milions € a year • 30 % of the companies’ production is allocated to export (China, USA, Russia above all) • 135.000 square mt whose more than 40.000 ones are permanently dedicated to production and distribution activities of the partners, and further 9.500 ones to
the pavillions (4.700 square mt per pavillion) • Since 2004 the Tarì has been taking part to Comitato Leonardo, the most prestigeous organisation in Italy for the promotion of the Made in Italy in the world, as one of the partners. • Since 2006, in collaboration with Comitato Leonardo, the Tarì has established a Master Degree Award being worth 3.000 €, which is assigned to an Italian graduate every year during a ceremony at Quirinale Palace, in Rome, in presence of the President of Italy. TARÌ DESIGN SCHOOL – CREATIVE INCUBATOR FOR UPCOMING PROFESSIONALS It is not only fine metal that makes a piece of jewellery precious. The artisan’s creativity, personal style, the unique way his taste mixes with grand masters’ lessons and fashion tendencies is what makes an object unique. Since 1991, TADS (Tarì Design School) has been a vocational school in the Goldsmith Center Il Tarì. Positioned in the heart of Italian excellence in the jewellery industry, TADS is not simply an institution but a true creative laboratory where the experience of the teachers, style of the designers and creativity of the students give rise to innovative, vibrant, unique and emotional projects, while respecting the grand Italian tradition. Each course promoted by Tarì Design School entails theory as well as being supported by hours and hours of practical apprenticeship in the laboratory. The school‘s constant interaction with companies in the luxury and fashion sector, allows for course updates, the organization of internships and the facilitation of entrance into the working world, a true strength. The Tarì Design School provides two goldsmith laboratories, a stone-setting laboratory, two watchmaking laboratories, one gemological laboratory with 20 stations, a laboratory with technical machinery, classrooms for technical drawing and planning, and a computer laboratory. ■
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BUSINESS INSIGHTS / SWEDISH JEWELLERY REPORT
WANTED: NEW WATCH AND JEWELLERY DESIGN TALENTS It’s time to apply for Precious Talents 2018 RUNA,
Sägen, Skanshage Sweden, IOAKU, BOW label, EBON LI and Annika Gustafsson are just a few of the companies that have started their carriers as Precious Talents. Now it's time to apply for Precious Talents 2018. Precious Talents is a contest for new and promising watch and jewellery designers hosted by Precious Stockholm Nordic Watch & Jewellery Fair, which is held on 6–8 September at Stockholmsmässan. The selected companies will showcase their collections and establish contacts within the industry in their own stands at Precious. Then it is up to each company to develop their talent during the following year to compete for the prestigious title Precious Talent of The Year. In 2017, this was won by RUNA. “We are very proud to be able to offer these new companies this platform,” says Åsa Axelson, Project Manager for Precious. “They add a lot of value to Precious with their innovative thinking and creativity.” In addition to Åsa Axelson, the Precious Talents jury consists of Johan Magnusson (Scandinavian MAN), as well as Sara Winter (Swedish Fashion Council). Deadline for application to Precious Talents 2018: March 31, 2018. ■
ABOUT PRECIOUS TALENTS | Newly established watch and jewellery designers from all Nordic countries are welcome to apply. As a Precious Talent, you get a free stand at Precious and the opportunity to connect and create relationships with the Nordic watch and jewellery industry. Application and more information here: preciousfair.se/en/talents ABOUT PRECIOUS – STOCKHOLM NORDIC WATCH & JEWELLERY FAIR | Precious is the Nordic region's largest fair and meeting place for the watch and jewellery industry. Precious 2018 will be held September 6–8, 2018 at the Stockholm Fair. Read more about Precious here: preciousfair.se CONTACT | Åsa Axelson, Precious, tel. +46 224 863 00, asa.axelson@preciousfair.se
“We welcome
all suppliers in the Baltic states to
join the party and exhibit at Precious”, says Åsa AXELSON, Project Manager www.balticjewellerynews.com
The largest
Watch & Jewellery
Trade Fair
in the Nordic THURSDAY - SATURDAY 6-8 SEPTEMBER 2018 STOCKHOLM SWEDEN
p. 38 34 –2018 B A LT I C J E W E L L E R Y N E W S
KALININGRAD SCIENTIST PRESENTS INITIATIVES IN THE FIELD OF INTERDISCIPLINARY AMBER EDUCATION AND SUGGESTS TO MAKE A SHIFT, FROM CONSUMER ATTITUDE TO AMBER TO THE INTELLECTUAL AND VALUED By Yulia VARYGA
Mr Boris J. VOROTNIKOV, head of the chemical department of the Kaliningrad State Technical University
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Canada, there are actively developing research centers and laboratories that study the characteristics of maple syrup, the national heritage of the country. For a long time, the Kaliningrad region was considered the owner of 90 % of the world's amber reserves and although today the percentage ratio is changing, people, living in the region, are still happy owners of the maximum share of this unique resource. However, in addition to the raw use of amber, for sale in the form of fractions or use in ready-made form in jewelry, souvenirs and furniture production, the institute or at least the department, which would be entirely devoted to the research of amber, is not yet at issue. Boris Vorotnikov is engaged in amber since the 90's: no, he does not extract it or sell it, he studies its chemical properties, and, using an interdisciplinary approach, searches for points of contact with physics, geology, biology, psychology, sociology and other disciplines, offering various methods of application of the resource. “In the Soviet period, the Amber Combine was a full cycle production”, the scientist says. “After all, the bulk of amber (sometimes it is 80 % of the original), when we speak about jewelry or souvenir production, becomes waste. Amber has a huge list of different qualities – biochemical and biophysical, due to which it can be applied in pharmaceutics, cosmetology. These secondary resources of amber (finely fractional amber particles) can be successfully used to produce valuable and useful products. But the main thing is not about that. This kind of attitude to amber opens up the possibility of creating science-intensive products, in contrast to simply selling raw materials”. The brand «amber», which is being actively discussed today, is represented in the Russian region, which is the world's main deposit of this semiprecious natural formation, by replicated kittens and turtles “in amber”, low-quality pictures, sprinkled with amber crumbs, a large number of souvenirs, jewelry and bijou, with inserts of amber or synthetic analogues, a long tail of myths and legends about amber, invented, mainly, by marketers and sellers, and the great desire of so many people to earn on amber, fast, here and now. “Archaeologists have found anthropomorphic and zoomorphic statuettes from the stone age amber”, says Boris Yurievich. “In ancient times, they were of great value, of religious significance, carefully stored, used for cult rituals, unlike modernity”. The researcher names a huge gap in education as the main problem, which he, with his team-mates, is ready to
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Baltic amber. Fundamentals of Natural Science. / The course developed by KSTU (Kaliningrad, Russia) The origin of the Baltic amber and its structure. The history of the use of amber. Physical and chemical properties of amber and modern methods of its use. Biochemical basis of application of amber.
“We have been working with amber for a long time, more than 20 years, starting in the late 90's, when there were various searches and studies of amber processing technologies related to non-jewelry use of amber, which can be attributed to the field of integrated processing. But since there is a range of various technologies, including humanitarian ones, we decided that it is important to create an intangible resource in the form of such courses, although the issue should be even wider, it should be about amber education”, – shares his thoughts Mr Vorotnikov. “The idea is to show the different sides of amber. It's like that story with an elephant in a dark room, where one is holding onto a tusk, the other by the tail, the third by the proboscis, and everyone has an impression of an elephant. We believe that amber is valuable itself, no matter what size and color it is, it has unique features inherited by the evolution and nature, that could be realized for various purposes”. Multiple amber initiatives of Mr Vorotnikov do not get any support from the Government of the region, any institutions or companies working with amber. ■
34 –2018
In
fill. “Who will be our listeners?”, Mr Vorotnikov answers the following question. “Representatives of different professions. We will be happy to see sociologists and psychologists. Of course, chemists, physicists. Heads of amber production. Representatives of travel agencies, journalists. Customs officers – by the way, they were the first to respond to the initiative with the organization of the course under the general name “The Baltic amber”. In connection with the raise of responsibility for illegal activities related to the extraction and sale of amber, more serious expertise is required, analysis of data – and they are impossible without deep knowledge. But our courses are not just about that. As stated above, we want to change the approach, shift the vector from the extreme forms of the consumer attitude to the intellectual and valued”. The Kaliningrad State Technical University has developed two programs, the “basic” (named “Baltic Amber: The Basics of Natural Science”), designed for 16 classroom hours, and “advanced” (named “Identification of Amber, Technology of Use”), with a deeper dive into the topic, calculated for 72 hours. Now the educational program is offered in a corporate format to various structures and institutions, but there is a desire to make open lectures for free listeners, and also to develop a tourist product that would acquaint the guests of the region with the intellectual component of amber.
B A LT I C J E W E L L E R Y N E W S
“Amber is not a “brand”, it’s a part of our life, very precious and special, that is given to our region as a gift”, – thinks Mr Boris J. Vorotnikov, head of the chemical department of the Kaliningrad State Technical University, a candidate of technical sciences, assistant professor (docent) and a lonely idealist, as he calls himself. “I’ve gathered a huge volume of information about my personal researches of amber and information about amber from various sources – into a Multimedia Library. Probably, such concentration of knowledge about amber is unique and the will to share it is natural”.
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BUSINESS INSIGHTS / RUSSIAN JEWELLERY REPORT
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Director General of JCS “Kaliningrad Amber Combine” Mikhail ZATSEPIN
THE KALININGRAD AMBER COMBINE HAS CHANGED VECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT The Kaliningrad Amber Combine JSC is the only Russian and the biggest world enterprise for industrial amber mining. Over a few years the enterprise has changed their vector of development. They began to invest in innovations, enhance remodelling, upgrade the customer service quality, initiate projects on amber promotion, and improve the managerial system. Having such priorities in their work, company's management team aim their efforts at breathing new life into amber so that the life of people who come into contact with the sunny stone became comfortable, interesting, and full of beauty. Within recent years the Kaliningrad Amber Combine has radically changed their pricing policy: the cost of amber has risen many times. Prices and demand are formed by the market. The first open auction
held in 2015 showed us that the price the buyer is willing to pay for the raw material is higher than the one proposed by the combine. Having conducted analysis, they raised prices depending on the amber class.
In 2016, the new merchandising policy of the combine was approved. In cooperation with regional authorities and executive bodies, they gave the amber purchase priority to Russian processors especially for whom exclusive auctions with
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the possibility of the reserved price reduction were organized. Since 2016, the sale of amber is conducted on the Exchange Saint Petersburg JSC open electronic platform. Any participants registered in the exchange, including foreign ones, can acquire raw amber. Especially for the amber processors, the combine several times a year holds open amber auctions. For example, in 2017 the combine held 4 open auctions, one of them specially to sell a unique piece of amber weighing over 1 kg. In reliance upon auctions and electronic trading, the combine quarterly revises the prices for amber. The price goes down for some factions and increases for the other ones. It is a market pricing mechanism indeed. The combine continues to enhance production rates: the enterprise extracted 453 tons of amber in 2017 which is 44 % more than in 2016.
