Speech by Mr Dr Lily Neo, Member of Parliament, Jalan
Besar GRC and Deputy Chairperson, Government
Parliamentary Committee for Health
at the official opening of Singapore International Jewelry Expo 2017
6 july 2017 3.25pm
Marina Bay Sands Singapore Convention Centre Halls A & B
Good Afternoon
Mr Edward Liu, Group Managing Director of Conference & Exhibition Management Services; PBM
Distinguished Guests, Members of the media, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is wonderful to see you again at the official opening of Singapore International Jewelry Expo 2017. I always look forward to welcoming the expert jewelers, talented designers, dedicated craftsmen and enthusiastic exhibitors from all around the globe to Singapore.
I am especially heartened this year to note that we have another group of upcoming talents to welcome to the show. They are non-other than the next generation of jewelers. These special individuals have grown up accompanying their jeweler parents to their place of business, after school and on school breaks and have made firm friends over the years with the craftsmen and designers who work in their family businesses.
They have also developed from a young age a good understanding of the clientele their parents have cultivated and cherish. The ability to appreciate what their clients expect and desire helps this unique group of young jewelers build and bridge the collections favored by the longstanding customers of their family business and the taste and preferences of the new generation of jewelry buyers. With millennials being a key target audience for fine jewelry in the future, product development, material innovation and the use of contemporary designs, are important factors in targeting this age group. The knowledge of gemstones and the industry that our young jewelers have acquired from a young age are their magic carpets to fast track them into a competitive, complex and innovative industry that is surrounded by beauty, grace and a desire for excellence and perfection.
