HONG KONG, March 8, 2026 - (ACN Newswire) – The 42nd Hong Kong International Jewellery Show and the 12th Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show wrapped up successfully today. Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) under the “Two Shows, Two Venues” format,  the twin shows together drew some 80,000 buyers from 150 countries and regions, with the Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show welcoming over 28,000 buyers from 125 countries and regions and  the Jewellery Show attracting over 51,000 buyers from 140 countries and regions.

Jenny Koo, Deputy Executive Director of the HKTDC, said: “The twin jewellery shows hosted about 4,000 exhibitors from more than 40 countries and regions. Buyer attendance from the Philippines, Korea, Australia and Switzerland all recorded significant growth, a testament to the strong international standing of the twin shows. Over 30 industry seminars and events were held during the shows, keeping industry professionals informed of the latest market and industry trends. We were pleased to welcome three pavilions making their debut at the show, namely the Hard Pure Gold Pavilion, the Zhushan Turquoise Pavilion and the Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Pavilion, each showcasing their jewellery craftsmanship to international buyers.”

Industry optimistic about Korea and ASEAN markets

To gain deeper insights into jewellery industry trends, the HKTDC conducted an on-site survey of 1,509 exhibitors and buyers. Results indicate that both buyers and exhibitors are cautiously optimistic about the economic outlook. Key findings are:

Market and industry outlook

• 44.3% of respondents expect overall sales to increase in the next one to two years; 49% expect sales to remain stable.
• Respondents view the following markets as having good or very good growth potential for jewellery products over the next two years: Korea (73.2%), ASEAN (71.8%), Chinese Mainland (68.5%), Taiwan (65.3%), Australia (64.1%).
• For those markets with the greatest development potential, most respondents plan to explore: Europe (20.8%), ASEAN (16.8%), Chinese Mainland (15.3%), Japan (15.3%), Taiwan (10.8%).
• In the next three years, technological advancements in artificial intelligence (66.1%), social media (43.7%), and big data (41.5%) are expected to have the greatest impact on the jewellery industry.

Product trends

• Products with the strongest growth potential this year include trendy fashion jewellery (57.3%), precious jewellery (35.1%), and designer jewellery (21.1%).
• The most popular precious metal products in 2026 are karat yellow gold (40.1%), karat white gold (31.7%) and pure gold (28%).
• The most popular gemstones this year are diamonds (28.8%), followed by rubies (24.7%) and pearls (19.7%).

Riding the gold wave: Chinese Mainland hard pure gold makers go global

The government’s latest Budget Speech highlighted plans to strengthen Hong Kong’s status as an international gold trading market which is expected to bring new momentum to gold demand in the jewellery market. Adding to the excitement, the World Gold Council led 10 exhibitors from the Chinese Mainland for the first time to launch the Hard Pure Gold Pavilion at this year’s show, which proved to be one of the show's major highlights.

Regional CEO Roland Wang said: “The Hong Kong International Jewellery Show has been instrumental in helping Chinese gold manufacturers connect with international buyers and expand their market reach. We have already received a considerable number of orders in just the first three days. Our current focus is on developing markets in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and India, where interest in hard pure gold products is steadily growing. More affordable, lighter-weight hard pure gold pieces are proving particularly attractive to younger middle-class consumers.”

Sharon Weng, Deputy General Manager of YueHao Jewellery, a Shenzhen-based exhibitor at the Hard Pure Gold Pavilion, said: “Expanding our overseas client base is a key business priority for us this year, and the show has provided the ideal platform to pursue that goal. We have also established connections with Southeast Asian markets, including Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand." Another Chinese Mainland exhibitor specialising in hard pure gold jewellery expressed plans to set up an office in Hong Kong in the near future, to better leverage the city as a springboard for global expansion.

Sales surpass expectations as diamonds captivate buyers

Sales at the shows this year exceeded expectations for many exhibitors. Youngeun Kim, founder of Soyou, a Korean exhibitor, said: "Through the world's largest jewellery trade platform, we have successfully connected with potential buyers from the Chinese Mainland, Africa and the United Kingdom, and expect our sales to grow by 30% compared with last year."

Hong Kong exhibitor SimStar Asia Limited, which specialises in high-value, investment-grade diamonds, secured several orders from buyers in Europe and the United States during the show, with total transactions running into the millions of US dollars. The company also projected a 10% increase in annual sales and noted that demand for high-clarity, top-colour white diamonds in the 5 to 10-carat range remains robust, while rare red and blue diamonds are also drawing keen interest from buyers.

This year, the Hall of Fame grew by more than 40%. Emre Can, Export Sales Manager of Zen Diamond, a Turkish exhibitor, shared that while the company initially came with the aim of expanding into Asian markets, buyers from the United Kingdom and the United States had already expressed interest on Day One. Existing clients from Europe and South America also travelled to meet face to face, which is a testament to the global appeal of branded jewellery.

