Key points
- The bigger question is whether the coming 74th Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair can raise the bar again and push business beyond the THB 4.
- The official event information shows that the fair is scheduled to accommodate around 700 participating applicants and 1,800 booths, covering an extensive range of products including diamonds, gemstones, fine jewelry, gold jewelry, silver jewelry, pearls, precious metals, synthetic stones, lab-grown diamonds, machinery, tools, packaging and jewelry components.
- 75 billion in trade, the highest figure since the event began, according to the Gem and Jewelry Institute of Thailand (GIT).
Bangkok’s gem and jewelry industry is preparing for another major test in September, when the 74th Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair returns to the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center from September 8-12, 2026. But after the previous edition established a new trading record, the question hanging over Thailand’s biggest international jewelry marketplace is no longer simply how many buyers will arrive. The bigger question is whether the coming 74th Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair can raise the bar again and push business beyond the THB 4.75 billion generated just seven months earlier.
Image Credit: Bangkok Gem News
The benchmark is certainly formidable. The 73rd Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair, held from February 22-26, generated more than THB 4.75 billion in trade, the highest figure since the event began, according to the Gem and Jewelry Institute of Thailand (GIT). More than 40,700 visitors from 118 countries attended, and international visitors accounted for 61 percent of total attendance. Against that background, this Bangkok Gems News report looks at the numbers behind the September edition and why organizers may have good reason to believe another record could be within reach.
September Fair Sets an Ambitious New Target
The Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), working with GIT, has already put a sizeable number on its expectations for the 74th edition.
DITP said in August that the September fair is targeting trade worth at least US$160 million, signaling substantial confidence in buyer activity despite an uncertain international economic environment. The show is also being positioned as part of Thailand’s push to move its jewelry industry beyond its traditional strength in original equipment manufacturing and toward higher-value original design manufacturing.
The official event information shows that the fair is scheduled to accommodate around 700 participating applicants and 1,800 booths, covering an extensive range of products including diamonds, gemstones, fine jewelry, gold jewelry, silver jewelry, pearls, precious metals, synthetic stones, lab-grown diamonds, machinery, tools, packaging and jewelry components.
That breadth matters. The Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair is not dependent on one narrow segment of the jewelry market. A buyer can arrive looking for loose colored gemstones and leave having also sourced finished jewelry, components, packaging or manufacturing services.
February Set a Difficult Record to Beat
The February edition demonstrated just how much commercial momentum Bangkok Gems can generate.
Its THB 4.75 billion trade result was the highest in the fair’s history, while the attendance figures also underline its international reach. Of the 40,721 visitors recorded during the five-day show, 61 percent came from outside Thailand.
Interestingly, expectations before the February event had been even higher. Organizers had forecast more than 45,000 visitors and trade of at least THB 4.8 billion. The final attendance did not reach that visitor forecast, and the recorded trade value came in slightly below THB 4.8 billion, yet the fair still established a new trade record.
That provides an important lesson ahead of September: raw visitor numbers are not the only measure that matters.
A fair can attract fewer people than anticipated and still deliver exceptional commercial results if those attending include serious international wholesalers, retailers, manufacturers, designers, gemstone dealers and sourcing executives with genuine purchasing power.
Thailand’s Export Numbers Add to the Optimism
The wider performance of Thailand’s gem and jewelry exports provides another reason to watch September closely.
According to GIT data, Thailand exported US$15.66 billion worth of gems and jewelry between January and May 2026, representing an increase of 29.41 percent compared with the same period in 2025. Gems and jewelry ranked as Thailand’s second-largest export category during the period and accounted for 9.66 percent of the country’s gross exports.
There is, however, an important qualification behind those headline numbers.
Once unwrought gold is excluded, Thailand’s gem and jewelry exports for the five-month period were valued at approximately US$7.37 billion, an increase of 11.11 percent year-on-year. That is considerably below the headline 29.41 percent growth rate, but it still indicates underlying expansion in the broader industry.
For the industry, that is significant. Trade fairs tend to perform best when exhibitors arrive with confidence that international demand is moving in the right direction, while buyers are actively searching for new suppliers, products and price points.
International Buyers Could Decide the Record
The biggest variable in September may be the international buyer.
Bangkok has long held an advantage as both a trading and manufacturing center. Thailand has deep expertise in colored gemstones, cutting and polishing, jewelry manufacturing, silver jewelry and skilled craftsmanship, while the fair itself brings finished jewelry and loose stones together under one roof.
The February figure showing overseas visitors accounting for 61 percent of attendance demonstrates how international the event has become.
For the September fair to move decisively beyond the previous THB 4.75 billion record, however, attendance alone will not be enough. The composition of the crowd will matter.
A relatively modest increase in the number of high-value buyers placing substantial orders could have a greater impact on trade figures than thousands of additional visitors. Orders for gemstones, fine jewelry, precious metals and large-scale manufacturing contracts can quickly alter the final value generated by a five-day business-to-business event.
High Gold Prices Could Complicate the Picture
There are also reasons for caution. Gold prices have created considerable cost pressure throughout the international jewelry business, forcing manufacturers and retailers to think more carefully about weight, karatage, margins and final retail prices. GIT has previously noted how sharp increases in gold prices have encouraged major jewelry businesses to consider price adjustments and alternative production strategies.
That could produce two contrasting effects in Bangkok. Higher precious-metal values can inflate the monetary value of transactions, potentially helping headline trade figures. At the same time, expensive raw materials can make buyers more conservative about inventory and encourage smaller orders or lighter-weight designs.
Currency movements, consumer confidence and economic conditions in major jewelry markets could also influence how aggressively international buyers place orders.
More Than a Battle for One Number
Breaking THB 4.75 billion would give organizers a powerful headline, but the significance of the September fair goes beyond a single record.
DITP is explicitly using the 74th edition to promote a transition from OEM manufacturing toward ODM and greater value creation through Thai design. If that strategy succeeds, the coming 74th Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair could increasingly become not merely a marketplace where international buyers source competitively manufactured products, but a platform where Thai design, branding, craftsmanship and product development command higher values.
That distinction could ultimately be more important than whether September beats February by THB 50 million, THB 500 million or not at all.
All Eyes on the September Numbers
The 74th Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair enters September with something previous editions did not have: a fresh THB 4.75 billion record to chase. Strong export growth, substantial international participation at the February show and an official trade target of at least US$160 million all suggest that expectations will be high when the doors open at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center.
Yet the real measure of success will be found on the trading floor. If international buyers arrive ready to place larger orders, Thai manufacturers convert inquiries into contracts and demand for gemstones and finished jewelry remains resilient despite high input costs, Bangkok could have another record-setting fair on its hands. Even if THB 4.75 billion survives, September will provide an important indication of where Thailand’s gem and jewelry industry is heading and whether Bangkok can strengthen its position as one of the world’s major jewelry trading centers.
For more details on the coming fair and to register to visit the event, visit:
