Inhorgenta Munich is an international meeting place for the jewelry and gemstone industry. Even though we live in a challenging environment, the international spread of visitors was increasing in 2020. It caters mainly to the German market, Europes largest economy, and is held usually in mid-February.
Both, exhibitors and organizers of the show were happy with the way the show went. They agreed that the concept is compelling for visitors. So this year around 26.000 visitors from over 80 countries came to see, get inspired and buy the newest designs in jewelry.
One thing that worked out really well was the TRENDFACTORY MUNICH. The headline of hall C2 was Contemporary Design and Vision. It was all about sustainability and future retail. Not only were the stands inspired by nature, but of course they focussed on sustainability. There were exhibitions about diamond divers in Sierra Leone, gold that comes from the Rhine river in Germany and a focus on the fair trade gemstones trade.
The Trendfactory was a series of lectures held by international guests. Inhorgenta does a really great job of real-time translations from English to German and vice versa. Also, the mix of the different subjects of lectures made the program very stimulating.
Susanna Woodward from the DeBeers group held a fantastic lecture about how positive natural diamonds have impacted the communities in Africa. There were even pictures about the Venetia Diamond Mine that was visited last year by a group of YD’s, which brought back great memories for me personally.
Elle Hill did an interesting lecture on how to respond to the demand for ethical sourcing in our own businesses and how best to communicate this to our customers.
Patricia Syvrud gave great information on Responsible Sourcing initiatives with an explanation of the benefits of jewelers and diamond dealers connecting with artisanal miners in Guinea.
My time at the show was concluded with the lecture by Robert Bates from JCK talking about value in natural diamonds.
After the presentations, I had a short discussion with those who gave the presentation. An interesting point they brought up about the Inhorgenta, is that it is a very underrated show. From the modern convention center, easy access to the city, an international airport that connects most cities in the world, safety to Bavarian hospitality: A very great environment to attract visitors and enjoy a fantastic business environment.
The next Inhorgenta will take place from February 19-21, 2021.