www.balticjewellerynews.com
The previous year was the most productive for the large nuggets mining. On average, there were only
5 or 6 such nuggets in prior years. In 2016, we mined 14 unique nuggets, and in 2017, we had 19 of them already. Mikhail ZATSEPIN, Director General of Kaliningrad Amber Combine JSC
The year 2017 was very revealing for the enterprise. The Kaliningrad Amber Combine set a record: for the first time in 41 years, in Primorsky quarry, they extracted 453 tons of amber. In prior years, the average production output was 250–300 tons of raw amber. The combine development strategy until 2025 envisages up to 500 tons production increase. The Amber Combine retooling is one of the key tasks designed in the enterprise development strategy. Until 2021, the combine is to create
a completely new amber mining technology having no analogues. In 2017, the combine in cooperation with the TOMS Company started the new mining production complex design. Upon preparation of the design documentation, the combine will begin to implement the project and build a new mining production complex having a number of advantages, the main of which is a gentler and more careful production method that will preserve amber from damage at the production stage as much as possible. ⊲
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BUSINESS INSIGHTS / RUSSIAN JEWELLERY REPORT
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BUSINESS INSIGHTS / RUSSIAN JEWELLERY REPORT
annual award; the ShowAmberforum extensive cultural program with its photo exhibitions, artistic competitions, workshops for children and adults, a concert program, street foods, sports competitions, the art space called “Amber Unites People”, the WorldSkills professional branchwise championship, and then some. This event is interesting not only to the industry experts, but also to the widest range of guests and participants. We will be glad to see everyone at Amberforum-2018 on 7 – 10 June. ■
⊳ III International Economic Amber Industry Forum AMBERFORUM 2018. The AMBERFORUM, that on 7 – 10 June, 2018 is taking place for the third time, turns from the test site into a full-scale image event, participation in which is prestigious and interesting both to the community of professionals in the amber industry and related industries and a wide range of visitors. The interest to the event is huge. In 2017, more than 1000 people were
Amberforum participants; besides, the event was attended by about 5000 guests representing 10 foreign countries, and over 100 accredited media. The same forum area accepts not only the ExpoAmberforum amber exhibition and the BizAmberforum business program that gather hundreds of speakers and participants, but also the only in the world auction held specially to sell a unique piece of amber weighing over 1000 g; the Amberforum
Contacts of the AMBERFORUM organizers: e-mail: info@amberforum.ru; Tel: +7 (4012) 310 855; website: www.amberforum.ru
Location: the AMBERFORUM is held in the Amber Hall, a modern multifunctional cultural centre at 11 Lenin Street Svetlogorsk, Kaliningrad region.
www.balticjewellerynews.com
BUSINESS INSIGHTS / WORLDWIDE JEWELLERY REPORT
GOLD DEMAND TRENDS FULL YEAR 2017
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2017: Q4 recovery fails to mitigate full-year decline
7 % DECLINE IN ANNUAL GOLD DEMAND WAS LARGELY INVESTMENT-RELATED
Gold demand rallied in the closing months of 2017, gaining 6 % year-on-year (y-o-y) to 1,095.8 tonnes (t) in Q4. But it was too little, too late: full year demand fell by 7 % to 4,071.7 t. ETF inflows, although positive, lagged behind 2016’s stellar growth. Central banks added 371.4 t to global official gold reserves, 5 % down on 2016’s net purchases. Bar and coin demand fell 2 % on a sharp drop in US retail investment. India and China led a 4 % recovery in jewellery, although demand remains below historical averages. Increased use of gold in smartphones and vehicles sparked the first year of growth in technology demand since 2010.
Tonnes
4,500
4,000 3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0
2016
2017
■ Central banks & other inst. ■ ETFs & similar products ■ Total bar & coin demand ■ Technology ■ Jewellery Source: Metals Focus; World Gold Council
JEWELLERY MODEST Q4 GROWTH SETS THE SEAL ON A POSITIVE YEAR FOR JEWELLERY DEMAND.
• Full-year gold jewellery demand increased by 4 % to 2,135.5 t; the first year of growth since 2013 • India’s 12 % y-o-y improvement was partly due to a very weak 2016. Demand fluctuated on changes in tax and regulation • The US market returned to growth: encouraging economic environment helped lift demand to its highest annual total since 2010 • Lower gold prices and seasonal factors in China and India aided a fourth quarter recovery
Tonnes
2016
2017
2,053.6
2,135.5
▲
4%
India
504.5
562.7
▲
12 %
China
630.4
646.9
▲
3%
World total
YoY
Demand for gold jewellery gained momentum in the final quarter of 2017, growing 3 % y-o-y to a 2-year high of 648.9 t. A corresponding increase in full-year demand was primarily driven by recovery in India, the US and China. These three markets together accounted for 78 t of the 82 t increase in global full-year demand. INDIA Indian jewellery demand recovered in Q4, gaining 4 % y-o-y to reach 189.6 t, the highest fourth quarter in our 17-year series. Rupee gold prices trended lower during the quarter, which proved positive for demand. The economic backdrop helped bank loan growth. Demand was further supported by: • festival demand • the government’s decision to remove anti-money laundering regulation from jewellery • improved rural sentiment. In contrast with Q3, when the price was in almost permanent discount, the local price traded at a small ⊲
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AMBER-BERNSTEIN Poilsio str. 7, LT-93200, Klaipeda, LITHUANIA Mob. +370 68631576 uab.artvetus@gmail.com www.ambertrade.eu
SILVAMEX Andrzej Szczypior ul. Kielnieńska 60 80-299 Gdańsk, Poland Tel. (48) 58 5209700 Fax (48) 58 5209701 Mobile. (48) 501 236895
BUSINESS INSIGHTS / WORLDWIDE JEWELLERY REPORT
GOLD TRADED AT A SMALL PREMIUM IN INDIA FOR MUCH OF Q4 US$/oz
4
2 0 -2 -4 -6 -8
Aug 2017
Sep 2017
Oct 2017
Nov 2017
Dec 2017
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Source: NCDEX; World Gold Council
⊳ premium to the international price for much of Q4. October started well: the Dhanteras festival – marking the start of the wedding season – coincided with a dip in prices, which encouraged demand. An added boost came when the government granted the gold market an exemption from onerous anti-money laundering measures. The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which was extended to the gems and jewellery sector in August, had negatively affected jewellery demand as consumers and retailers were faced with a heavy administrative burden to prove the veracity of cash transactions. The effect was most pronounced in rural areas, where cash is widely used. The removal of the PMLA from the sector therefore had a positive impact on demand. Rural sentiment picked up in the fourth quarter, supporting a key element of the market. Consumers in rural areas are the driving force behind Indian gold jewellery demand. Positive sentiment among this demographic is quickly felt in certain areas of the economy, the gold jewellery market being one of them. Sentiment was vastly improved compared with Q4 2016, when these consumers were struggling with the drastic and unexpected demonetisation of the economy. A 6 % increase in the minimum support price for kharif crops also helped. Strong growth in tractor sales bears out this improvement: Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.’s Farm Equipment Sector (the world’s largest tractor manufacturer) announced 32 % y-o-y growth in tractor sales during November and are upbeat in their outlook. The market is becoming increasingly accustomed to the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Organised retailers were best equipped to transition to the GST system and this worked to their benefit as they increased their share of the jewellery market. Looking forward, we expect a continued recovery in demand as the market increasingly accepts, and adapts to, GST. And the relative outperformance of chain stores and organised retailers is, in our view, likely to be a key feature of this recovery. CHINA China’s 6 growth in Q4 contributed to a 3 % rise in annual jewellery demand – the first yearly increase since 2013. Demand for the full year increased to 646.9 t thanks to a strong H2, which was buoyed by holiday purchases and a retail trade more effectively targeting consumer needs.
The trend for lower weight, better designed, highermargin ‘premium’ gold jewellery products continues to gather momentum. Retailers are increasingly tapping into this segment of the market, shifting their product offering to incorporate more 18-carat, 22-carat and 3D hard products. Although 24-carat gold still dominates the market, it is fast losing market share – notably in tier 1 and 2 cities. Major retailer Chow Tai Fook reported that it sold more than 300,000 pieces of 22-carat jewellery under its 17916 product series and that demand for gold drove sales growth in the six months to end September. Retailers are also appealing to customers by offering an enhanced shopping experience – and online retailing is a key part of that strategy. Chow Tai Seng, which partners with Tmall – Alibaba’s ecommerce platform – saw its sales up 70 % year-on-year on ‘Singles Day’, to more than 80 million yuan (US$12 million). The jeweller’s self-operated stores are mostly located in tier 1–2 cities, but by piggy-backing on the online reach of Tmall, it can easily reach consumers in more than 300 cities throughout China. In a bid to appeal to younger consumers, the company has also embraced the latest technology – augmented reality (AR). Visitors to its ‘smart store’ can see how each piece of jewellery looks on them using a ‘magic mirror’. The outlook for Chinese jewellery demand is we believe quite positive. Retailers continue to better meet consumers’ changing needs and sentiment is lifted by the supportive economic environment. There is also a view that demand is improving at a more sustainable rate than in the bargainhunting frenzy of 2010–13. OTHER ASIA Smaller Asian markets were predominantly weaker in both Q4 and full year 2017; only Indonesia and Vietnam bucked the trend. Demand across much of the region was stagnant at best in Q4, translating to losses in annual demand. Japan had a disappointing result: Q4 demand was marginally weaker at 5.1 t (-1 %). This added to weakness earlier in the year, with the result that 2017 annual demand slipped 2 % to 16.6 t. Improving conditions in the wider retail sector may, however, extend to jewellery over the coming year. Vietnam was the strongest market in the region: 11 y-o-y growth in Q4 lifted annual demand by 7 % to 16.5 t. This was the strongest year for Vietnamese jewellery demand since 2008. Demand benefited from robust economic growth and continued stock market gains. Expansion of the jewellery retail network, and the tentative signs that the government will begin to liberalise the gold market, also boosted the market. MIDDLE EAST & TURKEY In Turkey, record high local prices weakened Q4 jewellery demand and put the brakes on annual growth. The gold price in Turkish lira terms jumped to record highs in late November, discouraging consumers from buying jewellery. Meanwhile, the government’s Credit Guarantee Fund, which had injected the economy with a short term liquidity boost, dried up. Economic uncertainty and political instability were further deterrents.But recycling activity was similarly subdued – in
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the uncertain environment, consumers preferred to stay on the sidelines. Middle Eastern demand recovered in Q4 but H1 losses dominated: annual demand was down 1 % y-o-y. Iran was the strongest performer in 2017: Q4 was its tenth consecutive quarter of y-o-y growth. Annual demand gained 12 % to 45.4 t, the highest since 2013. But the market lost momentum in the fourth quarter as worsening US-Iranian relations undermined consumer sentiment. In Egypt, demand was dented again by the weak local currency, which kept prices elevated. But in value terms, demand increased in 2017 (by 56 % to reach E£ 15.8 mn), suggesting that consumers consider a certain value of spend rather than focusing on the weight of gold they purchase. Demand in the UAE received a small boost in December as consumers rushed to make their purchases before a 5 % Value Added Tax (VAT) was imposed in January. But the 16 % y-o-y gain in Q4 demand failed to rescue the market from a fourth consecutive annual decline: 2017 demand was down 2 % to a 20-year low of 42.8 t. THE WEST Annual jewellery demand in the US gained 3 % to 122.1 t, as Q4 demand reached an eight-year high. The improving economic environment that buoyed sentiment – and demand – in Q3 continued to lift the market in the final quarter. Q4 demand of 46.1 t was the highest fourth quarter for US jewellery since 2009. Online sales accounted for a growing share of jewellery demand, which played to the strengths of the larger, higherend retailers. Tiffany & Co., for example, reported 8 % growth
US JEWELLERY DEMAND RECOVERING BUT STILL A LONG WAY FROM PREVIOUS LEVELS Tonnes
150 140 130 120 110 100 90
Q1'10 Q1'11 Q1'12 Q1'13 Q1'14 Q1'15 Q1'16 Q1'17
■ 4-qtr rolling total Source: Metals Focus; GFMS, Thomson Reuters; World Gold Council
in their holiday season sales. Luxury retail analysts at Cowen & Co confirmed that they remain enthusiastic on Tiffany in part because of their ‘the tasteful blending of stores and online which should result in less friction in the buying process…’ In contrast, lower-end, mass-market retailers have suffered. In 2017, Europe saw a third consecutive annual decline in jewellery demand, with losses persistent throughout the year. The 3 % drop in regional demand (from 76.1 t to 74 t) was largely due to weakness in the UK market, which remained troubled by Brexit concerns. The lower-end of the market was worst hit, with 9-carat jewellery seeing the largest losses. Demand in the 22-carat niche was contrastingly resilient. Italian demand was also softer, although regional differences were noted: better than expected demand in northern Italy alleviated losses in the more traditional south. ■
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THIS YEAR EVEN BIGGER! XV INTERNATIONAL BALTIC JEWELLERY SHOW “AMBER TRIP” As every year, in spring, the International Baltic Jewellery Show “Amber Trip” invited everyone to Vilnius, the jewellery capital of the Baltic states. The XV international jewellery and amber show, which is the only event of such magnitude in the Baltic states, was be held on 14–17 March 2018. www.balticjewellerynews.com
BUSINESS INSIGHTS / LITHUANIAN JEWELLERY REPORT
“On
the XV anniversary year of the show we received more than 200 participants from the Baltic states, Poland, Turkey, Italy, Ukraine, Russia, USA, India and other countries. We will also have at least half a thousand of important buyers (wholesalers, museums, collectors) from around the world – Europe, Australia, China, India, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, USA and other countries. This would be a record number of participants and buyers” – says “Amber Trip" organizer Giedrius Guntorius.
