Vicenzaoro Highlights, January 2023: A Window to the World

Over 1,300 exhibitors from 36 different nations. With such important numbers, this edition of Vicenzaoro January opens with high hopes and the certainty that visitors will be able to find excellent business opportunities, due to having at their disposal a rich selection of Made in Italy excellences and the best foreign players, amounting to 40% of the total number of participating companies, and 400 hosted buyers from more than 60 countries, thanks to the support of ITA – Italian Trade Agency’s global network of offices. Positive initial inputs that were further endorsed by Marco Carniello, Global Exhibition Director Jewellery & Fashion at IEG: «These numbers confirm Vicenzaoro’s status as the international show of reference in Europe for our large and lively industry. But it is above all the choral participation of the community that is the heart of the event, enlivened by the  presence and contribution of all the major players. From companies to buyers, from trade associations to international institutions, opinion leaders, the media and the young goldsmiths of tomorrow, to whom we are dedicating ad hoc activities so that they can fully grasp the great attractiveness of this sector and the cultural wealth it expresses in terms of high specialization and business development, the ability to innovate in a sustainable manner as well as to export creativity and design.» The Jewellery Boutique Show, thanks to Italian Exhibition Group’s constant commitment, is therefore increasingly representative of the entire industry and opens its first edition in 2023 with many new features, including a series of outstanding new entries in the ICON community and the debut of the new TIME community, with fifty or so realities including manufacturers, brands and micro-brands with multi-channel distribution, services, components, accessories and aftersales, covering the entire watchmaking supply chain. And that's not all. Lovers of vintage and collectable watches and jewelry will also find satisfaction in the now customary VO Vintage “lounge”, the only area of Vicenzaoro open to the public as well as to trade. Among the curiosities to be highlighted is the collective of no less than 15 Sicilian companies that will be exhibiting in Hall 1.7 and in the Glamroom, offering an interesting insight into what Made in Sicily jewelry means today. «This is a strategic opportunity to intercept new markets,» commented Sicilian Regional President, Renato Schifani, who will be at the show today, accompanied by Edy Tamajo, Councilor for Productive Activities. «The regional government is aiming at internationalization and remains firmly at the side of companies in this delicate phase of rising costs with various incentives and support measures.» January in Vicenza also means T.Gold, the hub for technology applied to the jewelry world, which, after two years of market uncertainty, has registered a 10% increase in the number of participating companies. The exhibition area in Hall 9 has been purposefully enlarged to house them. With a view to training and constant support for research into sector innovation, the five days of the fair will also be staging over 40 events, including talks, seminars and workshops, that will embrace key themes such as trends, high-tech and sustainability. Looking at this first day, for example, there will be a talk today organized by Club degli Orafi that will report on a series of data from the annual report produced by Intesa Sanpaolo's Study and Research Department. The situation can also be outlined by drawing on ISTAT data processed for Federorafi by the Confindustria Moda’s Study Centre. In a nutshell, the Made in Italy gold and jewelry sector registered an extremely positive trend in foreign trade, which in the first nine months of 2022 grew in value by 27.2% compared to January-September 2021, standing at just over 7 billion euros. An increase that is +41.4% more than the 5.07 billion euros exported in the first nine months of 2019. However, growth slowed down in the third quarter of 2022: after increases of more than +30% in value in the first and second quarters, exports recorded +14.6% from July to September. 2023 will therefore still be complicated, but there is no lack of enthusiasm and courage, which raises hopes for another “golden year”. Instead, the streets of the historic center will be full of talk about the “Golden District” thanks to VIOFF, Vicenzaoro’s Off Show, with a series of activities, itineraries and events that will involve the entire area, so that visitors will be able to discover the history, art and culture of Vicenza’s splendid province.