ADP - VicenzaOro First
Vicenza, the elegant Renaissance city in north-eastern Italy, shares a common bond with Antwerp, in as much as both are lynchpins of the European and international jewellery trade. Whereas Antwerp is the world diamond business' premier business centre, Vicenza is one of the foundation stones of the legendary Italian jewellery industry, accounting for about 20 percent of Italy’s annual output and providing a home to many of its most celebrated companies.
For more than sixty years already, the Vicenza trade fairs are considered the most important show places for the gold and gem-set jewellery industry in Europe. It is today home to three important shows, which each year draw in buyers from across Europe and around the world: VicenzaOro First in January, VicenzaOro Charm in May and VicenzaOro Choice in September.
VicenzaOro First, the first of the three Vicenza jewellery shows, runs this year from January 19 through January 23. As the name states, the January show traditionally is the first appointment of the year, with more than 1.500 companies present in 2012. Covering 70,500 square metres the show attracts about 10.000 professional buyers.
Antwerp Diamond pavilions are featured at all three Vicenza jewellery shows. At VicenzaOro Oro, the Antwerp Diamond pavilion sits in the padiglione A.
The Antwerp diamond centre is the world's largest hub for trade in diamonds, both rough and polished. In 2012 the trade in rough and polished diamonds amounted to $52 billion. In 2012, Antwerp polished diamond exports to Italy equalled $236 million.
Antwerp is the diamond industry's primary business centre, serving as the headquarters for about 1,800 diamond firms, which is the largest concentration of companies in the industry. They include rough diamond producers, rough dealers, manufacturers, and polished diamond wholesalers. Antwerp also the world diamond industry's leading service provider, and is home to the industry's leading financial institutions, insurance companies, security, shipping and logistics providers, gem labs, technology companies, professional equipment suppliers, business advisors and management consultants.
The Antwerp Diamond Pavilion at VicenzaFirst is organised by Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC), which is the coordinating body and the official representative of the Antwerp diamond sector. AWDC is charged with strengthening the image of Antwerp as the world diamond centre, and promoting collectively the interests of diamond, gemstone and jewellery companies based in the Belgian city.
