Rare Burmese ruby the highlight as S'pore International Jewelry Expo opens

SINGAPORE - A rare, 950 carat natural Burmese ruby rough was the highlight as Singapore's largest consumer and trade jewelry show opened its doors to the public on Thursday.

The Singapore International Jewelry Expo (SIJE), which is being held at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre, will showcase more than $202 million worth of jewelry by 200 exhibitors, including several solitaire rare, natural coloured gemstones that exceed $1 million per piece.

The expo was opened on Thursday afternoon by Dr Lily Neo, Member of Parliament for Tanjong Pagar GRC, and will run for four days until Sunday.

Aside from the Burmese ruby, also on display is The Million Dollar Row, a range that includes a rare collection of Burmese ruby ring and diamonds priced from $1.5 million to S$3.3 million.

However, the event also offers a special range of some of the most exquisite and affordable pieces from jewelers all over the globe, including a range from $259 to $15,000.

The glittery show pieces is also complemented by various other highlights including a jewelry fashion show, networking sessions and jewelry appreciation talks.

Visitors may also win a large array of prizes, with a $10,000 ruby and diamond pendant featuring 12 heart-shaped Burmese rubies from luxe jeweler DeGem as the grand prize.

Mr Edward Liu, Group Managing Director, Conference & Exhibition Management Services, said that SIJE was backed by strong support from the international jewelry industry spanning the globe.

"The growing affluent markets in the ASEAN region offer SIJE 2015 an opportunity to serve as an excellent platform for key industry players to expand their market to this region and beyond," he added.

seanyap@sph.com.sg