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The only jewellery event in the Baltic states is attended by professional jewellers and designers, as well as manufacturers of technological equipment and devices. The event includes the presentation of the latest jewellery industry technologies, trends in the amber jewellery and crafts market, and the latest works of professional jewellers around the world. Around 60 percent of the exhibition's area is used for presenting jewellery works and around 40 percent – exclusively for amber. The show is an exclusive platform for transactions, international agreements and economic forums. Forums organized by “Amber Trip” are attended by the most important suppliers of raw materials in the world, which come from Russia, Ukraine and Poland. During the forums, relevant issues regarding raw amber supply, jewellery hallmarking and other issues arising from the countries are
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By Dovile Jewellery
addressed. “Amber Trip” has already become a bridge that connects Europe with other countries around the world. Seminars on relevant topics related to jewellery and amber are also held during this exclusive event. During the seminars, insights are shares by experts from both Lithuania and other countries around the world. “Amber Trip” is also unique due to its international jewellery art contest which, each year, receives jewellery works from at least 50 different countries around the world. The theme of the art contest of the XV anniversary jewellery show is “Nothing to declare”. The theme of the contest was inspired by the 100 th year of the day of restoration of the state of Lithuania. ⊲
BUSINESS INSIGHTS / LITHUANIAN JEWELLERY REPORT
Rings by Dovile Jewellery
⊳ “Amber Trip” event, which attracts more and more participants, buyers and visitors each year, will be held in the largest exhibition and conference centre in the Baltic states “Litexpo” for the second year. Significantly more opportunities appeared after “Amber Trip” moved to the most modern exhibition and
conference centre in the Baltic state – it became more visible, can hold much more participants and visitors than previously, as well as use larger and more modern spaces for exhibitions and events. Larger space allowed to open a new Author Jewellery Zone. Where 22 jewellery artists will present
their creations. To get a better understanding on author jewellery in Special Jewellery Degustations different jewellers will be presented. ■
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CARTOONS /
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www.aimdisplay.com.pl
AIM DISPLAY POLISH MANUFACTURER OF DISPLAYS, ETUI, BUSTS AND TRAYS FOR EXPOSITION, SALES AND STORAGE OF JEWELLERY PL
ul. Taborowa 24, 02-699 Warszawa, Poland, T/F: +48 226449815
v
www.aimdisplay.com.pl
v
aimdisplay@aimdisplay.com.pl
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Darja POPOLITOVA “Echo”
“DISCOVER THE HIDDEN GEM OF EUROPE” This year Estonia is celebrating its 100 years of independence. During this period Estonians managed to accomplish quite a lot. The country became one of the leaders for innovation and technological development in region and even Europe. Apart from having useful inventions like Skype, Estonia was one of the first countries to have 4G Internet and has become the global model for e-government.
While
the technological advances of Estonia are known all over the world, very little is known about the emerging creative sector; just within less than a decade the percentage of creative enterprises has doubled. At the moment there are around 500 companies operating in the creative field with the total revenue of around 13 million euros. While graphic design, advertising and web design are the most popular creative disciplines in Estonia, there
is a new sector emerging – jewellery design. Estonian jewellery design can be described as ascetic or in other words oriented towards basic needs and functions and not focusing on luxury – these are the intrinsic qualities of Estonian design. The current dominating trend is simple jewellery with particular details that do not overpower a person’s image but rather help to emphasise it. The added details are usually somewhat connected with nature or
hint at motives found in nature. To add a bit more to the nature theme it can also be pointed out that Estonian designers prefer to use valuable metals and natural materials like wood and leather for their work. The connection with nature not only differentiates Estonian jewellers but also refers to ancient pagan beliefs that had a big impact on Estonian culture. At the moment there are very few well-established Estonian jewellery designers of international ⊲
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A RTISTIC INSPIR ATIONS / ESTONI A N JEW ELLERY R EPORT
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Tanel VEENRE “Earberries”
2018 06 30 07 03 International trade fair for consumer goods. Tendence parodoje atraskite privalomus turėti naujausius mados aksesuarus ir papuošalus, o taip pat daugelį kitų išskirtinių namų prekių bei dovanų sektoriaus prekių rudens/žiemos sezonams bei 2019-ųjų pavasariui/vasarai. Visą informaciją rasite adresu: tendence.messefrankfurt.com info@lithuania.messefrankfurt.com Tel. +370 5 277 93 54
Litauen - lit DU: 16.02.2018
2018/19
⊳ acknowledgement. Tanel Veenre is one of the most artistically and commercially recognized Estonian designers whose use of seahorses in his designs have won him an army of loyal fans. Following Tanel Veenre’s footsteps, young Estonian jewellery designers are now producing commercial collections which establish their customer base while creating jewellery art pieces that they exhibit all over the world. One of those designers is Darja Popolitova who has taken the local scene by storm and is now moving on to the global market. Her work can be frequently seen at jewellery exhibitions and at design events around Europe. There are also such brands as Soma Jewellery that combines the initial aspects of jewellery, being art and commerce, with slightly experimental approach – imagine wearable popcorn with gold flakes. Estonia might be a small country with population only a bit over 1 million yet the amount of talented creators is astonishing. Visit Estonia if you truly want to find something unique! ■
66252-010_TE_Fashion_JournalBalticJewelleryNews_M2_115x307 • FOGRA 39 • CMYK • tg: 15.02.2018
must haves
Darja POPOLITOVA “Fazis”
www.balticjewellerynews.com
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Interview by Gabrielė PRANEVIČIŪTĖ
CRAFTED FROM WOOD AND STEEL Janus AARUP, the founder of VEJRHØJ
It was never about creating a new status symbol when Janus AARUP set out to create his own watch brand back in 2014. The vision was to combine wood, steel and Nordic design to give a new take on the classical wristwatches.
“We
had fire and ice in our veins the first time that we were to present our watches for a broader group of people than just our family and friends. We were excited to have created something new and unique, but we did not know whether or not strangers would share our excitement.” Says Janus, the founder of VEJRHØJ. However, it would soon show that the fusion of wood, steel and Nordic design had come to stay. FROM HOME OFFICE TO AWARD WINNERS VEJRHØJ started out in Janus’ apartment, where the floor quickly was covered by design drawings and watches. Since then, VEJRHØJ has
grown out of the apartment and today the brand is represented in more than 60 stores around the world. Moreover, the young brand has just won the prize “Brand New Nordic 2017” for the best new watch brand at the Watch & Jewellery fair in Copenhagen. “The recognition from the Danish watch and goldsmith industry is important. It means a lot to us that the established industry believes in our designs and young brand.” Says Janus Aarup, the founder of VEJRHØJ. GOING GLOBAL THROUGH CROWDFUNDING This spring VEJRHØJ launched their watches in Japan. It went above all expectations with 100,000 USD
in pre-orders in just a couple of months. This was possible due to the crowdfunding platform Makuake, which provides direct Access to those Japanese consumers who are looking for new & unique products. This reaffirmed VEJRHØJ’s believe in their watches and made it clear that the combination of Nordic design, wood and steel had global potential. The crowdfunding strategy has also enabled VEJRHØJ to grow organically without external investors. But though the brand is getting international wings all quality control and shipments still takes place from the combined office and workshop in Copenhagen. Right now, five employees are putting in some long hours
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A RTISTIC INSPIR ATIONS / DA NISH JEW ELLERY R EPORT
in connection with the launch of VEJRHØJ’s latest collection, which until the 31st October can be preordered with a 40 % discount through the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter. INTERVIEW WITH THE FOUNDER OF VEJRHØJ, JANUS AARUP • What is your background & how did the idea to create watches emerge?
• Do you remember the first watch you owned? It was a Tissot which was a present from my parents. I still have it :)
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34 –2018 B A LT I C J E W E L L E R Y N E W S
• What was/is the biggest challenge in creating the brand to you? The biggest hurdle has been the materials that we have chosen to work with. Maple and walnut wood is challenging to work with when it comes to watches and you have to take that into account when you do the technical design drawings. For our new collection we wanted to create a collection of slim wood and steel watches. At the same time, we wanted to make this new collection very durable, which is a challenge due to the wooden element. The solution was to develop the thinnest wooden bezel in the world, and insert it in the watch case underneath the sapphire crystal glass. Thereby we could design a thin wooden watch with a distinctive look, while at the same time obtaining the durability of a normal steel watch.
p. 61
I started VEJRHØJ while I was working on my master’s thesis about Danish wooden furniture design & steel watches. I got intrigued by the idea of creating a watch crafted from wood. To begin with I just wanted to make a few watches for myself, friends and family. But then I realized that I could actually turn my idea into a real business.
• Congratulations on winning the
New Nordic Award 2017 – what does the award mean to you? The recognition from the Danish watch and jewellery industry is important. It means a lot to us that the established industry believes in our designs and young brand. Most Danish watch retailers attend the yearly Watch and Jewellery fair in Copenhagen, where we won the award. And we got many new retail partners in Denmark due to the Brand New Nordic Award. Also, with the award comes a free booth at the 2018 Watch & Jewellery fair in Copenhagen and some free advertising in the watch magazine
AuClock.
• What‘s next? Any plans in the future? We will stay true to our concept of combing wood and steel with distinctive designs. It is here that we have our main strength and are able to create something that stands out from the mainstream watch market. Currently, we are working on our new collection of wood and steel watches, which will be ready for delivery early December. We made the first design drawings back in September 2016 and spent the last year developing and testing various prototypes, so we are really looking forward to finish the first production run. ■
A RTISTIC INSPIR ATIONS / LITHUA NI A N JEW ELLERY R EPORT
“I DISCOVER SOMETHING NEW IN MY MISTAKES AND THEN
I TRY AGAIN”
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By Gabrielė PRANEVIČIŪTĖ
Vilnius Academy of Arts Telšiai Faculty holds the only BA Metal Art and Jewellery study programme in Lithuania and every year a number of graduates and emerging talents enter the exciting scene of the contemporary jewellery. This time I am joined by Simona NAKROŠIŪTĖ, a final year student of the Metal Art and Jewellery programme and we have a talk about what is jewellery, how it is created and what makes it so special. Simona, so what is jewellery to you? Four years ago, when I haven‘t been a student of Vilnius Academy of Arts Telšiai Faculty, jewellery was imagined as only earrings and rings – adornments that I usually wouldn‘t wear. Now jewellery to me is a hobby, work, free time, art, a part of me and joy. It is strange, but wherever I would be I think about detalis and possibilities in jewellery. What was the first jewellery piece that you have created? I probably can‘t call a Christmastree bauble a piece of jewellery, but it was the first time I confronted metal and pliers – I wanted to make a gift to my mother. It was a butterfly made out of copper wire and it‘s wings were threaded out of beads. I think it was 11 years ago. A first “real” piece of jewellery was probably an openwork brooch – a first project of a freshman in the Academy’s workshop. I just drew lots of lines while keeping my eyes closed as I was sketching it, I had no idea what the professors wanted and were expecting from me. Why did you decide to apply to the Metal Art and Jewellery program? I have always enjoyed art. When I was a pupil, I attended Panevėžys art school. I was never a book person – I was always drawing, painting,
perception has changed, I have also changed, but I think that everything will continue to change in the future, because I have been studying only for four years.
