All that glitters: Singapore International Jewelry Expo bets on keen luxury spending in 20th edition

SINGAPORE – A 100-carat diamond of a vivid yellow hue made its world debut at the Singapore International Jewelry Expo’s (SIJE) opening day on July 10.

The rock – sold by Ivy Masterpiece, local jeweller to the who’s who in town – is mounted on a necklace of white and yellow gold, with the whole piece valued at US$2.5 million (S$3.2 million).

It is the crown jewel of the annual jewellery expo, which in its 20th year is betting against a global luxury slump to stage its biggest show yet.

From July 10 to 13, 414 brands from 26 countries are hawking precious stones worth more than US$250 million in all, at Marina Bay Sands’ Sands Expo & Convention Centre.

The catalogue includes such rarities as a 2.21-carat Afghan emerald – famously tricky to mine from the remote Panjshir Valley – Burmese pigeon blood rubies and, for a dash of the cutting-edge, a pink diamond ring embedded with a microchip that can store both sentimental and product information.

SIJE organiser IEG Asia expects 15,000 trade and individual buyers, up from 14,000 visitors in 2024. The forecast is a rosy one at a time of global market turmoil. Cost-of-living crises, an unpredictable Donald Trump presidency in the US and tightened belts in the historically reliable Chinese market are joint forces that have rattled demand for high-end bling.

No sector is hurting more than the diamond industry, racked by the rise of cut-price laboratory-grown rocks, indistinguishable from the real thing to the naked eye and touted as an ethical alternative.

SIJE is sticking to its guns and stocking only natural diamonds that take billions of years to form, even as the biggest name in diamonds, De Beers, reportedly failed to clear its inventory in 2024. The South African-British firm behind a third of the world’s diamond supply has also cut production in its mines.

On home ground, founder of Ivy Masterpiece Ivy Choa says her overall sales have dropped some 20 per cent since January 2025 and natural diamonds are now trading at their lowest in recent memory.

Yet, SIJE’s optimism is not unfounded. Footfall in 2024 quickly blew through its modest pre-show estimate of just 11,000 buyers.

And Ms Choa is already seeing hints of recovery. The jeweller of 47 years, who deals in both bespoke and ready-to-wear fine jewellery, says: “The demand never left, it was only suppressed. The Singapore dollar is strong and if (clients) are starved for a few months of shopping, then sales will naturally pick up again.”

Such is the faith in an unbending local clientele. On one level, Ms Choa and an SIJE spokesperson attribute this to Singapore’s reputation for safe and secure transactions, where there is little cause to doubt the authenticity of precious stones sold here.

The more candid reason is the profile of luxury jewellery buyers – the uber-wealthy. Designer Simone Ng, who struck out with high jewellery or one-of-one pieces in 2006, says: “In the space of artistic and high jewellery, where we educate on and promote very rare stones, our market is niche.

“Customers in this tier are not really affected by what is going on (in the market). At most, they may be a little slower in repeat purchases.”

Ms Ng’s brand, Simone Jewels, has not felt any dent to the books so far and can boast steady sales since 2023, even after the GST hike kicked in and the post-Covid-19 surge tapered off across the board.

Simone Jewels’ growing international presence, helped by a pop-up in London department store Harrods in 2020 and retail partnerships in Los Angeles and New York, coupled with a narrative approach to design, set it apart from the Singapore pack.

Starry customers include trendy 23-year-old South African singer Tyla, who wore a white gold bangle to an awards show in June. But the brand, which specialises in coloured gemstones – not diamonds – is mostly powered by a committed local customer base.

At the preview of Ms Ng’s latest collection, inspired by ukiyo-e artist Hokusai’s masterwork The Great Wave Off Kanagawa, buyers cleared out some 70 per cent of the range, she says.

A pair of long earrings from the collection – crafted from emeralds, tanzanite, diamonds, chalcedony and mother-of-pearl in 18K original gold – is going for $52,000 at her SIJE booth.

Ms Ng, a self-confessed history lover, gives the market a clean bill of health. She says: “Jewellery has survived in history. Whenever there is a war or conflict, people always turn to things that are liquid.”

In contrast to volatile assets, she says, these stones are a safe haven for consumers. “They know that if they hold the correct things, the price will always appreciate.” 

South-east Asia’s jewellery market is poised for growth, with revenue projected to surpass US$9.4 billion in 2025 and an annual growth rate of 4.6 per cent expected through 2029, according to a Statista study referenced by SIJE’s organiser.

