FACETS to hold Silver Jubilee show in September

By Chandeepa Wettasinghe
The 25th edition of FACETS, the annual showcase of Sri Lanka’s gem and jewellery products, was launched yesterday with a particular focus on small and medium enterprises in the industry.

“No matter whether it is high-end, middle or low-end, FACETS will give an opportunity for any gem and jewellery entrepreneur to enter the global stage,” Exports Development Board Chairman Bandula Egodage said at the launch event, following the introduction of a FACETS success story.

Fifty small and medium enterprises are set to take part at a pavilion set up by the Export Development Board, while individuals will be hosted by the National Gem and Jewellery Authority, which will also be providing free gem testing and assaying facilities at the event.FACETS Sri Lanka Chairman Juzar Adamaly said the Silver Jubilee will be held at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Hall from September 3-6 with 10,000 foot floor catering to over 100 buyers expected to arrive from China, India, Dubai, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, USA, Russia, Norway and Germany.

“We are proud that we are one of the top 5 foreign exchange earners and this has been going for 25 years non-stop,” he noted.

The 25th anniversary will be set apart, as each pavilion will feature a certain theme, and Adamaly said that all exhibition booths have been sold, with many exhibitors still on the waiting list.

He added that gem and jewellery producers and wholesalers from other gem producing countries such as Thailand, China, Hong Kong, UAE, Russia, and India will be showcasing their products at the hallmark event.

“FACETS has been one of the most sought after exhibitions in the region. This will no doubt open new vistas for projecting Sri Lanka as the hub of gem and jewellery trade in South East Asia,” Sri Lanka Gem and Jewellery Association Chairman A. P. Jayarajah said.

In addition to providing foreign exchange, FACETS will also provide a platform for local businesses to gain benchmark industry knowledge from around the world, and establish valuable networks.

FACETS was conceived in 1991 by the Sri Lankan gem and jewellery industry after observing an Indian gem trader displaying his wares at Cinnamon Grand—then The Oberoi.

The 25th anniversary will be marked by the issue of a special stamp at the show.