Simona NAKROŠIŪTĖ
sculpting, constructing something while observing the surroundings and details. My notebooks were dedicated to drawings, not writing and notes. After school graduation I knew that I want to apply for studies in the art field – I din‘t know where and what exactly, but for me it was important to create. I think I got lucky. Did your perception about jewellery change when you started studying at VAA Telšiai Faculty? Yes, the perception did not only change, but a new one originated. Every time I want to make my work even better not only in practice, but also have a strong idea. The
What is the most interesting “invisible” side of jewellery creation process, which is often not seen by the wearer? The search of the form, composition, all the sketches that are made before working with the materials. I think that the evolution of the piece is invisible but very interesting part of the process. I enjoy making brooch fasteners – I put a lot of time and thought to it, it is a very pleasant process to me although the wearer often does not find the back of the object very significant. Do you have any rituals or a system how you start working? Most of the artists create a pleasant atmosphere for them, make themselves a coffee, turn on some music – how about you? When I start working I have to tidy up my bench, drawers and boxes because I like orderliness. I open my notebooks and sketchbooks, I write, draw. I also like listening to music, but it depends on the mood. It is strange but when I am working on a project that I have to concentrate for a long period of time or when I am out of
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From series: “Human survival utensils” – car tyre, silver
Ring, silver
From series: “Human survival utensils” – red brick, mokume gane, copper
luck, listen to only one song on repeat the whole day.
texture, or it has a story behind it – for example, my grandmother’s and mother’s rings. I rarely wear my own jewellery pieces.
What are your materials of choice? Why? I like working with metal the most, but I am also interested in working with different materials such as glass, plexiglass, resin, rubber, plastic and try to incorporate them with metal – I enjoy experimenting with different technologies and find new textures and colors. I am quite stubborn and often I discover something new in my mistakes and then I try again. What do you demand from yourself the most as a creator? Usually I demand aesthetics and clear idea of what I am doing. Every time I aim to do everything honestly, not to deceive nor myself nor anybody else. Do you wear jewellery yourself? I usually wear simple earrings and some rings. I prefer jewellery that catches my interest with it’s shape,
www.balticjewellerynews.com
What is the best thing about jewellery in your opinion? I think the best thing about jewellery is that it does not necessarily have to adorn a person. A piece becomes a part of a personality and is a carrier of a message. It is great that jewellery does not have boundaries as everytime you discover something new, learn and improve.
Any future plans? During these past months the future plans have been on my mind – not knowing what’s next after studies has raised a lot of questions and a headache. But I think that after studies in Academy I will definitely continue to create. I think only by working hard and not being stuck in one place I will find my niche and will make people happy with my work. Thank you for the interview! ■
Vilnius Academy of Arts Telšiai Faculty Metal Art and Jewellery Department Muziejaus st. 29a, LT-87356 Telšiai, Lithuania Contact : Beata Zdramytė beata.zdramyte@gmail.com
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Experiment – iron, plexiglass
A M B E R INCLUSIONS
AMBER WARES, INCLUSIONS BERNSTEINSCHMUCK, INKLUSEN GINTARO DIRBINIAI, -
INKLIU ZAI
Amber Inclusions MB Talino 33/1, 05200, Vilnius, Lithuania tel.: +370 699 576 77, +370 646 302 34 e-mail: info@amberinclusions.eu www.amberinclusions.lt www.amberinclusions.eu
IT’S NOT NECESSARILY DIAMONDS THAT ARE ‘A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND’ Article by Auguste PETRE, Arterritory.com
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A RTISTIC INSPIR ATIONS / L AT V I A N JEW ELLERY R EPORT
An article on Diane Venet’s artist-created jewellery collection that was on view at Latvian National Museum of Art till December 3, 2017.
For
some reason, I’ve always thought that the 20 th century was the most exciting one. Perhaps because of the cardinal changes in culture, art, and politics that could be seen in those 100 years (one could argue the case of civilizations being cyclical in nature, but regardless, modernism’s relevance is indisputable). Or maybe because I’ve always been fascinated by the culture of salons and closed intellectual societies; I’m pretty sure that upon learning of the Bloomsbury Group’s activities, I became literally giddy with joy. And so, on a warm summer’s evening, I invited some friends over for wine and snacks. Almost as if on schedule, we began to talk about art, and what are the contextually correct ways for using the term, i.e. how should one approach art if many see it as a hobby whilst for others, it is a serious profession. All of us engage in the occasional liaison. And no matter how paradoxical it may seem, a break from the daily grind is also necessary for
Auguste PETRE
those whose profession is seen, by some, as a diversion. Artists also like to experiment by stepping out of the bounds of their field of specialization, thereby revealing new sides to their personal forms of expression. One of these “new sides” has become a subject of interest to the French art collector Diane Venet, whose jewellery collection, attentively arranged by the extravagant fashion duo MAREUNROL’S, was on exhibit in the show Jewellery by Artists: From Picasso to Koons. Diane Venet’s Collection, in the Cupola Hall of the Latvian National Museum of Art. For quite a while now, I’ve been into the habit of looking at a person’s hands when first introduced to them. Specifically, their fingers, and whether or not they are wearing any rings. This (now reflexive) quirk of mine has nothing to do with an interest in palmistry or a salacious curiosity about a person’s relationship status. Rather, I’ve always had a keen interest in the jewellery – especially ⊲
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Photo: autore
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A RTISTIC INSPIR ATIONS / L AT V I A N JEW ELLERY R EPORT
⊳ rings – that people have chosen to wear. This could, very possibly, be due to the fact that I rarely wear jewellery myself: watches given as presents stopped ticking years ago, and the pearls I inherited from my grandmother lie in a box, waiting to be handed down to the next generation. My only two favorites are a bracelet with a golden fly, bought at London’s Natural History Museum, and a gold ring based on a reproduction of an ancient artifact, bought at the souvenir shop accompanying the Damien Hirst exhibition Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable. Jewellery requires special attention because, even more so than one’s choice of clothing or other forms of image expression, it reveals the aesthetic requirements of its wearer. Jewellery has played a significant role in people’s lives since antiquity; often it was worn as an amulet or a symbol of protection, and regularly, as a sign of one’s status. As the relevance of religion and politics grew in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, precious adornments became a coded mechanism for displaying ideological power. Diane Venet’s interest in jewellery was spurred by personal events – the collection’s inception is linked to how her husband, the French conceptual artist Bernar Venet, proposed to her. Knowing that Diane was markedly different than other women and not of the kind that yearn for a diamond ring, he instead wrapped a strip of silver around his sweetheart’s ring finger. In this way he both declared his love and created his first piece of jewellery. Mrs. Venet continued to expand her collection much like one write a book – each of the added pieces are associated with an event or occurrence that gives it immeasurable value. Incidentally, one of Pablo Picasso’s objects of affection was, just as Diane, indifferent to diamonds. As Diane recounts: ‘Once, when Picasso’s infidelity had been found out, he came to Dora with a diamond ring. She took it and simply threw it out the window, saying that she doesn’t want diamonds, but something special – something that
Picasso had made himself. He went to the flea market and bought a ring in which he painted Dora’s portrait. This ring recently sold at auction for 450 000 dollars.’ Although Diane admits that the financial value of her collection has substantially risen over the years, it is clear that its core value are the stories that accompany these works of art. Diane Venet’s collection currently has more than 200 pieces of jewellery created by artists, several of which were specially made for her. Gathered together in the assemblage are miniature artworks by 20 th-century masters such as Georges Braque, Salvador Dali, and Max Ernst, as well as completely contemporary flights of fancy by Jeff Koons, Orlan, and others. All of the jewellery in the Venet collection has been created by professional artists – painters and sculptors. The only exception is the silver necklace and earrings created by Finnish designer Tapio Wirkkala, Hopeakuu (Silver Moon, 1970). Interestingly, only a few pieces in the collection have been created by women, once again proving that great artists are not bound into their delivery by strictly feminine or masculine divisions. There is no doubt that jewellery is an essential constituent of fashion, yet some would debate grouping it together with art, basing this upon a contention that has perpetually surrounded the separation of crafts from art. From a superficial standpoint, the only pronounced characteristic that could bar jewellery from being considered true art is the fact that it has a practical use. After all, jewellery is intended to be worn, whereas a painting, sculpture or installation can rarely be looked at through the prism of functionality (design objects and design as such are not being regarded in this argument). However, if we accept that the boundaries of what is or isn’t art are impossible to pin down, why not simply set ourselves free of the issue and just embrace that which is beautiful? While at the Bvulgari y Roma exhibition held at the
Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid about a year ago, for the first time in my life, I was hit with the realization that jewellery leaves no one indifferent. I must say that I’ve never been a huge fan of fancy labels, and I didn’t take my planned visit to the show too seriously. Adding to my skepticism were the long lines at the ticket box and the suspiciously too-good-looking usher who checked our tickets at the entrance to the exhibition. But then, the darkly lit hall welcomed us into its labyrinths much like an exemplary Roman housewife would. Looking at jewellery is completely different than viewing paintings or installations; perhaps because – utterly unawares to the viewer – we perceive them physically, even intimately. Although Diane Venet’s collection doesn’t contain a single piece designed by a professional jeweller or goldsmith, she cedes that pieces by jewellery houses such as Bvlgari, Cartier, and Tiffany & Co. also have artistic value. Nonetheless, their real value lies is their quality and adherence to the relevant standards. According to Venet, the main difference between the pieces in her collection and the jewellery made by professional jewellery houses is the ability of art to live on beyond the constraints of time: ‘Fashion is and stays fashion, even if we’re talking about jewellery. What is in vogue today may not be in vogue tomorrow.’ Both Diane Venet, as a person, and her art jewellery collection are laudable. Over the years, she has developed her collection as an exclusive research project in which the world’s most renown artists have added their hand. When contemplating the connections between Mrs. Venet and her jewellery, I’ve come to the conclusion that it is a link that is neither conventional nor aphoristic. It is an emotional, even agapeic association that can only exist between the inspiring and the inspired. In particular, because the inspiration was created through the crossing of inner boundaries – in this case, an experimental yet decisively sensual liaison. ■
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A RTISTIC INSPIR ATIONS / POLISH JEW ELLERY R EPORT
By Elżbieta SIWIK
A
leksandra Rybak is a young artist exploring two areas of the art, sculpture and design (jewellery design). She graduated from the Faculty of Sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk and post-vocational jewellery design studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź. Her creative search in sculpture evolves from the abstract forms to presentational ones made with the use of natural materials, such as, stone, wood, metal. Her latest works of the Emovere cycle refer to the destruction of the matter and human form as a result of emotions, physical and mental suffering, affective states, strong external stimuli (despair after the loss of the beloved, anxiety and anger following the external circumstances).This is the observation of the nature, its beauty and the complexity of organic forms, which reveals the movement and reaction to changes followed by the transposition of that truth, at the same constituting the very foundation and lifting force of Aleksandra Rybak’s jewellery designs (Lummbricidae, Woodworm). The artist often skips the techniques and technologies used in jewellery adapting those known in sculpture. Both, her sculptures and small jewellery forms reflect the changes in the micro and macro world happening around the constant transformation of the form, structure, texture, colour and energy that constitute the foundation base and lifting force of the transposed contents. She has won numerous prizes and awards, among others, the 1st prize of the District Museum in Sandomierz in the 2. All-Polish Unique Jewellery Competition – Flint Stone – Stone of Optimism , Sandomierz, 2013, and the 1st prize of the Vistula Museum in Kazimierz Dolny in the 17. All-Polish Artistic Jewellery Competition PRESENTATIONS 2017 – Silver and Paper (2017). ■
For a sculptor, a form built of a specific matter, set in space and complemented by light is something obvious. The truth of such an artistic expression is an inner portrait and a mirror, each time approaching the perfection of the definitions of the world in all: life and art. The whole text is dedicated to Ola Rybak, a strong sculptor and feminine individuality. This is what sculptors are like – Szapocznikow, Mitoraj….Ola is a sculptor as well. Prof. Andrzej SZADKOWSKI
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PRESENTATIONS 2017 WINNER
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Aleksandra RYBAK
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CALLING ALL JEWELLERY MAKERS Andrzej KUPNIEWSKI (jeweller), Monika SZPATOWICZ (coordinator of Legnica Jewellery Festival SILVER) and Marcin TYMINSKI (jeweller)
The
deadline for submitting works for the 27th International Jewellery Competition is April 2nd 2018! All jewellery makers and designers are invited to take part. Legnica Jewellery Festival SILVER 2018 Competition’s theme is ILLUSION. The Competition is an open one so everyone is welcome – professional designers as well as amateurs. The task is to create a work depicting the contest theme. The submitted works should be jewellery in the broad sense of the term, they should be characterized by an original, creative idea as well as by high standards of design and execution. There are no restrictions referring to the materials and techniques employed but to honour the competition’s over 30-year-long tradition, the inclusion of silver in the work is expected. An international jury will assess, qualify and award submitted works during their proceedings on April 11th & 12th. The Competition is organized within the framework of Legnica Jewellery Festival SILVER 2018. The names of Competition winners will be announced at the Festival culmination on May 18th & 19th . Participating
in the culmination will be also a chance to see the openings of over 20 Festival exhibitions belonging to the known, established cycles like J-Lab, Silver Schools, About the
artists, Debuts as well as several new projects and related events. Apart from the main exhibition, that is the presentation of works qualified for the Contest, this year Legnica will host expositions by several internationally recognized designers: Ruudt Peters, Katharina Dettar, Alain Roggeman, Andrzej Jacyszyn, Jolanta & Andrzej Kupniewscy among them. Moreover, there will be exhibitions by jewellery schools from Cairo (Egypt), Vilnius (Lithuania) and Hildesheim (Germany); a presentation of a joint project Zone without borders by Czech and Slovak artists as well as a very special exposition by Polish designers organized to celebrate 100 years of Poland’s independence. And these are only some of the attractions awaiting Festival participants and visitors. The exhibitions will be opened from May 1st till June 10 th. Do not miss the chance to see the best and the latest achievements of jewellery makers worldwide. ■
More information: http://www.silver.legnica.pl/en/ silver@galeria.legnica.pl
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Photo: Monika.jpg
A RTISTIC INSPIR ATIONS / POLISH JEW ELLERY R EPORT
ART CENTER ITÄ, IN FINNISH TAIDEKESKUS ITÄ
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By Antonio ALTARRIBA
In February the first I had the joy to be at the opening of a new art center for jewellery and contemporary art in Lappeenranta, Finland (www.taidekeskus-ita.fi). This good news is the fruit of the joint venture between the Finnish Jewellery Art Association and the South-Carelia Artist’s Association.