The fair is scaling up in tandem. Local exhibitors are up to a record 90 brands in 2025, from 57 in 2024. Italian brands have doubled their presence from 2024’s 14 jewellers to the present nearly 30, and international jeweller Zevaher from Dubai is making its Asia-Pacific debut.

On the dramatic increase in Italian presence at SIJE 2025, Italian trade commissioner to Singapore and the Philippines Giorgio Calveri says: “The interest in Singapore is growing as a market in itself but also as a gateway to the South-east Asia region.”

There is recognition of the city-state as a sophisticated market, one with its own consumer habits and culture, he adds. The local taste for “tailor-made products and a traditional sensibility within an innovative society is similar to Italy” – one of the world’s top jewellery exporters.

At the same time, since IEG Asia, under the Italian Exhibition Group, took over SIJE in 2023, it has broadened invitations to foreign buyers from the likes of India, Indonesia and Vietnam, courting regional business.

Floorspace across three halls, up from two in 2024, is split into seven zones: one for the most elite offerings, one spotlighting craftsmanship, another for loose gemstones, more creative works and a business-to-business section for trade buyers. A curation of watches is also on display, as well as an area for emerging designers.

On the morning of June 10, the big show opened on a high note. The CEO of IEG Asia, Dr Ilaria Cicero, announced that Singapore will host the World Diamond Congress in 2026, the biennial meeting of all 27 diamond bourses to discuss industry issues.

Best of the bling at SIJE 2025

Keep a lookout for these 10 dazzling pieces.

Ivy Masterpiece’s 100-carat diamond necklace ($3.2 million)

This 100-carat colourless and natural fancy coloured diamond necklace is the most expensive piece at the show. It is mounted in 18K 750 white and yellow gold, with full Gemological Institute of America (GIA) certification.

Caratell’s Green Grandeur necklace ($108,000)

The rare 2.21-carat Afghan emerald is at the centre of this Art Deco-style necklace. The star emerald is framed by diamonds and completed with a strand of Akoya pearls.

Caratell’s Pink Destiny ring with microchip ($57,800)

A purplish-pink heart-shaped diamond, weighing 0.44 carats, is mounted in a ring adorned with 53 diamonds, totalling 0.29 carats. Home-grown jewellery atelier Caratell says the piece is integrated with the “world’s smallest microchip for jewellery”, which can store “cherished memories and detailed jewellery information”.

Simone Jewels’ Hokusai earrings ($52,000) and necklace ($59,990)

The collection tells the story of how Edo-era Japanese artist Hokusai’s flattened perspective shaped the Art Nouveau movement, says Simone Jewels founder Simone Ng. The necklace contains a certified 158.87 carat unheated topaz, diamond, chalcedony and Akoya pearls in 18K original gold.

Infiniti Jewels’ Fiery Fiesta ruby ring ($200,000)

A 3.11-carat Burmese pigeon blood ruby from Myanmar, known for producing the world’s finest rubies, is surrounded by diamonds set in 18K white gold.

Infiniti Jewels’ Frosted Vine earrings ($75,000)

Two Colombian emeralds, totalling 2.69 carats, are the stars in this pair of earrings inspired by the delicate beauty of icicles. The diamond hangings are detachable.

Calla Lily Fine Jewellers’ asymmetrical balloon ring ($12,000)

Inspired by American artist Jeff Koons’ balloon dog, the local brand’s ring is puffed up and playful with shape and volume. It features a 1.37-carat octagon Namibia Lagoon Tourmaline, a 0.5-carat octagon Lagoon Tourmaline and 34 pieces of round brilliant diamonds weighing 0.263 carats in total.

Walasons’ Wings of Hope earrings ($3,000)

Hailing from Hong Kong, Walasons serves up a more affordable set of diamond earrings, weighing 1.30 carats and set in 9.2g of 18K gold.

Gemayel Jewellery’s rose gold bracelet ($42,370)

This statement 18K rose gold bracelet from the Lebanese label features 4.49 carats of GIA-certified fancy coloured diamonds and a dazzling 1.8-carat F VVS round cut diamond.

Book it/Singapore International Jewelry Expo 2025

Where: Halls A, B and C, Level 1 Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Avenue
When: July 10 to 12, 11.30am to 8.30pm; July 13, 11.30am to 7.30pm
Admission: Free
Info:

sije.com.sg

Correction note: In an earlier version of the story, we said the World Diamond Congress was a biannual, instead of biennial, event. This has been corrected.