Jewelry fairs can be truly captivating. Thousands of products, new collections, beautiful displays, manufacturers from all over the world, and a wealth of inspiration packed into a few halls. But from a buyer's perspective, fairs are not a trip for inspiration. It’s a business tool. After years of working in purchasing, I know that you can spend several days at the largest jewelry fairs, take hundreds of photos, gather a bag full of catalogs, and... return without a single truly valuable decision. You can also return with a new manufacturer, an idea for a collection, a product to develop, knowledge about an upcoming trend, or a contact that will turn out to be one of the most important business partners in a few years. The difference starts even before entering the first hall. You don’t go to jewelry fairs without a plan. One of the biggest mistakes is assuming: I’ll go, and see what’s interesting. At large international fairs, the number of exhibitors is so vast that it’s impossible to see everything in detail. Therefore, it’s worth answering a few questions before the trip: What am I actually looking for? New manufacturers? Finished jewelry? A specific category? Inspiration for creating my own product? A new price level? Or maybe I primarily want to check in which direction the market is changing? The goal determines how you navigate the fairs. An experienced buyer doesn’t try to see everything. They try to find what might matter for their business. I’m not looking for the prettiest product. I’m looking for the right product. This is one of the most important differences between viewing jewelry as a customer and viewing it as a buyer. It’s easy to be dazzled at fairs. A beautiful booth, excellent lighting, stunning jewelry, and a collection that seems exceptional at first glance. But the buyer’s question isn’t: "Do I like it?" It should be: "Does it make sense for my customer and my brand?" A product can be great and yet completely unsuitable for a specific offer. That’s why I look broader: at the price, quality, materials, craftsmanship, customization options, target group, the product’s place in the collection, potential margin, and opportunities for further development. A good purchase isn’t about finding the largest number of beautiful things. It’s about the ability to say "no" to many beautiful things and "yes" to the right ones. The manufacturer is often more important than one great model. When sourcing jewelry, it’s very easy to focus on a specific product. I also look at who stands behind that product. Who is behind this product? . A good manufacturer can be much more valuable to a brand than one bestseller. That’s why during the first meeting, I’m interested not only in the current catalog. I ask about production capabilities, materials, minimum order quantities, lead times, the possibility of modifying designs, creating custom projects, and further developing the collection. I also look at something that can’t be put into a table - communication. Does the manufacturer listen? Do they understand what I’m looking for? Can they propose a solution? Are they flexible? Do I see space for long-term cooperation? Through years of working in purchasing, I’ve learned that a good relationship with the right manufacturer can open up far more opportunities than a one-time purchase of an attractive product. Sourcing is not just about selecting ready-made products. This is especially important. At fairs, I’m not always looking for a ready answer. Sometimes the product at the booth is just the beginning. I like the form, but I would change the material. I see an interesting detail, but I would use it differently. The product is intriguing, but it needs a different scale, stone, color, or finish. And that’s when one of the most interesting parts of working with a product begins for me. Not just selecting. Creating. Good sourcing of manufacturers allows you to go from finding the right partner to collaboratively creating a product tailored to a specific brand. That’s why it’s worth asking not only: "What do you have?" but also: "What can we create together?" How to recognize a trend at jewelry fairs? Jewelry fairs are one of the places where you can quickly see what’s happening in the market. But a trend isn’t always found at a booth marked with a big sign saying "TREND". More often, you have to notice it. If a similar solution starts appearing among manufacturers from different countries, it’s worth taking a closer look. Recurring colors, shapes, types of stones, ways of wearing jewelry, sizes of elements, new finishes, or motifs can signal a change. I observe not only what appears, , but also what starts to disappear. . This is equally valuable information. However, it is important to remember that noticing a trend does not automatically mean it should be incorporated into your offering. A trend is information, not instruction. Tracking trends is an inseparable part of my job. Fashion and jewelry are constantly changing, and understanding market directions allows for more informed product decisions. At the same time, over the years I have learned that not every trend is suitable for every brand. . If something is fashionable but does not fit the brand's DNA, its customer, or price level, introducing it into the collection may harm its coherence more than help sales. That’s why I ask: Does my client need this? Can this trend be interpreted in my brand's language? Is it a fleeting fashion, or a direction that may stay with us longer? Will the product still be attractive when it is no longer a novelty? The most interesting collections do not copy trends. They interpret them. Look beyond jewelry. At jewelry fairs, I observe much more than just the products themselves. I look at displays, packaging, materials, brand communication, the way new collections are presented, and technological solutions. I observe which booths attract buyers. Where they linger longer. What producers showcase as the most important novelties. It is also worth finding time for conversations and industry events. Large fairs increasingly encompass the entire industry ecosystem – from finished jewelry, stones, and semi-finished products to packaging, visual merchandising, machines, and technologies. This allows us to see not only what is selling today, but also the direction in which production and the market may be heading. A catalog is just the beginning. After the fairs, the next stage of work begins. Photos need to be reviewed. Contacts organized. Offers compared. Products reassessed – already without the fair lights and emotions. It is precisely then that some "brilliant" ideas stop being brilliant. And that’s a good thing. After the fairs, it’s worth returning to the basic questions: Does this product fit our strategy? Does its price allow for building the right margin? Does the producer offer opportunities for further development? Do we have a specific client for this product? Will it enrich the collection, or will it just be another similar model? Only then do real purchasing decisions begin. The greatest value of the fairs is sometimes the things you can’t buy right away. In my work as a buyer, I learned one more thing. Not every good contact has to end with an order during the first meeting. Sometimes a producer you meet today will only become important for the next project. A product that does not fit the collection now may inspire a completely new category in a year. That’s why sourcing is also about building relationships and your own network of producers. . Over time, such a database becomes an immense value. It’s not about the number of business cards saved on your phone. It’s about knowledge: who is good in a specific category, who can work on their own project, where to seek specific quality, who is flexible, and with whom it’s worth developing long-term cooperation. How to return from the fairs with something more than catalogs? For me, successful fairs do not mean a suitcase full of materials. They mean that I return with knowledge, contacts, and concrete business opportunities. . Sometimes it will be a new producer. Sometimes a product. Sometimes an idea for a collection. Sometimes a noticed trend. And sometimes the decision that the direction we considered before the trip is not the right one after all. And this last piece of information can also be very valuable. Because the role of a good buyer is not to buy. The role of a good buyer is to make informed decisions about what is worth buying, creating, and developing. Do you need support in sourcing or during jewelry fairs? I support companies and brands in sourcing jewelry, finding producers and suppliers, preparing purchasing strategies, selecting products, and creating and developing collections. . I can also support the company during industry fairs – from preparation and selection of producers to meetings, product analysis, and further management of the purchasing process. If you are looking for a producer, a new direction for your collection, or experienced support in purchasing – let’s talk.

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