YOGAYUGA

I had been busy in the fair last week. I found some good products though they are not stunning design. I bought some 925 silver sterling samples from an Indian company. I did buy silver from them last year, so I always think they are good in pricing as well as quality. The next day I found an Indonesian supplier, who produces 970 silver sterling with price of 25% lower than what I paid. The price gap is too large. I haven’t really met any suppliers, who sells silver with USD0.77/gm. Most of Chinese suppliers sell silver almost USD1.00/gm same as Indian companies. I guess the Indonesian handwork cost is low as those silver stuff are all hand made. Silver cost can’t be too much in difference no matter where they are from as it changes frequently based on market price. For those Indonesian silver, I can tell easily they are not something from India by the way they look. Chinese silver always looks so unique with total machine made looking. Well, I won’t blame myself to overlook the price comparison between companies. There are over 2,000 companies in the fair, so it’s very possible that I missed one or two.

I like observing people how to purchase stones, pearls, and various jewelleries. They can stay in the same booth for more than an hour by looking at every single piece in details with magnify glasses. They ended up buying few pieces of stones in size of mm each, not necessary diamond but they paid fortune for it. I am very curious how they do with those stones. A Chinese company demonstrated a set of necklace and ear rings with CZ stones and 925 silver sterling for USD288.00. It was a wholesale price. He said those are top quality CZ stones with good handworks, so the price is high. The cutting of stones is same as diamond he said. I am not an expert, but I also have my magnify glass and digital scale checked it out. I really don’t think it worth that price. After I looked at it in details, he said he can sell me a whole set for HKD1,000.00 as that day was the last day of the fair. Ha!! How can a set of good jewellery went down price to HKD1,000.00 from USD288.00? USD288.00 could be a retail price in overseas, but definitely not a wholesale price at the fair in Asia. If he could make good profit from HKD1,000.00, then I would say that set of jewellery only worth HKD500.00 or less for the production cost. CZ stones are not expensive stones even they are on top range. The handwork cost is high this is true. The most expensive part of jewellery is the design and handworks, sometimes not necessary the materials; this is what I heard from jewellery experts.

Anyway, the trade fair was good. I always learn a lot by observation. I like asking around information for comparison of various. More you ask more you learn. More mistakes you make more you improve.