The Western Canadian Jewellery Expo (WCJE) once again welcomes the Canadian jewellery industry to Edmonton’s Shaw Conference Centre.
With more than 35 per cent of this year’s exhibiters being first-timers, the show offers one more chance to pick up last-minute must-haves for the holiday season. WCJE runs from Aug. 17 to 19.
Several social events are planned this year, offering a break from the show floor and a chance to catch up with old friends and colleagues.
A soirée sponsored by ELLE Jewelry/PAJ Canada will be held in the main foyer from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the end of opening day. A cocktail gathering on Saturday from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. is also on the roster of events. Additionally, DiGem’s annual gala fundraising dinner takes place Saturday night at the Westin Hotel in support of children’s cancer research.
To help start your day off on the right foot, check out Master Design’s complimentary coffee and juice bar each morning from 9:45 a.m. to 11 a.m. Wine tasting—which is also sponsored by Master Design—returns, starting at 1 p.m. each day on the show floor.
If you’re looking to brush up on your gemmology, Branko Deljanin—president of Canadian Gemological Laboratory (CGL) and Jewellery Business columnist—presents “Canadian Gems and Diamonds: An Overview” on Saturday at 9:15 a.m. The next day, he takes on the topic of identifying diamond types and synthetic diamonds with various gemmological tools. Pre-registration is required for this workshop, which starts at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday. Other seminars presented by ARMS and Polygon will be held over the lunch hour.
There are plenty of other highlights, including ELLE’s photo booth, the design centre, ‘Crack the Safe,’ and a new product presentation area.
For more information, visit www.wcjexpo.com.