Designer jewellery on the rise as new generation embraces personalisation

The shows welcomed over 50 designer exhibitors, including 10 Korean designers making their debut at the fair. They were pleased with their results and are already considering expanding their presence at next year's edition. A Korean designer exhibitor also shared that new enquiries from potential buyers had been received, particularly from Europe, and was pleasantly surprised to receive one from Poland. A seminar featuring Paola De Luca, Founder and Creative Director of Trendvision Jewellery + Forecasting, gave attendees an in-depth look at emerging jewellery design trends, exploring how personalisation can respond to the younger consumer market.

The shows also hosted three design competitions: the 27th Hong Kong Jewellery Design Competition, the Hong Kong International Fashion Chuk Kam Jewellery Design Competition, and the inaugural International Fei Cui Jewellery Design Competition. Award ceremonies were held on-site, with winning pieces on display across the venue, offering buyers a first look at the latest creative works while fostering closer ties between designers and jewellery manufacturers.

Global exhibitors tap into new opportunities

The twin shows brought together exhibitors from around the world, with Uzbekistan making its debut appearance. Fonon Jewelry House, an Uzbek exhibitor, showcased gold pieces with distinctive Central Asian cultural influences, drawing strong interest from international buyers. Alisher Romanov, the Head of Foreign Economic Affairs of this exhibitor, said: "We are looking to use Hong Kong as a springboard for expansion into other Asian markets. We have already connected with potential buyers from the Chinese Mainland, Malaysia and the Philippines, and expect sales to reach approximately USD 50 million." Another Uzbek exhibitor also shared that it had received a jewellery order worth as much as USD 35 million from a Hong Kong buyer. 

The Uzbekistan delegation also seized the occasion to formally sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the HKTDC and the Hong Kong Jewellery Manufacturers' Association, with the aim of further promoting Uzbekistan's jewellery to global markets through Hong Kong's platform and strengthening bilateral trade ties.

Buyers seek diverse offerings

Turkish buyer, Kasapoglu Jewellery came to the show with the specific goal of sourcing new loose diamond suppliers, setting aside a procurement budget of over USD 900,000. US-based diamond wholesaler David Abraham & Co found the show to be a true one-stop destination, discovering services ranging from certification to repolishing, as well as sourcing gemological equipment and tools. The company met with 35 exhibitors from Hong Kong, India, Israel, the Middle East, Europe and the United States in a single day. 

China National Gold Group Gold Jewellery Co., Ltd. from Beijing made the most of both shows, sourcing turquoise samples at the Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show and explored fine jewellery offerings at the Jewellery Show. The company noted that demand for both high-end gemstones and mass-market jewellery is growing in tandem, with younger consumers increasingly drawn to delicate and refined designs. Its total procurement budget across both shows is USD 200,000.

Golden Silver Z.L S.A., a major 925 sterling silver jewellery supplier in Latin America and a loyal visitor to the shows for over 20 years, returned again this year and confirmed silver jewellery orders with three exhibitors, with combined transactions exceeding USD 1.9 million.

Online-offline integration expands horizons

Due to the impact of geopolitical situation, some buyers from certain regions were unable to attend in person. The HKTDC responded promptly with a range of support measures. These included on-site support for exhibitors with promotional material placement, as well as helping affected buyers rearrange flights and accommodation to defer their arrivals by one to two days.

Meanwhile, the shows continue to adopt the EXHIBITION+ online and offline hybrid format, enabling enterprises to extend their physical exhibition negotiations to online matching platforms. Exhibitors and buyers can engage in AI-powered business matching through the HKTDC Marketplace App's "Click2Match" and hktdc.com Sourcing, while buyers can also use Scan2Match to scan exhibitors’ QR codes and continue discussions with exhibitors online after the show.

For buyers from affected regions who were unable to travel to Hong Kong for sourcing, the show facilitated over 100 online business matching sessions, helping the industry sustain momentum and seize opportunities during a challenging period.

The HKTDC continues to help exhibitors tap into the Chinese Mainland market through e-commerce channels. This year, two major platforms, Taobao Tmall and, for the first time, Douyin partnered with the shows, involving 10 exhibitors and more than 30 influencers and KOLs. The campaign generated over 35 million online impressions and achieved sales exceeding USD 20 million. The shows also invited Korean influencer to attend, who successfully sourced from a number of exhibitors, with combined purchases totalling close to USD 700,000.

Photo download: https://bit.ly/4aXXZ24

Websites

HKTDC Media Room: https://mediaroom.hktdc.com/en

Media enquiries

Please contact HKTDC’s Communication & Public Affairs Department:

About HKTDC

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With over 50 offices globally, including 13 in Chinese Mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. 

Copyright © 2026 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. A division of Asia Corporate News Network.