The
art center site is located in the city centre on a ground floor with big windows facing the water tower. The space is divided into four rooms, one is dedicated to contemporary art, another to jewellery art (at this moment the only one in Finland), a room for art lending services and in the fourth room there is a studio for working. The opening was a success crowded with guests. I had the chance to have some words with associations’s leaders, who told me that cooperation has been their master key of the project. There was a lot of volunteer and professional work to fix the site as a gallery. Openings and press releases will be at the same time every month and depending on the exhibition size, gallery spaces can interchange places. Art lending services promote the work of professional artists and give the public the opportunity to enjoy original art in their home or place of
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I would like to remind readers of this magazine that the most significant international jewellery art event in Finland, KORU, which includes workshops for professionals and students, a seminar (17–18.8) and an exhibition, see the website (www.koru6.fi ). The exhibition will be open at Imatra Art Museum from 20 th of August to 15th of September 2018 and then in October will move to Helsinki. There will be works exhibited of 39 artists from 12 countries. ■
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old-fashioned as an object, tells about our culture and our creative ability to utilize our surrounding. The material is protective, elastic and doesn't decay really. Even there is some natural rubber in the mixture it reminds many people about oil. The two series now presented in the exhibition are also related with their design language. That seems to talk about fruitfulness and abundance or their loss, moving from botanical motives to a female figure that can represent the Mother Earth the symbol of our biosphere. The Mother Nature gives birth, feeds and nourishes, but is anything enough for us?
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business for a small rent. Altogether the center offers something different and exciting, so it may become quite succesful. The opening exhibitions has been invitational and display Arja Martikainen’s ceramic artworks, Jouko Lempinen’s paintings and sculptures, and Tiina Rajakallio’s jewellery artworks. I’m focussing now on the work of Rajakallio (b. 1979), who explores and works mostly with recycled materials, for example, many of the works displayed are made of tractor’s inner tubes. Rajakallio deals with the problematics of natural resources overconsumption, which leads to environmental degradation. At work she gives a new life to recycled materials with a strong aesthetic vision always present, which becomes increasingly her artistic identity. Here some of Tiina Rajakallio’s reflections about the exhibition. We have always been dependent on nature that is providing us the essentials things of life. But is the aim for a never-ending growth and progress made us think everything here is only for us? In this exhibition I'm showing the current state of the project; pieces I have made during the winter 2016– 2017 and one series that I have made recently. The main material is recycled rubber. An old inner tube of tractor or bicycle, even it may be a bit
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A RTISTIC INSPIR ATIONS / SW EDISH JEW ELLERY R EPORT
DREAMING BIG – ENLARGING JEWELLERY TO THE SIZE OF A LANDSCAPE
Interview with Jelizaveta SUSKA by Austeja PETRAUSKAITE www.balticjewellerynews.com
Your biography is very colourful, it seems you never stop creating. What‘s a project you are currently working on? What is your dream project? Thank you. Currently I am working on a virtual reality experience. I always wanted to become tiny and explore gigantic world from a perspective of Thumbelina. Perhaps I even create my jewellery so if I would be tiny I would see a marvellous landscape. So, to make my dream come true I will virtually enlarge my work to the size of a landscape. What makes you passionate about jewellery? I would say it is the possibility to be able to wear the art on yourself or carry it with you. That makes it, in a way, more accessible. Besides, the discipline is relatively new, and I would like to believe that it has a lot of potential.
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Photo: Jelizaveta SUSKA
What has been a seminal experience for you? It is hard to say what was the most crucial experience for me. I would say that it was important to have different perspectives on contemporary jewellery that I learned by having contact with different cultures.
tempting adventures. I still think that, sometimes. It's striking where our imagination can take us. When I work on my jewellery I aim to be a demiurge, to create my own new world. At times, I craft my works so that if I were to become tiny and drop onto my jewellery, I would see a marvellous landscape. Such associations, are for me a vessel that transfer ideas to the material. The pieces are made of your own material where one of the compounds is polymer. How this material came to your jewellery?
What memorable responses have you had to your work? I really enjoy reactions when people realize that my work is not made of stone. It is pure emotion of a surprise! Name three artists you would like to be compared to. Not sure if “compare” would be the right word but I definitely admire works of Otto Künzli, Katashi Kojima and let’s say Daehyun Kim (moonassi). What‘s the best piece of advice you‘ve been given? If it is hard to make a choice between two similar options – pick randomly. ■
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What is the most integral part in your work? What themes do you pursue? You have probably heard of the fairy-tale Thumbelina written by Hans Christian Andersen. When I was a child I imagined myself being as tiny as her; the gigantic world seemed to me to be more beautiful and full of
How has your works change over time? I started my project with a mind map. My key words were “memories” and “silent moment“. I thought that I would like my work to look like stone, as stone is something that is often associated with memories (I think many of us have picked up stone to remember a particular day). Then, after a period of research, I came up with my own material that has two main compounds: polymer, that is light and transparent, just like 'a moment' and crushed marble, that creates an illusion of a solid stone. In the beginning of crafting each piece, the material is hot and dynamic but in a while it turns still, like a metaphor of a moment becoming a memory. Now I am exploring more “horizontally” than “vertically”. What I mean is that I am trying all the possibilities I have with this material. For example, I use different ingredients. In a work series Frozen in Amber I take instead of original marble – amber. I used Baltic amber as I associate it with my homeland – Latvia and with the past. They’re fossils from around 44 million years ago but were also widely used in the Soviet Union. I believe that amber could even be considered as a stereotype of this period. I aim to destroy this perception by crushing the stones and their accepted value by using them in another context and stepping away from what I have seen so many times before. For other edition called The Night I am using magma sand and black marble as symbols of fears and darkness.
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Where do you find inspiration for your design? My inspiration is coming from general experience. I think I am some sort of a “filter” that absorbs all kind of life situations, processes it and produces a product. Result of my art practice is this product. It would be hard to describe it in one example.
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Tell us about yourself. How has your path as a jewellery artist started? I was born in Latvia (1989) and at the age of 24 I moved to Sweden. In 2015 I graduated from the Academy of Design and Crafts (HDK) at the University of Gothenburg. I also studied in Latvia, Germany and Japan. Currently I am a resident at the IASPIS program in Stockholm. I have always been interested in art and have been trying things for as long as I can remember. It is interesting because art brings variety, beauty, fosters independent thinking and new perspectives. And Art jewellery can be all of it. When applying for the Art Academy of Latvia, I chose the discipline that I knew the least about – metal design. Bachelors had a classical jewellery approach, focused on traditional materials. During my second year I did an exchange semester and was tutored by jeweller Georg Dobler. Those five months made me fall in love with art jewellery.
AMBER BLACKSMITH
-
GINTARINĖ KALVĖ
Gint ar u dekor uoti rankų dar bo odiniai papuošalai Originalūs, vienetiniai Baltijos gintaro ir natūralios odos papuošalai. Mūsų darbai išskirtiniai, nes kiekvienas dirbinys nuo pradžios iki pabaigos — tai kruopštaus rankų darbo, reikalaujančio daug kantrybės, kruopštumo bei kūrybiškumo, rezultatas. Priklausomai nuo gintaro spalvos, parenkame ir natūralios odos atspalvius. Taip gimsta įspūdingo grožio Baltijos jūros gintaro, „aprengto“ natūralia oda, papuošalai kurie jus džiugins tikrai ilgai. - +37065637395 (LTU) - +37060792960 (EN) - www.amberblacksmith.eu - ambermanufactures@gmail.com -
A RTISTIC INSPIR ATIONS / GER M A N JEW ELLERY R EPORT
THE BIG BANG! DURING MUNICH JEWELLERY WEEK
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Munich Jewellery Week is an independent initiative that supports, communicates and promotes citywide jewellery exhibitions taking place during the week of the annual Handwerk & Design expo, and its historic jewellery exhibitions: Meister der Moderne, Schmuck and Talente.
