The 14th Edition of the Amberif Fair. Interview with Amberif Executive Manager Ewa Rachon about its achievements and problems so far.
Amber Portal: It is already the 14th edition of the Amberif International Fair of Amber, Jewellery and Gemstones. What would you consider to be the event’s most outstanding achievements?
- Ewa Rachon, Amberif Executive Manager:
Baltic amber, with the legends told about it and its medicinal properties, is the most important. The stone has gathered quite a fan club worldwide. Amber lovers come to the Show from more than 40 countries. People with no previous experience of amber often sit on the Jury of the Elektronos Amberif Design Award, and interestingly, they quickly catch the amber bug! I am probably the best example of it myself!
From the very beginning we managed to assemble a unique team of consultants: persons from the amber, goldsmith and art community, including the invaluable Wieslaw Gierlowski. Every year, we present selected issues related to amber and do our best to invite specialists from Poland and abroad. The interaction between scientists and trade representatives is beneficial to both parties: the scientists can see that their work translates into real-life solutions. Every two years, Amberif features an extensive session on Artistic Handicraft and Design in Poland prepared by the Torun Branch of the Art Historians’ Association. Recently, we played host to the Bogdan Janski Academy, Department in Elblag, which although tourism-oriented also deals with amber issues. As you can see, Amberif has become a kind of information exchange platform for various amber-related circles.
Does Amberif’s organiser take any steps to promote Baltic amber globally?
- The very fact that an international fair has been going on for 14 years is a vital form of promotion in itself. We make every effort to publish information about our event in leading Polish and international trade media. The Amberif Design Award artistic competition and the Amber and Fashion Gala play a key role in this respect; it’s common knowledge that spectacular artistic events attract the attention of the media in a special way.
Up until today, no joint action on the part of the trade community has been taken to develop a campaign for the promotion of amber. It is much more important now to solve the problem of raw amber shortage. Otherwise, it may turn out that such a campaign will result in an increase in demand for amber products, and taking into account the limitations in raw amber supply, the manufacturers will probably be unable to meet it anyway or will offer amber substitutes instead, which could spell disaster for the special status of Baltic amber and its legend.
Exhibition halls which are too small are also a problem; the Board of the Gdansk International Fair Co. / MTG SA was promising a new one already for 2007 but it has not been built yet. -
It has not been easy for the Board to take the decision on building a new hall, as the present location of the exhibition grounds is not final. We know today that in about 10 years, MTG will change its address. But this prospect is too distant, especially to our exhibitors, therefore the Board had to take a decision which, even if only partially, will satisfy their needs. Last year we didn’t manage to commence construction works as we had to wait for EU funding, which was to be allocated only in 2007. The investment is due to begin towards the end of March, with the new hall to be built parallel to the Amber Hall, or where the Technical and Amber Pavilions are at the moment, only a little further away. Unfortunately, with 3,000 m2 it will be smaller than the present Amber Hall but will certainly be bigger and more comfortable than the Gold Hall. It is due for opening in October this year for the Railway Fair, so fortunately it won’t be the Amberif exhibitors who will be testing it.
What is the new exhibitor floor plan?
- We haven’t got a clear idea yet, but it will be developed once the first excavators enter the building site. What we want the most is to improve the exhibiting conditions for the companies which are currently located in the tents. We have a number of ideas and we certainly won’t be guided by the needs of the few largest companies but by the vast majority’s interest. One of the concepts we’ve had so far would mean moving the machines to the present-day Gold Hall, as it is an industrial hall. As I’ve already said, this is a temporary solution, while the long-term solution has to be decided by the owners, i.e. the City, the region and the shareholders, but it certainly entails serious investment.
A lot has been said recently about amber imitations and dishonest manufacturers. Amberif’s organiser has been using dramatic measures since 2005: exhibitors who do not comply with the ban on displaying amber surrogates and forgeries and who don’t label amber of other than Baltic origin, fossil resins and pressed amber are excluded from the Fair. What are the effects of this decision? -
This is a matter of to be or not to be for both the fair and its exhibitors. In partnership with the International Amber Association, Amberif is following in the footsteps of other organisations which are experienced in solving these kinds of problems. The experience gained by turquoise manufacturers tells us that if a large number of forgeries is introduced into the market, it will lead to undermined consumer confidence and therefore to a slump in the entire market. This case is no different: we must not undermine the customers’ trust, if they want to buy products made of amber, not copal. It would be as if we were sold cubic zirconia instead of diamonds. The temptation is immense but so is the risk. Fortunately, we work with wise people who can think and act long-term. It is difficult to talk about the effects of this strategy from a two-year perspective; I think that we need to wait a few more years to be able to judge it.
This year the Amberif Fair has been extended to last five days; how did the exhibitors react to such a decision on the part of the organiser?
- There were problems but following discussions and our attempts to convince them that it was worth trying, they did give us a certain degree of trust. As there are certain reasons for the trade visitors to call for extending the Fair, they need to be tested. If it turns out that this extra day is wasted, we will return to the previous formula. Although a survey performed in 2006 showed that the exhibitors didn’t want a longer fair, still they allowed us to carry out this experiment. After this year’s edition we will follow the exhibitors’ opinions, with the Amber Hall exhibitors having the final word, as our main mission resulting from the specific character of our region is to support the Amber Delta: the amber and goldsmith centre which is establishing itself with ever greater consistency in Gdansk Pomerania.
