The products showcased at AMBERIF include: Baltic amber jewellery; silver and gold jewellery decorated with amber; silver, gold and platinum jewellery; jewellery with gemstones, pearls and diamonds. There will be diamonds, gemstones and watches, decorative and functional amber items, imported jewellery, hollowware and jewellery packaging. The Designers’ Gallery is a perennial favourite; this year it will host more than 70 artists who work in various techniques and materials. Organised in partnership with the Goldsmithing Artists’ Association (STFZ), the Gallery is the heart and soul of the Polish school of design. As always, jewellery industry machines and the latest technologies will also be featured.
It is no coincidence that the world’s largest amber trade show takes place in Gdańsk: with its Hanse tradition, located on the Baltic Sea coast, Gdańsk is known as the World Capital of Amber.
“Not everyone knows that Poland is the leading supplier of silver worldwide,” says AMBERIF Project Director Ewa Rachoń, “and that the Gdańsk region has more than 600 businesses and jewellery studios which specialise in silver jewellery decorated with amber. It is precisely based on the local jewellery handicraft that AMBERIF originated and developed.”
As last year, we expect more than 450 companies from Poland, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Thailand, Turkey and Ukraine.
“We look forward to receiving AMBERIF trade visitors, with an expected turnout of about 6000 buyers from more than 50 countries, who come to Gdańsk for amber, unique amber and silver jewellery and also to look for original designer jewellery with silver and gemstones. This year, under the Ministry of Economy’s programme to promote Polish jewellery abroad, we will host a Buyers Study Tour from four countries: the USA, Germany, Italy and China,” announced Ewa Rachoń. Under the programme, the latest edition of the popular Trend Book 2014+ by Prof Sławomir Fijałkowski, Gdańsk Academy of Fine Arts, will be published by the Polish Chamber of Amber Commerce.
Each year, AMBERIF is accompanied by many education and popular science events. For example, it features a series of seminars dedicated to subjects that are important to jewellery and amber experts and enthusiasts. There is the Amber Laboratory, where every AMBERIF customer may not only find information but also get a lab test done to confirm the type of amber they’ve purchased – all free of charge. The SRJ Association of Jewellery Experts organises a gemmology seminar in partnership with HRD Antwerp. This is where the Gem and Jewelry Institute of Thailand will present quality standards for rubies and sapphires.
A scientific session organised by the Art Historians’ Association, Toruń Branch, entitled From Royal Jewels to “Pauper” Jewellery, will bring together the research community of jewellery art historians. The Amber Seminar is, as always, organised by the Museum of the Earth, Polish Academy of Sciences, and the International Amber Association, which this year will also organise the Understanding Amber Training Course .
AMBERIF exhibitors will, as always, compete for the Minister of Economy’s Grand Prix, by submitting their work to the strict evaluation of the Mercurius Gedanensis international judging panel. For the 17th time, the designer community from all over the world is invited to participate in the Amberif Design Award. This year’s ADA subject is Materia Prima. An international jury of renowned artists and the valuable prize from the Mayor of Gdańsk have for years encouraged participation from both students of the best jewellery design schools and celebrated designers.
Strongly featured on the AMBERIF map is the Amber Look Trend & Style fashion extravaganza: a jewellery and fashion show developed by Poland’s leading jewellery and fashion designers especially for the occasion. It is here that the latest concepts and new trends are presented. Some of the show’s participants will be selected in the Amber Project competition, held under the artistic supervision of Michał Starost. The show is scheduled to take place at the post-industrial Gdańsk Shipyard Centre.
AMBERIF 2014, the 21st International Fair of Amber, Jewellery and Gemstones will be held on:
19–22 March 2014, Wednesday – Saturday
opening hours: 19–21 March, 10:00–18:00
22 March, 10:00–17:00
venue: AmberExpo | ul. Żaglowa 11, Gdańsk, Poland
Every year, Gdańsk hosts two jewellery trade fairs: AMBERIF, held always in the spring, with 21 years in the business and counting, and AMBERMART – in the autumn, with 15 years to its name. Both events are organised by the MTG SA Gdańsk International Fair Co.
More information on: Amberif
Photos © Amberif