From
March 6th till March 13th Munich Jewellery Week showcased avant-garde contemporary jewellery by established and up-and-coming designers from all over the world. This yearly gathering is by far the most significant event on contemporary jewellery’s calendar; it’s a unique phenomenon which plays a pacemaking role in the contemporary jewellery field. Hundreds of makers, students, educators and collectors come from all over the world to be inspired by this diverse programme that ranges from artist-run exhibitions, book launches and lectures to performances, mobile presentations and parties. Over the past decade, the gradual and organic expansion of the independent city exhibitions has boomed to a remarkable 90+ initiatives, establishing a self-ruled dynamic community of local and international artists. The title Munich Jewellery Week was coined in 2015 by Current Obsession to give a name to this extraordinary collective effort, and associate it to other professional fashion and design weeks around the world. The aim remains to represent the multitude of these impressive independent events as a whole, to give them a recognisable visual identity and to offer clear information to new participants, press and international visitors. THE BIG BANG! was one of the most memorable exhibitions during the week. It smashed fresh ideas in the world of contemporary jewellery. Seven young international talents showed their graduate work in the Fine Art field of Gemstone and Jewellery. Students of the Trier University of Applied Sciences in the gemstone town of Idar-Oberstein, they constitute a melting pot of artists from all over the world. In the middle of nature, shielded from distractions and external stimuli they have been concentrated exclusively on art, jewellery, gemstones and their topics. They reflected, exchanged and they developed further their profiles. The conglomeration has been heated up: time to have a closer look at the outcomes of BIG BANG! List of participant artists: Sharareh Aghaei (IR), Adriana Almeida Meza (COL),Vesal Bahmani Nik (IR), Eva Burton (ARG), Helen Habtay (DE), Stefanie Thalhammer (DE), Kun Zhang (CH). ■
Kun ZHANG No title / Object/Brooch / Pink Ivory 115 x 7 x 10 mm / 2017 PH: artist
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Vesal Bahmani NIK Untitled / Object / Basalt 19 x 12.5 x 7 cm / 2017
Leather, Tiger-eye, Ribbon, Rubber 46 x 7.5 x 3cm / 2017
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PH: Wang Qi
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Helen HABTAY Map and Territory, no8. / Necklace
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PH: Nima ASHRAFI
Eva BURTON
Stefanie THALHAMMER
Grave Good, IV / Hand object
Chickenleg / Object / Marble
Anodized aluminum, synthetic zirconium, rose quartz
5.2 x 6.0 x 3.4 cm / 2017 PH: artist
8 x 3.5 x 2.5 cm / 2017 PH: Wang Qi
Adriana Almeida MEZA Berry Kiss No. 0662 / Brooch Silver 925, 18Kt gold, enamel, quartz 6 x 10 x 1 cm / 2017 PH: Kun ZANG
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A RTISTIC INSPIR ATIONS / GER M A N JEW ELLERY R EPORT
JABLONEC ’68 –
FIRST SUMMIT OF JEWELRY ARTISTS FROM EAST AND WEST
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OPENING | 09 MARCH 2018, 07.00 P.M. DURATION OF EXHIBITION | 10 MARCH 2018 – 03 JUNE 2018
2018
marks the 50 th anniversary of the 1. International Silver Smithing Symposium Jablonec ’68. Die Neue Sammlung is devoting an exhibition to this unique historical moment in the history of studio jewelry that will once again feature the jewelry items created back then. Thanks to the Prague Spring in 1968 at the invitation of the Czechoslovak Artists’ Association for the first time European jewelry artists from East and West converged on Jablonec nad Nisou in northern Bohemia for a European summit of jewelry artists: Manaba Magomedova from the Soviet Republic of Dagestan, who later moved to Georgia, and Bruno Martinazzi from Italy, Florica Farcaşu from Rumania and Othmar Zschaler from Switzerland, Jerzey Zaremski from Poland and Elisabeth Kodré-Defner with Helfried Kodré from Austria – Anton Cepka, Helena Frantová, Libuše Hlubučková, Darina Horváthová, Jaroslav Kodeijš, Pavel Krbálek, Blanka Nepasická, Eleonora Rejtharová and Josef Symon as representatives of the host, not to mention Hermann Jünger from Germany. And three artists who – at the end – could not take part into the symposium: E. R. Nele (Germany), Jane Wiberg (Denmark) and Per Arne Lundahl (Sweden). Mostly artists we celebrate today as founders of studio jewelry. From the mid-19 th century onwards, Jablonec nad Nisou with its proximity to the Bohemian glass centers
Catalog cover “1. International Silver Smithing Symposium Jablonec ’68”, Prague 1969. Catalog: Vĕra Vokáčová. Graphic layout: Jiří RATHOUSKÝ. Photo: Adolf VRHEL. Translation: Marie KOTRBOVÁ. Archive: Die Neue Sammlung – The Design Museum
Libereč _and Železn. Brod was considered a mecca of the jewelry industry, glass beads and jewelry were even exported to Africa, and it hosted industrial exhibitions. In the late 1960s, the generally difficult economic situation also hit the Czechoslovak jewelry industry. The symposium sought with the help
of modern design languages and international interaction to find a way out of this dilemma, and build on the successes of Czechoslovak jewelry at the World Exhibitions in Brussels 1958 and Montréal 1967. During the four-week symposium artists created incredible outstanding and sometimes also experimental pieces of silver combined with glass, slade and semiprecious stones. The jewelry pieces which were created in these weeks were than shown in an exhibition which travelled from Muzeum skla a bižuterie in Jablonec nad Nisou (Museum for Glass and Bijoutery) to the Uměleckoprůmyslové museum in Prag (Museum of Arts and Crafts), Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim, Museum für Gestaltung in Zurich, and to the Moravská galerie in Brno (Moravian Gallery). Now, half a century after Jablonec ’68, for the very first time the 70 jewelry items will be presented again, having been preserved to this day in the Muzeum skla a bižuterie (Museum of Glass and Jewelry) in Jablonec nad Nisou. Afterwards the exhibition will be on show at Bröhan Museum in Berlin and at Severočeské muzeum v Liberci. For the Czech Republic, General Consul in Munich, Kristina Larischová will act as patron, and for the Free State of Bavaria, State Secretary Franz Pschierer from the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs and Media, Energy and Technology will act as patron. ■
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Josef SYMON, CSR. Brooch. Silver. Done at 1. Silver Smithing Symposium Jablonec nad Nisou, 1968. Photo: Adolf VRHEL
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Libuše HLUBUČKOVÁ, CSR. Necklace. Silver, glass. Done at 1. Silver Smithing Symposium Jablonec nad Nisou, 1968. Photo: Adolf VRHEL
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⊳ Othmar ZSCHALER, Switzerland. Necklace. Silver, slate. Done at 1. Silver Smithing Symposium Jablonec nad Nisou, 1968. Photo: Adolf VRHEL
Anton CEPKA, CSR. Brooch – kinetic. Silver, garnet. Done at 1. Silver Smithing Symposium Jablonec nad Nisou, 1968. Photo: Adolf VRHEL
PUBLICATION The exhibition will be accompanied by a publication in German/English by
Arnoldsche Art Publishers.
A reprint of the original catalog (printed in only a few issues in 1969) on the jewelry and artists of the Jablonec ’68 symposium will be in the publication. www.balticjewellerynews.com
Hermann JÜNGER, Germany. Necklace. Silver, gold, enamel, gemstones. Done at 1. Silver Smithing Symposium Jablonec nad Nisou, 1968. Photo: Adolf VRHEL
JEWELLERY COLLECTIONS /FINNISH JEWELLERY REPORT
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SHAPING THE VIEW OF FINNISH CONTEMPORARY JEWELLERY The Jewellery Art Association (Korutaideyhdistys ry ) was founded in Lappeenranta, Finland in 2005. During its 10-year career, the association has become one of the largest associations in Finland dedicated to contemporary jewellery. They are an independent association and the organization is mainly based on professional voluntary work.
The
association aims to promote contemporary jewellery in Finland and improve its recognition as a form of art and design. Another goal of the association is to increase awareness about Finnish jewellery internationally. As means towards those ends, the association organizes exhibitions, presentations and discussion panels and distributes information about events.
The association organized an international contemporary jewellery triennal KORU5 in Imatra, Finland in 2015 and will continue organizing the triennial in the future. KORU6 will take place during August 20th
to September 15th 2018.
The Finnish Jewellery Art Association is an association for professional jewellery artists with a connection to Finland (living, working or native). As a member, you receive a
monthly newsletter and a possibility to take part in shows that are membersonly. The association organizes projects open to all jewellery makers, also internationally. The association operates mainly by voluntary work so the members have a chance to be part of the planning and organizing of various projects in Finland and abroad. KOKOELMA – THE COLLECTION The Finnish Jewellery Art Association started to collect Finnish contemporary jewellery in 2008. This collection is simply called Kokoelma, meaning a collection in Finnish. Kokoelma is mainly based on donations from the members of the association. The association also acquires new works to the collection annually when possible. The latest purchases were made in 2017. The collection is also available for museums (for example) to borrow. FEATURED ARTISTS IN THE COLLECTON: Ulla Ahola, Melitina Balabin, Nikolai Balabin, Anna-Leena Haaramäki, Johanna Halme, Juhani Heikkilä, Kimmo Heikkilä, Tuija Hietanen, Eero Hintsanen, Katri Irvankoski, Christine Jalio, Jussi Järvinen, Mari
Keto, Sirja Knaapi, Chao-Hsien Kuo, Mervi Kurvinen, Helena Lehtinen, Tarja Ahola, Sari Liimatta, Mia Maljojoki, Minna Markkanen, Mirja Marsch, Matti Mattsson, Patricia Menviel-Miettinen, Eila Minkkinen, Eija Mustonen, Antti Nieminen, Kati Nulpponen, Maria Nuutinen, Kaisa Nyberg, Wiebke Pandikow, Anu Peippo, Rikkinen&Tanner, Ari Pyörälä, Inni Pärnänen, Tiina Rajakallio, Anna Rikkinen, Essi Sikanen, Jenni Sokura, Mari Syrén, Harri Syrjänen, Janna Syvänoja, Olli Tamminen, Nelli Tanner, Terhi Tolvanen, Tarja Tuupanen, Elo Uibokand, Jaakko Vasko, Monica Wickström, Maria Wikström. ■
THE FINNISH JEWELLERY ART ASSOCIATION
Valtakatu 66, 53100, Lappeenranta, Finland info@korutaideyhdistys.fi http://www.korutaideyhdistys.fi
www.balticjewellerynews.com
Matti MATTSSON SILMÄLASIT VANHOISTA SAKSISTA, EYGLASSES FROM OLD SCISSORS Materials: scissors
Ulla AHOLA Brooch Materials: tiger´s eye, hematite, synthetic ruby, silver, cotton thread, steel needle
Jussi JÄRVINEN Necklace from the series “Minä asun tässä kielessä” Materials: birch wood, copper, cotton
JEWELLERY COLLECTIONS / DANISH JEWELLERY REPORT
The former royal castle Koldinghus celebrates its 750th anniversary. The momentous occasion is marked with the anniversary exhibition “The Splendours of Power”, which tells 750 years of history through royal jewellery, medals and insignias from the halls of power.
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JEWELLERY FROM EUROPEAN ROYAL HOUSES ON DISPLAY GRAND ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION AT KOLDINGHUS
POWER FLOWER BROOCH. The brooch from 2008 consist of folded hundred-kroner bills folded into the shape of a dasy and fastened to a ’bud’ made of short silver tubes. The brooch is jewellery artist Kathrine Borup’s attempt at provoking and sparking reflections and conversations about today’s socially acceptable symbols of wealth, and how we choose to use and display the values we have available. Property of Museet på Koldinghus, photo: Iben KAUFMANN
www.balticjewellerynews.com
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Made by Cartier in 1904. A gift to Queen Ingrid’s mother in 1905. Queen Ingrid, her daughters and the daughters of Princess Benedikte and Queen Anne-Marie all wore the tiara at their weddings. Property of Queen Anne-Marie, photo: Iben KAUFMANN
34 –2018
THE WEDDING TIARA.
CHRISTIAN IV’S ACCOLADE SWORD Probably made circa 1616 in connection with Christian IV’s awarding of knighthoods at Koldinghus. The sword was not actually used in knighthood ceremonies, but in style and splendour it is reminiscent of the Order of The Armed Arm, which Christian IV awarded for the first and only time at this occasion. Property of the Royal Danish Collection at Rosenborg, photo: Iben KAUFMANN
www.balticjewellerynews.com
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JEWELLERY COLLECTIONS / DANISH JEWELLERY REPORT
‘DOES THE CARPET MATCH THE DRAPES’.
