ITC Los Angeles



		OROAREZZO SHOW 2003

		April 15, 2003

		OroArezzo:depressed market mood warded off joint boosts to exports

		Drop in visitors contained at 5.8% - Two thirds of over 600 exhibitors claim moderate satisfaction with business done – Foreign dealers very active - One million euros for a promotion in USA Nearly 6,400 dealers and operators visitors called on OroArezzo, a drop of 5.8% over the 2002 edition. Two thirds of the more than 600 exhibitors (up 20%) declared themselves to be at least moderately satisfied with business done, though recognising that demand for goldware and jewellery is still quite slack, both in Italy and in the world. “The warding off by the Fair of a depressed market mood”, says Alberto Ricci, president of the Arezzo Promotion Centre which organised the event, “dispelled the justified fears on the eve, fraught by international economic and political crises, by SARS - forcing us to cancel the visits by Far Eastern trade missions - not to mention transport strikes, too. It was legitimate to fear the worst. Instead, results were not too far off what we were hoping for in recent months: evidently, actions and promotional investments bore their fruits in spite all but favourable external events. It’s quite evident that for the international goldware and jewellery sector, OroArezzo is from every point of view an important, serious, credible rendezvous.” “According to what the great majority of exhibitors had to say”, added Fair director Franco Fani, “business contacts were reasonable. As in any trade show there are those who did more business and those who did less, but it would seem on the whole that one can talk of a certain satisfaction. A fair cannot change the market, though it can create the conditions which make the market itself give off positive signals.” 25% of the visitors - a figure in line with recent editions - came from abroad and in particular from the United States, the European Union and East Europe, but also from some areas of the Middle East. These are encouraging visits considering that Italy exports over two thirds of its gold and jewellery goods and that in 2002 the value of exports dropped by 8% over the previous year. Incidentally, from OroArezzo comes a strong signal of unity in the sector, since it is determined to adopt initiatives to halt the loss of market shares - particularly noticeable in the United States. The USA accounts for one third of Italian gold and jewellery exports. Domestic trade associations (Confedorafi, Federorafi, Cna, Confartigianato, Confapi) and the trade show authorities of the main manufacturing areas (Arezzo, Valenza, Vicenza) got together during the Arezzo fair and co-ordinated by Assicor - the inter-chamber association for jewellery - reviewed proposals set down by the Los Angeles office of ICE (Italian Foreign Trade Institute). It has been decided to develop, before the end of 2003, an initial image-building and commercial initiative in the USA. The initial investment of one million euros is to be financed by a 50% share from the fairs and their respective areas and for the remaining 50% from funds expected from the agreements undersigned by the Ministry for Productive Activities. Clearly, Arezzo is taking on an increasingly central role in the Italian goldware and jewellery scenario. This is testified, for example, by the executive committee meetings of national organisations like Federorafi, Assicor and Emagold held, in fact, during the course of the Arezzo show. A presentation was also made by Assicor of an important study made by the Tagliacarne Institute on the export of Italian jewellery. The role is also witnessed by the success of initiatives like “IT Jewels -30 stylists for Oro d’Autore” and “Première” designed to strengthen the ties between jewellery and fashion as well as promoting innovation in jewellery design. The styling trends observed in the showcases of the over 600 exhibitors were varied and many. They ranged from an authentic triumph of colours (stones, enamels, the teaming of corals and turquoise) to alternative materials - such as wood, horn, leather, lava rock, agate - all possessing a certain African “scent” about them for the peculiar manner they are worked. Weights and volumes are often restrained but forms play a big role and quite often reveal the use of sophisticated instruments like laser. A curious note but hardly surprising considering the times: an abundance of horned good luck charms, of all sizes and every material, from classic coral to enamelled silver or in wood teamed with precious materials. The next edition of OroArezzo is scheduled for March 27 to 31, 2004. OroArezzo Press Office - Studio EffeErre Gianni Roggini/Annalisa Fontana Tel: +39 02 33001100 Fax: +39 02 33001014 Email:effe.erre@iol.it

		Source: OroArezzo Press Office-Studio EffeErre

		www.oroarezzo.it