The role of design, quality and new diamonds will be the focus of the 6th International Jewellery Congress


The 6th International Jewellery Congress will be one of the basic pillars of the activities programme of the next edition of Barnajoya (Fira de Barcelona's International Jewellery, Watch Making, Gold and Silverware, Machinery and Related Services Exhibition). This prestigious debate forum and sector reference point will cover various broad topical issues of the jewellery world, and outstanding experts, professors and domestic and international jewellery company owners will be participating.

Five subjects will be debated in the Congress, including those related to the evolution and future of the sector. One of the first will be the projection and influence of the role of the designer, which will be analysed by an illustrious professor of the jewellery department of the prestigious University of Applied Sciences of Pforzheim.

In this future context, a debate targeting manufacturers has been introduced on the importance of reinforcing quality in production processes as a competitiveness factor. This is a valid question of vital importance for the sector and one of the participants will be a manager from the Italian multinational, CROVA, first company from the sector to obtain ISO 9001 certification.

Another discussion area will be the conference HPHT Diamonds: treatment and identification, which could be one of the liveliest debates of the Congress. Also subject of analysis will be the problems of management in point of purchases, with special emphasis on the resources of small shops compared to large department stores. The Congress will also include a technical conference on the galvanic deposition of precious metals.

Historic references of fashion
The future of the sector also depends on its capacity for innovation. For this reason, the main characteristic that defines Barnajoya 2002 is that of showing the new sector trends, with special sensitivity towards the most avant-garde proposals that are linked to design and fashion. Within the setting of Novajoia, aimed at presenting these new trends, there will be a Novajoia Exhibition, which will display some of the newest and most avant-garde jewellery collections, both domestic and international.

As a counterpoint, and with the aim of showing the evolution that jewellery design has had in history, the Monographic Exhibition of the next edition of Barnajoya, “Museum Earrings”, will exhibit a sample of historic jewellery, over thirty earrings, popularly known as “herring earrings” because of their length and structure on articulated bodies. They all date back to the 18th and 19th centuries, when this type of ornament became fashionable. They are made mainly in gold and gold-plated silver, combined with garnets, amethysts and emeralds, among other materials. These pieces currently form part of a collection, acquired by the Generalitat de CataluÑa from the bishopric of Urgell, which is deposited in the Textile and Clothing Museum of Barcelona. The exhibition is illustrated with various drawings from the Books of Pasantías, of great historical value since they are compilations of projects of jewellery pieces made by the apprentices of the silverware guild in order to become maestros.

Both exhibitions will be the only areas in Barnajoya that are open to the general public.
This whole activities programme crowns the 2002 edition of Barnajoya, which will take place from the 27th of September to the 1st of October in Fira de Barcelona's Montjuïc 1 exhibition centre. This year's Exhibition is characterised by a profound structuring that has divided it into three large areas: A-Temporum (new and general products from the sector), Novajoia (new designers and latest fashion trends) and IN-VOLTO (the newest proposals in cases, packaging and presentation)). The Exhibition website at www.barnajoya.com also gives exhibitors and visitors access to all the information on the event.

New on-line accreditation system
The section of Barnajoya's website dedicated to visitors allows access to Fira@key, a new on-line system of accreditation and access to management of contacts between exhibitors and visitors. This new system provides a personalised, confidential database stemming from visits to different stands. Fira@key offers a wide range of services, such as pre-accreditation, consultation and amendment of data, a record of visits, management of contacts and personalisation of information.

One of the main attractive features of the system is that all exhibitors will have a Fira@key terminal at their stand, which automatically records the visits via accreditations. The information will then be immediately available on-line.

Barnajoya is a trade fair of Fira de Barcelona, the leading organiser of professional, industrial exhibitions in Spain and one of the first five in Europe in number of events.

Information on Barnajoya:
Fira de Barcelona Press Department
Tel: 93.233.21.69 / E-mail: [email protected]
Cristina Serrat (Tel: 93.415.76.62)
Website: www.barnajoya.com


Source: Barnajoya press release
August 2002