Selective buying defined the Hong Kong International Jewellery Show 2026 as Southeast Asian and Indian buyers dominated attendance, large diamonds and coloured gemstones saw demand, while overall market sentiment remained cautious.
The Hong Kong International Jewellery Show 2026, held from 2–7 March 2026 across AsiaWorld?Expo (AWE) and the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (CEC), unfolded against a backdrop of cautious global sentiment.
Escalating geopolitical tensions just days before the event, combined with Ramadan impacting Middle Eastern travel, meant expectations among exhibitors were relatively low even before the show began.
While the show historically attracts tens of thousands of global buyers and thousands of exhibitors from across the world, attendance this year reflected a clear regional shift.
American and European buyers were present in smaller numbers, while Southeast Asian and Indian retailers formed the bulk of active buyers on the show floor.
Chinese buying — once a defining pillar of the Hong Kong jewellery fairs — continues to remain significantly lower compared to pre-pandemic levels.
The loose diamond section experienced average to slow activity, with buyers remaining selective.
However, larger stones continued to draw strong attention, particularly diamonds above 5 carats in D–G colour and IF–VVS clarity, often viewed as investment-grade diamonds.
Ankit Shah of Ankit Gems observed:
“Markets are generally slow, but larger diamonds — especially in the 3–5 carat range and above — are moving well.”
Another noticeable shift this year was the reduced scale of the loose diamond pavilion, which appeared roughly 25–30% smaller compared to previous editions. Several Indian diamantaires who had earlier exhibited in the premium Hall of Extraordinary chose not to participate this year.
In contrast, coloured gemstones emerged as one of the strongest performing categories at the fair.
Exhibitors reported steady footfall and strong inquiries from jewellery manufacturers.
Nirmal Baridya of RMC Gems said:
“The Hong Kong show has been quite good for us with strong and serious inquiries. It’s encouraging to see how gemstones are becoming a preferred choice for jewellery manufacturers.”
The pearl segment remained busy, with consistent interest from buyers exploring both classic and contemporary jewellery lines.
While business was selective, exhibitors emphasised that the buyers who attended were largely serious trade buyers.
Vipul Sutaria of Dharmanandan Diamonds said:
“We have received decent business and have no complaints. The buyers who are here are serious, and they are buying.”
However, geopolitical tensions may impact demand in the coming months.
Saurabh from Pace Gems noted:
“Due to the war, the next three to four months may be slow. A lot of jewellery is bought for Middle East markets, which could temporarily go quiet.”
At the same time, some exhibitors felt the buyers attending the Hong Kong shows were largely insulated from global conflicts.
Bela Badhalia of Rare Gems said:
“This part of the world is not impacted much by wars happening elsewhere. Most buyers here are Southeast Asian, and they are serious buyers.”
Overall, the Hong Kong Jewellery Show 2026 reflected a more disciplined and selective global jewellery market, where serious buyers continued to transact despite global uncertainties.
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