Is it really Wednesday already? The Jewellery Show has taken us into a world of our own where it is difficult to keep track of time. It has been a fun, busy few days so far. The Show has had a great positive vibe with many exhibitors reporting good orders and new customers. Alongside the selling and networking, there is also opportunity to contemplate and learn more about other aspects of the jewellery and watch industry. The seminar programme in the Catwalk Cafe has delivered some thought provoking presentations and been provocative in a different way from the catwalk shows themselves! Wednesday afternoon saw a discussion panel on ethical standards facilitated by Michael Allchin, Chief Executive of the Birmingham Assay Office. Speakers David Brough of Jewelleryoutlook.com, Alan Frampton of Cred Jewellery, Simon Rainer of the BJA and Gary Wroe of the Hockley Mint each bought a different perspective to the discussion. Many different views were expressed, but the overriding consensus was that the industry needs to focus more on resolving the ethical issues and pay more attention to responsible sourcing. The consumer will inevitably begin to demand it sooner rather than later; the industry needs to be proactive now and not wait until the consumer pushes it into a knee jerk reaction. We do not need a proliferation of standards; we all need to work together to deliver more reassurance to the consumer. This is by no means an easy task and will certainly take a long time, but we need to be positive and try to keep ahead of the game like other industries have.

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