ABOVE: Judy Meana, Vice President of the Panama Diamond Exchange, presenting the World Jewelry Hub development project to the gathering of PDE members and representatives of the Peruvian jewelry trade in Lima on June 22.

Peruvian jewelers and PDE members meet during the June 22 reception in Lima, the opening event of the roadshow.

A delegation of members of the Panama Diamond Exchange has wrapped up a roadshow to the Peruvian capital of Lima, during which its members met and networked with the country’s leading jewelry retailers.

The roadshow, which was organized by PDE and led by its vice president, Judy Meana, is part of the World Jewelry Hub’s two-pronged outreach program in Latin America, which includes periodic diamond and jewelry weeks bringing buyers to the World Jewelry Hub in Panama City, as well roadshows taking PDE members directly into the region’s most important jewelry markets. Ms. Meana was assisted by Lilibeth del Castillo, PDE Office Manager.

Peru is a market of growing importance. With an economy that has posted about 6 percent per annum growth over the past decade, it is home to a fast expanding luxury product sector and a growing community of jewelers. One of the world’s largest producers of silver and gold, the country itself exported about $47 million worth of jewelry in 2013.

The Peru roadshow kicked off in downtown Lima on June 22, with an early morning introduction to the World Jewelry Hub for the Peruvian trade, presented by Ms. Meana. The high profile event was attended by the Ambassador of Panama in Peru, Ms. Nicole Wolcovinsky; the Ambassador of Belgium in Peru, Mr. Michel Dewez; the Ambassador of Guatemala in Peru, Mr. Walter Cepeda; Panama’s General Consul in Lima, Ms. Patricia Dutari De La Espriella; and the First Secretary of the Ambassador of Belgium, Ms. Liesbet Van Quathem.

The presentation by Ms. Meana provided the members of the Peruvian jewelry trade with a first-hand account about the establishment in Panama City of the World Jewelry Hub, Latin America’s first dedicated diamond, colored gemstone and jewelry trading center, and its Phase II development program, which will begin during the third quarter of this year and include the construction of an iconic office tower and luxury commercial center.

Ms Meana also reviewed the development and operation of PDE, Latin America’s first recognized diamond bourse, which is currently headquartered in the World Jewelry Hub’s Phase I building, but will move to the Phase II building when it is completed at the end of 2017.

The primary function of the reception was to serve as an icebreaker for the 15 PDE companies that joined the road show, and their counterparts from the jewelry sector in Peru.

“Our objective was to provide a comfortable setting in which our members and the Peruvian jewelers could meet, exchange business cards and set up meetings for the coming days,” explained Ms. Meana. “PDE was the facilitator, but once we had gotten the two sides together, the business of gemstones and jewelry took over. The World Jewelry Hub and Panama Diamond Exchange represent a new era for jewelry in Latin America, and it is fair to say that this has now become apparent to the trade in Peru.”

Among PDE companies represented in the roadshow delegation were Shlophili S.A., Art Metal Fusion Panama S.A., TDI/Tuvachi Diamonds Int., P.S.D. Diamonds & Jewelry, AA Diamondz, De Viany Jewelers, Yakubov Group Panama, Kiran Jewels, La Forgia Gioielli, A. Diamante Group, Rosy Blue, DHV, Niru South America Corp., Dianco and G.S.D.C.

The roadshow also sparked a good deal of media interest. In addition to Panama’s own VVS UNO information service, which joined the delegation and provided ongoing online reports, the visit to Lima was covered by the Peruvian business press, online news websites and a local luxury periodical.

PDE’s next roadshow is scheduled to take place in Bogota, Colombia, from July 6 to July 8, and the World Jewelry Hub will host a gathering of Latin diamond and jewelry buyers at the Panama Diamond Exchange on July 22 and 23. A series of roadshows to other countries in the region are being planned during the following months.