Rank,
riches and ideals are expressed in the jewellery worn by the most powerful men and women in society. The jewellery thus tells the story of changing forms of government, power structures, styles and perceptions of body and gender. The anniversary exhibition at Koldinghus tells 750 years of history through a wide selection of jewellery, medals and insignias on loan from, among the others, the Danish, British and Swedish royal houses, Tiffany in New York, Cartier in Paris, Shamballa Jewels, Napoleon Museum Thurgau in Switzerland, The Royal Danish Collection at Rosenborg, Designmuseum Danmark and other Danish and European museums, companies and private collectors. The jewellery exhibits give the guests a chance to get close to some of the most powerful people in Denmark and throughout Europe. The jewellery and the persons they belong or belonged to have all played a direct or indirect role in the 750-year history of Koldinghus and in the national and international stories that the castle is a part of. During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, signet rings were often used to stamp the wax seal on important documents. The exhibition includes a small signet stone that was discovered in 1863 in the grave of the founder of Koldinghus, King Erik Klipping (1249–1268), in Viborg Cathedral. The stone may have been mounted on the king’s signet ring and used in the royal seal on Danish state documents. The main purpose of the other pieces of jewellery from the period was to express power and status. This was effectively done through large eye-catching gold jewellery with precious stone, for example Queen Dorothea’s bridal ornament from 1557. Alliances or bonds of allegiance were also the background for the establishment of royal orders during the period of absolute monarchy in Denmark. Insignias from one of the orders of chivalry at display in the exhibition was a clear indication that the wearer enjoyed the king’s favour. With the end of the absolute monarchy and the introduction of democracy, the monarch lost all political power, and royal jewellery became
Artist Laura Jack’s work from 2017 is a political comment on conventional notions of the human body, especially women’s bodies, in the year 2017. Property of Laura JACK Jewellery
mainly a reflection of the long and glorious history of the royal family. A good example is the necklace with a replica of the Dagmar Cross that Princess Alexandra received as a wedding present from Frederik VII on her marriage to the British crown prince, the later Edward VII, in 1863. The first half of the 20th century was marred by two world wars, and the Nazi regime in Germany in particular used medals and insignias in their attempt to create a new world order. Among the Nazi insignias at the exhibition is the so-called ’Ehrenkreuz der Deutschen Mutter’ (Cross of Honour of the German Mother) given to German women who had borne 4, 6, 8 or more children of documented pure Aryan descent. The exhibition also includes both Danish and international counterreactions to the Nazi occupation, from the small patriotic badges worn by Danish men and women as brooches and cufflinks to more luxurious jewellery in precious metals with gemstones from some of Europe’s leading jewellery houses, such as the small brooches of caged birds that Cartier in Paris made, displayed and sold from their Paris shop. In today’s globalized world, the power structures are far more complex than before, and this too is reflected in jewellery. Economic and political power is not necessarily put on display. Today’s business tycoons do not wear golden chains on top
“NUCLEAR POWER? NO THANKS!” PIN. One of the best-known political pins from the 1970s. The motif comes from a mural in the Danish city of Aarhus, and the pin with the smiling political protest against nuclear power is known in more than 45 language and is still sold by environmental organizations and museums. Property of Museet på Koldinghus, photo: Iben KAUFMANN
www.balticjewellerynews.com
QUEEN DOROTHEA’S BRIDAL ORNAMENT. In 1557 Queen Dorothea gifted the large bridal ornament to the City of Copenhagen for daughters of the city’s mayors and aldermen to wear at their weddings. Through the jewellery, Dorothea was symbolically present at all important weddings in Copenhagen. The piece is a combination of repurposed gemstones and jewellery elements. Property of Museum of Copenhagen, photo: Iben KAUFMANN
of their clothes, like Medieval and Renaissance kings and aristocrats; instead they might choose the Rolex watch with the ice-blue dial that that only connoisseurs will recognize as the extremely exclusive platinum edition. This watch is included in the exhibition as a more contemporary example of economic power. The “Splendours of Power” opens on Saturday, 5 May 2018 at Koldinghus and is open until 30 September 2018. ANNIVERSARY CATALOGUE The anniversary catalogue published in connection with the exhibition includes a preface by Thomas Thulstrup, director of Museet på Koldinghus and descriptions and photos of all the exhibits on display. In addition, it offers 12 feature articles by a number of experts, mainly affiliated with the lending institutions or Koldinghus. The articles provide more in-depth information about select pieces, persons and events associated with the jewellery and Koldinghus. The catalogue offers insight into the ideas behind the exhibition and the selection of jewellery, in exhibition curator Anni Nørskov Mørch’s introductory article; Queen Margrethe’s fascinating story about some of the royal jewellery on display; and Head of Cultural Heritage Steen Rosenvinge Lundbye’s article on the 750-year history of Koldinghus. The catalogue also deals with Renaissance jewellery, orders of chivalry, the Napoleonic wars, the sale of the French crown jewels after the French revolution, patriotic jewellery during the Second World War and many other topics. ■
CONTACT Thomas Thulstrup, museum director at Koldinghus: +45 7979 1071/ +45 2445 8582 Anni Nørskov Mørch, curator at Koldinghus: +45 7979 1096/ +45 2125 3467 Nanna Ebert, head of communications at Koldinghus: +45 7979 1074/ +45 5133 6644
www.balticjewellerynews.com
Ganyklų str. 18, LT-00138 Palanga, Lithuania Tel./fax: +370 460 51230; Mob. +370 698 79791 E-mail: info@ambermanus.com www.ambermanus.com
p. 94 34 –2018 B A LT I C J E W E L L E R Y N E W S
AMBER ART DECO Who were the artists who created unique art decojewellery in 1919–1939 and who were the recipients of their works? Where amber originated from and who supplied it? How was it obtained to make jewellery? You will find the answers to these questions at the exhibition “Amber Art Deco…” open from 26January to 30September 2018 at the Amber Museum in Gdansk, Branch of the Historical Museum of the City of Gdansk.
Art deco,
a style in art and architecture popular in 1919-1939, was not an art for the masses. It was definitely intended for wealthy and educated elites. Such clients were offered small utility objects characterized by refinement, which commonly decorated fashionable interiors. They were made of amber or decorated with amber– a total of 186 exhibits, as well as a unique film from the 1930s. Amber Art Deco–not only for Ladies… Today amber is mainly associated with jewellery for women. Nearly a century ago, smooth or faceted, transparent or opaque beads and tears were embedded on the metal, sometimes silver sticks of products manufactured in Gdansk, which were arranged in buds, flowers, and also geometrical patterns. They came with leaves, also placed on sticks, delicately contoured, with light, engraved pattern of veins. Men also fell in love with amber – in their own way… “Of all accessories the most fashionable were accessories for smokers, so not only traditional pipes or cigar cases, but also ashtrays, cigarette and cigar holders, matchboxes and lighters, as well as the clocks, barometers, thermometers, inkwells, decorative plates, chandeliers and many more. These items will be exposed at the show dedicated to the phenomenon of amber in the inter-war period”, says RenataAdamowicz, a member of the staff at the Amber Museum, curator of the exhibition.
How was amber obtained in the period of Art Deco? See a unique movie! We can say a lot about the show itself and the exhibits exposed, butmuch can be captured, and most of allcan be shown in the film. The archival document presented at the exhibition tells us about the extraction of amber in the interwar years. It was filmed on the territory of today’s Kaliningrad region… “A metal box with film tape was found in the attic and handed over to the Amber Museum in 2010 by AleksanderGliwinski, a well-known amberman. A 10-minute film is a unique discovery. Very few of such materials have survived and we are happy to have it in collections. Out visitors will be surprised greatly by the contrast between the recipients of amber masterpieces and those who extracted the valuable resin”, says RenataAdamowicz. Amber Art Deco in 130 pages The exhibition is accompanied by a 130-page catalogue containing photographs of all the heroes of the show, which will be released in 300 copies. You can buy it at the box officeof the museum. You will also find there interesting essays of prof. Anna Sieradzka, the most eminent expert on art and the era of Art Deco in Poland, as well as dr. Leonard Tomczyk from the Lohr am Main Museum, author of the monograph Die Staatliche Bernstein ManufakturKönigsberg 1926–1945. This will be the first Polish publication about the history and production of the State Amber Manufactory in Kaliningrad. ■
www.balticjewellerynews.com
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JEWELLERY COLLECTIONS / POLISH JEWELLERY REPORT
EXHIBITION VISITING Date: 25 January – 30 September 2018* Place: Amber Museum, Court Room, TargWęglowy 26, Gdansk, Poland.
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IN TER NATIONA L A MBER A SSOCI ATION /
B A LT I C J E W E L L E R Y N E W S
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MOBILE IAA AMBER LABORATORY In
2015, the International Amber Association launched the IAA Amber Laboratory at its new head office in Gdańsk. The need to establish an Amber Laboratory had been discussed since the beginning of the Association (1996). The jewellery market also demanded that an efficient amber product certification system be designed and implemented. In 2017, the IAA Amber Laboratory had to face a new challenge: the market came to expect tests and certification to be provided outside the IAA’s Gdańsk head office. The Jubinale Trade Show in Cracow and
Gold Expo in Warsaw invited the IAA to open its lab at their exhibitions. The inquisitive visitors of the shows asked about the certificates and inquired about testing methods. The exhibitors were happy to use the services of the Laboratory to give their customers an opportunity to verify the authenticity of their products with a certificate. Next, the mobile Laboratory provided its services at CIJF Beijing. The organiser of China’s largest jewellery show invited us to work with them and set up an amber laboratory. For 3 years now, the IAA has organised the Polish Pavilion at the November China International Jewelry Fair (CIJF) held by the Gems & Jewellery Trade Association of China (GAC). The Laboratory was run by IAA experts in partnership with the Gdańsk University of Technology. The Laboratory helped the customers find out if the products they had purchased were made of amber and, moreover, what kind of amber (Baltic, Mexican, Burmese amber). The pieces were tested using non-destructive methods, by means of an FTIR spectrophotometer and standard gem lab equipment. It was mainly Baltic amber that was tested. There was also Burmese amber and several fakes, i.e.
young natural resins and synthetic resins. Apart from the Laboratory and the Polish Pavilion, the IAA also organised an amber seminar. Two IAA expert, Dr Ewa Wagner-Wysiecka and Michał Kosior, presented the latest design trends, along with topics of amber testing and identifying fakes. The China International Jewelry Fair (CIJF) is China’s largest event for the jewellery industry. Products are presented there by 2,500 exhibitors on 50,000 m2 of booth space, with 100,000 visitors. The Polish Pavilion showcased 11 manufacturers of amber jewellery, along with the IAA Amber Laboratory. We would like to thank Mr Li Wenwei and the NGTC for their help and support in organising the Laboratory. We also thank the Trade and Investment Promotion Section (WPHI) at the Polish Embassy in Beijing for their support in organising the amber seminar. Our joint presentation and the work of our Laboratory have resulted in an invitation to the world's largest jewellery show, the UBM September Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair in Hongkong. The IAA Amber Laboratory has an opportunity to make a presence in a prestigious setting among the best gemmology laboratories and organisations. ■
www.balticjewellerynews.com
KARIN NORDMANN E mail: amber @mail.dk P hone : + 4 5 4 01 4 6599 www .amber- r esear ch .dk
Endless switching & combining iXXXi JEWELRY your taste, your combination
www.ixxxi-jewelry.com Watchit11 International B.V. | De Schacht 15 | 5107 RD Dongen | The Netherlands | +31 (0)162 - 311557
Surprisingly different: iXXXi Jewelry - cheeky and rocking or chic and elegant? iXXXi Jewelry surprises and sets impulses! Every day you want something new. Pure seduction. That’s what the Dutch label iXXXi Jewelry stands for with its high-quality jewelery creations. iXXXi Jewelry offers fashionable, unique accessories with added value. The successful concept is based on the desire to express one’s own style every day. With iXXXi Jewelry, no two days are the same. The pieces of jewelery can be put together individually according to your mood. Today cheeky and rocky, or rather chic and elegant? The iXXXi ring leaves nothing to be desired and shows itself again and again from a new page.
Endless switching Simple and creative. Consisting of a base and individually expandable filling rings, there are endless possibilities to create your personal favorite ring. The base ring is available in high-quality, nickel-free stainless steel in gold, silver, black or rose gold option, in the widths 0.8 cm to 1.6 cm. It is supplemented with filling rings made of different materials and colors. Sparkling zirconia stones, magical symbols or engraved life wisdom allow a new style every day, individually and suitable for every occasion. Retail sales price for rings as from Euro 50.00.
Simple and creative The iXXXi Jewelry concept, which can be displayed in a small area, not only promotes the fashion competence of the retailer. The desire to create new, unique creations, on the one hand, increases the frequency and return of regular customers, on the other hand, it offers the opportunity to win new, previously unreached customer groups. IXXXi Jewelry’s season-independent rings are instantly available and can be reordered at any time for optimal inventory management. With interesting margins and attractive retail prices, the collection of iXXXi Jewelry is a valuable addition to the footwear, fashion or leather goods trade. The iXXXi Jewelry range is rounded off by trendy necklaces, bracelets and stud earrings.
