 Photos: Kai-Uwe Hille © ICA Gembureau Idar-Oberstein |
 |
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ICA 2005 Congress Bangkok Colored gemstone industry concludes 2005 congress in Thailand, echoing twin themes of consumer demand and consumer confidence
More than 200 representatives of the colored gemstone business from 36 countries worldwide, including miners, rough and polished gem dealers, gemstone cutters, jewelry manufacturers and marketers, and service providers, attended the congress in Bangkok. ICA is the only international body representing the entire colored gemstone community, from mine to market. “There are very few gatherings such as this one,” said Joseph M. Menzie, the ICA president, during his opening address, “which brings together such a diverse and international a group of people, with so common a purpose. Our goal here in Bangkok is to project our professionalism, talent and knowledge through the distribution line, so that the sale of jewelry set with colored gemstones is given additional momentum in the consumer markets.” Menzie’s enthusiasm about the future of the colored gemstone market was echoed on the final day of the congress by Bill Boyajian, the president of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). “I am confident in being able to state today,” he said, “that the first 10 years of the new century will become known as the ‘Decade of the Colored Gemstone.’” The keynote address of the congress was delivered by Eric C. Braunwart, the president Columbia Gem House/Tri Gem and the president of the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA). Presenting what certainly would become the twin themes of the 2005 congress, he called on ICA members to create desire among the public for colored gemstones, and at the same time safeguard the public’s confidence in the product. “People do not buy your product because they need it; they buy it because they want it,” he stated. “We should never lose sight of that.” Each of the three days of congress sessions was presented as a separate module, with the first day dedicated to promoting colored gemstones on a global scale. The second day focused on supply and demand, and production and consumption, and the third day dealt with innovation, technology and challenges in the colored gemstone business of the 21st century. A highlight of the first day was the launch of a consumer marketing program, which will drive and increase demand for colored gemstones in the consumer market. The multi-faceted program, which was introduced by jewelry and gemstone marketing expert, Jim Littman, proposes partnering between the loose gemstone, jewelry industry and retailing sectors, to market colored gemstones in a way similar to what is being done in the diamond, precious metals and pearls sectors. A highlight of the second day was the announcement to the congress by Pomphile Rakotoarimanana, the director of mines and geology at the Ministry of Energy & Mines in Madagascar that, as of the start of the congress, his government would begin implementing a program to open the Madagascar colored gemstone market to foreign buyers. The ICA Congress was also the venue for an important announcement on day three, when Jacques Voorhees, the CEO of Polygon, the world’s first and largest jewelry and gemstone online trading network stated that, after years in the planning, Polygon was launching ColorNet, the first fully functional colored gemstone trading database. The TGJTA, which organized a superbly executed congress, also proved to be generous host, offering the many overseas guests a social program that highlighted Thailand’s rich culture. It included a night dinner cruise along the Chaophraya River; a Thai evening where every guest was suited in the host country’s national dress, and an elegant gala dinner. The General Assembly of the ICA voted on the composition of the ICA Board of Directors for the coming two years. Joseph M. Menzie, USA, was elected to a second term as ICA president. Elected to a first two-year term on the ICA Board of Directors, were Edward Boehm, USA; Andrew Cody, Australia; Emmanuel Piat, France; Avner Sofiov, Israel; Surasit Sriorathaikul, Thailand; and Wilson Yuen, Hong Kong. Reelected to a second term on the board were Mehul Durlabhji, India; Rocco Gay, Italy; Jacqui Grande, USA; Akira Ito, Japan; Vivek Kala, India; Ismail M. Kamil; Sri Lanka; Dong Keuk Kim, Korea; Thomas Lind, Germany; Sergio Martins, Brazil; Jean Claude Michelou, Colombia; Bhadresh Pandit, Tanzania; Janet Ann Russell, Thailand; Fujio Takada, Japan; and Constantin Wild, Germany. Retiring from the board were Tawee Khankeaw, Thailand; Jimmy Yiu-Lun Ko, Hong Kong; Avi Meirom, Israel; Timothy R. Roark, USA; Eric Ruskone, France; and Mark Tremonti, Australia. Holding its first meeting on February 22, the ICA board selected its office holders for the coming two years. Jean Claude Michelou was elected a new ICA vice president, and Thomas Lind was elected to a second term as ICA vice president. Jacqui Grande was elected a new ICA secretary, and Ismail M. Kamil was elected to a second term as ICA secretary. Akira Ito was elected the new ICA treasurer. “I am excited to welcome an enthusiastic and energetic group of new members to the board,” Menzie said. “ICA was founded some 20 years ago by a number of leading gem traders, who all shared a common goal, and that was to make colored gemstones a staple of the luxury goods market. Since then a new, younger generation of gem traders has emerged. I am sure that their contribution toward propelling ICA forward will continue to be significant.” ICA Congress Archive 2005 Call for Donations for Raffle at ICA 2005 Congress Raffle Participant Can Win $50,000 in Bangkok New York, December 7, 2004 - Got any colored gemstones to spare? Want to advertise your firm’s fine gem cutting or jewelry creation skills? If so, the International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA) would like to hear from you! ...[more] ICA 2005 Congress to highlight opportunities for color New York, November 29, 2004 — A changing world of new opportunities” is the slogan of the upcoming 11th Congress of the International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA), to be held in Bangkok February 18-21, 2005. Dealers from all over the world are getting ready to converge on Bangkok’s legendary five-star Shangri-La Hotel on the banks of the Chaophraya River (the River of the Kings)...[more] Download 2005 ICA Congress Program Download the Congress Program Brochure and Registration form as PDF file: Congress Program / Registration Brochure (5,1 MB) Bangkok to host 2005 ICA Congress Focusing on promotion and on emerging consumer and producing countries New York, July 21, 2004 —The International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA) has announced that Bangkok, Thailand, will be the venue for its next biennial ICA Congress. It will take place from February 18th to 21st at the five-star Peninsula Hotel, on the banks of the Chaophraya river (River of the Kings)...[more]
The International Colored Gemstone Association, headquartered in New York City and operating additional "GemBureaus" in Idar-Oberstein and Dubai, is the nonprofit trade association that represents the international colored gemstone industry, an extremely important and influential segment of the jewelry business. ICA has over 500 members in 46 countries worldwide.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