Endless switching & combining iXXXi Jewelry Your taste, your combination
www.ixxxi-jewelry.com
Modulinė lauko sofa Conic
Skėtis Galileo inox
Fotelis Mamuth
Infraredinis šildytuvas
Kavos staliukai On the move
Kolekcija CORE
C O P E N H A G E N SCANDINAVIAN DESIGN
Klaipėda Dubysos g. 10, „Švyturio“ arena, 8 vartai +370 46 492 079
Kaunas Verslo centras MONA Savanorių pr. 187 +370 37 732 159
Vilnius Verslo centras VICTORIA J. Jasinskio g. 16 B +370 5 276 2106
w w w . v a d a s i g a . l t / w w w . a k m e j a . LT
琥珀时间: 琥珀时间，2014年创立于中国山西。品牌主营琥珀、玉石、贵金属等高端珠宝品类，服务于中高端消费市场，深谙中国本地客 户的产品需求。几年来坚持专注原创设计时尚珠宝镶嵌，为客户提供从选料、设计、切割、雕刻、抛光到成品镶嵌的珠宝定制 一条龙服务。品牌拥有自己的加工厂 ，并有杰出的专业的设计师、雕刻师及镶嵌师团队，掌握琥珀加工及贵金属镶嵌的核心技 术，产品质量卓越，满足国际化市场的高水准要求。
Amber’s Time: The Jewelry Brand “Amber’s Time” was established in Shanxi, China in 2014. We offer a wide range of amber, jade and precious metal jewelries, targeting the mid-high end Chinese consumer market, whose specific product needs have been carefully studied and analyzed by our production and sales team. We focus on original jewelry designs, and offer our customers a complete set of service from material selection to product design and production, including raw stone cutting, engraving, polishing and finally inlaying. We have our own processing factory, with a great team of professional designers and craftsmen, to ensure that our products are of the highest international quality standards.
深圳市宝安区松岗镇松瑞路2号红星维也纳酒店3楼A9, 号商铺.樊科洋13233613873 Address: A9 3rd Floor, Hongxing Weiyena Contact: Fan Keyang: (+86) 13233613873
Hotel, Songwriting Street 2, Songgang, Bao An Area, Shenzhen
MARKET REVIEW / WORLDWIDE JEWELLERY REPORT
List of open selling prices of amber production of
JSC Kaliningrad Amber Factory Valid from 01-01-2018
Amber of commission sorting Sort 1
Open selling prices (excluding VAT), EUR/ kg
500 g – 1000 g
4940
300 g – 500 g
4445
200 g – 300 g
4045
100 g – 200 g
3640
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Amber of weight sorting Sort 1 50 g – 100 g
2960
20 g – 50 g
2010
10 g – 20 g
1005
5 g – 10 g
520
Amber of weight sorting Unsorted 2g–5g
170
Amber of filter sorting 2,5–5 g or fraction +16
140
Fraction +14
70
Fraction +11,5
40
Fraction +4-11,5
9
Fraction -11,5+8
10
Fraction -8+4
1,5
www.balticjewellerynews.com
MARKET REVIEW / WORLDWIDE JEWELLERY REPORT
The Worldwide Price for
Raw Amber
Price / 1 kg – EUR
+5 faction
6
2
+6 faction
10
3
+8 faction
30
4
+11,5 faction
60
5
+14 faction
100
6
+16 faction
170
7
2,5 gr. – 5 gr.
250
8
5 gr. – 10 gr.
400
9
10 gr. – 20 gr.
800
10
20 gr. – 50 gr.
2000
11
50 gr. – 100 gr.
3500
12
100 gr. – 200 gr.
4010
13
200 gr. – 300 gr.
3700
14
300 gr. – 500 gr
4200
FACTIONS 20–50 G RAW AMBER PRICE CHANGE 2006 FERBRUARY – 2018 MARCH EUR per kg
4300 3900 3500 3100 2700 2300 1900 1500 1100 700 300
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 03 08 03 08 03 08 03 08 03 08 03 08 03 08 03 08 03 06 08 03 08 03 08 03 08 03
If you have any questions concerning these prices, please, contact our office:
info@balticjewellerynews.com www.balticjewellerynews.com
34 –2018
Regular Amber Piece Size
1
B A LT I C J E W E L L E R Y N E W S
No.
p. 105
March 2018
Beauty and Luxury of Baltic Amber ! Our shops:
Klaipeda, Turgaus str.3, t. +370 46 213390, mob. +370 619 55099 Vilnius, Didzioji str. 6, t. +370 5 261 7058, mob. +370 693 04542 Riga, Kramu 4, t./fax. +371 294 84807 New shop and museum in Riga, Valnu str. 23 t./fax. +371 294 84807
OUR PRODUCTS ARE MADE FROM NATURAL BALTIC AMBER We produce various souvenirs, paintings, main activities of various amber products. Our website provides a comprehensive overview of each product. You can order products which you liked. If you did not find the right one, we will produce according to your instructions. You can contact us and we will try to meet your desires. We make orders within 2-5 weeks. We can guarantee that when you buy from us, you will buy products made of natural amber instead of substitutes or plastics !!! Our contacts: You can find us at the address: Kretinga, PalydovĹł 2 www.amberage.com info@amberage.com Telefonas: + 370 (683) 60166
MARKET REVIEW / WORLDWIDE JEWELLERY REPORT
The Worldwide Price for
Amber Silver 925 Jewellery March 2018
AMBER SILVER 925 JEWELLERY PRICE CHANGE AUGUST 2010 – AUGUST 2017 EUR / g
Amber Silver 925 Jewellery
Price EUR/g
Handmade
1,69
Machine made
1,46
Data
EUR/kg
2018 02
13,45
2018 01
13,84
2017 12
14,07
2017 11
14
2017 10
14,45
2017 09
14,27
3 2
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1 0
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 08 03 03 08 03 08 03 08 03 08 03 08 03 08 03
Handmade
Machine made
SILVER PRICE CHANGE 2017 SEPTEMBER - 2018 FEBRUARY EUR / kg
16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0
2017 09
2017 10
2017 11
2017 12
2018 01
2018 02
www.quandl.com
If you have any questions concerning these prices, please, contact our office:
info@balticjewellerynews.com
www.balticjewellerynews.com
MARKET REVIEW / WORLDWIDE JEWELLERY REPORT
The Worldwide
Gold Price
1 121,4
1200
February
1 159,6
1175
March
1 151,4
1150
April
1 180,4
1125
May
1 125,8
June
1 121,6
July
1 073,1
August
1 086,2
September
1 103,8
October
1 088,4
November
1 092,1
Desember
1 067,2
2018 January
1 090,9
February
1 077,1
1100 1050 1000
2017 2018
January
February
March
April
May
June
invest@gold.org
www.balticjewellerynews.com
July
August
September October November Desember January February
34 –2018
Eur
2017 January
B A LT I C J E W E L L E R Y N E W S
Data
EUR per troy ounce
p. 109
Monthly average 2017–2018
M A JOR J E W E L L E R Y T R A DE FA I R S /
MAJOR TRADE FAIRS IN January 2018 – October 2018
Major Trade Fairs in January 2018 – October 2018 METS exhibition Date: 1–5 March, 2018 www.mets.hk/en/index.php exhibition@mets.hk HKTDC Hong Kong International Jewellery Show Date: 1–5 March, 2018 Location: Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre Hkjewelleryshow.hktdc.com exhibitions@hktdc.org 20 Hangzhou International Jewelry Exhibition Date: 9–12 March, 2018 Location: Hangzhou Peace International Conference & Exhibition Center, Hangzhou Hzqiyang.com qiyanghz@163.com
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th
XV International Baltic Jewellery Show Amber Trip Date: 14–17 March, 2018 Location: LITEXPO, Vilnius, Lithuania www.ambertrip.com info@ambertrip.com Beijing (Spring) International Jewelry, Jade and Ornament Fair Date: 16–19 March, 2018 Location: China National Agricultural Exhibition Co ltd Qiyangbj.com zgbjqy@126.com Amberif, International Fair of Amber, Jewellery and Gemstones Date: 21–24 March, 2018 Venue: Exhibition Center Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland www.amberif.amberexpo.pl amberif@mtgsa.com.pl ewa.rachon@mtgsa.com.pl Istanbul Jewelry Show March Date: 22–25 March, 2018 Venue: CNR Expo Center, Istambul, Turkey www.istanbuljewelryshow.com inquiries@rotaforte.com BASELWORLD 2018 Date: 22–27 March, 2018 Location: Basel, Switzerland www.baselworld.com visitor@baselworld.com 19 Baimu Nanjing International Jewelry Fair Date: 30 April – 2 March, 2018 Location: Nanjing International Exhibition Center, Nanjing Njzbexpo.com zfexpo@126.com th
44th MidEast Watch & Jewellery Show Date: 3–7 April, 2018 Location: Expo Centre Sharjah, Sharjah Mideastjewellerynews.com amjed@expo-centre.ae
Jovella 2018 Date: 26–27 June, 2018 Venue: Tel Aviv, Israel www.stier.co.il/Jovella/index_en.asp expo@stier.co.il
44th and 45th Mideast Watch & Jewellery Show 2018 Date: 3–7 April, 2018 Location: Sharjah, United Arab Emirates www.mideastjewellery.com info@expo-centre.ae
JAFAIR Date: 29–30 July, 2018 Venue: Tallinn, Estonia www.jafair.eu contact@jafair.eu
ARU ALMATY, 30 International Jewellery Fair Date: 5–8 April. 2018 Location: Almaty, Kazakhstan www.kazexpo.kz kazexpo@kazexpo.kz th
International Gold & Jewelry Exhibition 2018 Date: 23–28 April, 2018 Location: Mishref, Kuwait www.kif.net info@kif.net 35th Jewellery Expo Ukraine 2018 Date: 26–29 April, 2018 Location: Kiev, Ukraine www.kmkya.kiev.ua info@kmkya.kiev.ua Oroarezzo Date: 5–8 May, 2018 Location: Arezzo, Italy www.oroarezzo.it oroarezzo@oroarezzo.it IJK –22th International Jewellery Kobe 2018 Date: 16–18 May, 2018 Location: Tokyo, Japan www.ijk-fair.jp ijk-eng@reedexpo.co.jp New Russian Style Date: 24–28 May, 2018 Location: Moscow, Russia www.eng.rjexpert.ru inter@jnwex.com G.L.D.A. Las Vegas Gem & Jewelry Show Date: 28–31 May, 2018 Location: Las Vegas, USA www.glda.com info@glda.com JCK Las Vegas Date: 1–4 June, 2018 Venue: Las Vegas, USA www.jckonline.com inquiry@jck.reedexpo.com
New Nordic Date: 17–19 August, 2018 Venue: Copenhagen, Denmark www.newnordicshow.dk hw@designuresmykker.dk Japan Jewellery Fair (JJF) Date: 28–30 August, 2018 Venue: Tokyo, Japan www.japanjewelleryfair.com info@japanjewelleryfair.com AMBERMART Date: 6–8 September, 2018 Venue: Gdansk, Poland www.ambermart.amberexpo.pl ewa.rachon@mtgsa.com.pl Precious Date: 6–8 September, 2018 Location: Stockholmsmässan, Mässvägen 1, 125 80 Älvsjö, Sweden www.preciousfair.se asa.axelson@preciousfair.se Asia Fashion Jewellery & Accessories Fair-September Date: 12–15 September 2018 Venue: HKCEC, Hong Kong www.asiafja.com salesafj@cmpasia.com September Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair Date: 12–16 September 2018 AsiaWorld-Expo, Hong Kong; Date: 14–18 September 2018 Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre www.Jewellerynetasia.com salesjwf@cmpasia.com International Jewelry & Watch Show Abu Dhabi (JWS) Date: 25–28 October, 2018 Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, ADNEC www.jws.ae Mohamad.mehieddine@reedexpo.ae
JUBINALE 2018 Date: 7–9 June, 2018 Venue: Krakow, Poland www.jubinale.com info@jubinale.com
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ООО «Сувениры Балтики» - ведущее предприятие в Калининградской области по производству изысканных эксклюзивных изделий из янтаря в серебре и золоте. На предприятии трудятся дипломированные художники, выполняющие филигранную резьбу по солнечному камню. Высокий профессионализм, творческий подход и оригинальность в поиске новых стилистических решений позволяет фирме создавать изящные изделия, соответствующие духу времени. Творения художников ООО «Сувениры Балтики» - не просто сувениры, а произведения искусства высокого класса и мастерства. Эти шедевры незаменимы в качестве подарка для праздников и деловых встреч.
JEWELLERY ART CONTEST “NOTHING TO DECLARE” 2018 is a special year for Lithuania as this year the country celebrates its 100th anniversary of the restoration of independence. To survive todays day we had to overcome a number of ideological and bureaucratic barriers. To return home, we had to shake out our suitcases during customs checks. But now at the airport, we are quietly passing through the gate named “Nothing to declare”. We have nothing to hide, we have nothing to declare. For more information about the traveling exhibitions and where it will be shown:
+370 687 72175, Office@balticjewellerynews.com