Key points
- With thousands of exhibitors, buyers, traders, manufacturers, designers, and gemstone specialists expected to converge on Bangkok, the nationality of those arriving with serious purchasing intentions could have a major influence on the final value of business generated at the five-day event.
- Against that international backdrop, this Bangkok Gems News report examines the markets that could make the biggest commercial impact at the 74th Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair, with India, Myanmar, China, Japan, and Sri Lanka among the countries attracting particular attention after their strong representation at the February event.
- Jewelry Fair is preparing to bring the international jewelry trade back to Thailand in September, and one question is likely to matter more than almost any other.
The 74th Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair is preparing to bring the international jewelry trade back to Thailand in September, and one question is likely to matter more than almost any other: which countries will deliver the strongest buying power? With thousands of exhibitors, buyers, traders, manufacturers, designers, and gemstone specialists expected to converge on Bangkok, the nationality of those arriving with serious purchasing intentions could have a major influence on the final value of business generated at the five-day event.
Image Credit: Bangkok Gems News
The previous edition demonstrated just how dependent the fair has become on international business. The 73rd Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair welcomed 40,721 visitors from 118 countries, with overseas visitors accounting for an impressive 61 percent of total attendance. Against that international backdrop, this Bangkok Gems News report examines the markets that could make the biggest commercial impact at the 74th Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair, with India, Myanmar, China, Japan, and Sri Lanka among the countries attracting particular attention after their strong representation at the February event.
India Could Once Again Lead the International Charge
India will be one of the most important markets to watch when trading begins in September.
Indian visitors ranked first among overseas attendees at the 73rd edition, ahead of Myanmar, China, Japan, and Sri Lanka. Their prominence reflects the enormous scale of India’s jewelry industry and the country’s extensive involvement in diamonds, colored gemstones, gold jewelry, manufacturing, cutting, polishing, and international trading.
Thailand offers Indian buyers a particularly interesting proposition because Bangkok is deeply connected to the global colored gemstone business. Buyers can examine loose stones, meet manufacturers, investigate new suppliers, compare prices, and discuss production opportunities within a single marketplace.
Indian businesses are also not limited to one category. Some buyers may be searching for rubies, sapphires, spinels, or other colored stones, while others may be interested in finished jewelry, components, manufacturing technology, or potential partnerships with Thai factories.
If Indian attendance remains strong and purchasing confidence holds up, the country could once again be one of the most influential sources of international business at the fair.
Myanmar’s Gemstone Connections Remain Important
Myanmar was the second-largest source of international visitors at the previous edition, giving the country a significant position heading into September.
Its importance to the regional gemstone trade stretches far beyond visitor numbers. Myanmar has a historic association with some of the world’s most valuable rubies, sapphires, jade, and other gemstones, while Thailand has developed extensive expertise in gemstone trading, cutting, treatment, identification, certification, and jewelry manufacturing.
These complementary strengths have helped create longstanding commercial connections between the two markets.
The presence of Myanmar traders and buyers is particularly relevant because the value of gemstone transactions can be substantial even when the number of people involved is relatively small. A handful of experienced dealers negotiating high-quality stones can generate considerably more business than a much larger group of casual visitors.
For that reason, Myanmar’s commercial influence should not be judged solely by attendance.
China Could Be One of September’s Biggest Variables
China will inevitably attract considerable attention. Chinese visitors represented the third-largest overseas group at the 73rd fair, highlighting the importance of one of Asia’s biggest jewelry consumer and manufacturing markets.
China’s influence comes from both its enormous consumer base and the diversity of its jewelry industry. Buyers may be interested in everything from gold jewelry and diamonds to colored gemstones, finished collections, components, and manufacturing services.
Bangkok can also appeal to Chinese buyers looking for products that differ from those available through domestic supply chains. Thailand’s reputation for colored stones, skilled craftsmanship, silver jewelry, and contract manufacturing gives exhibitors several routes into Chinese demand.
Buyer confidence will nevertheless be crucial. When Chinese wholesalers and retailers feel confident about consumer demand, their purchasing scale can be significant. When conditions become more uncertain, inventory management and pricing can quickly become more conservative.
That makes China one of the most important markets to watch when exhibitors begin assessing the quality of September’s buyer traffic.
Japan Could Bring High-Quality Business
Japan ranked fourth among the leading international visitor markets at the February edition.
Japanese buyers are especially interesting because commercial value does not necessarily depend on enormous order volumes. Quality, craftsmanship, reliability, precision, and long-term supplier relationships can carry considerable weight when Japanese companies select international partners.
That could work in Thailand’s favor. Thai manufacturers have decades of experience producing jewelry for international markets, while the country’s skilled workforce remains an important competitive advantage. Exhibitors offering carefully finished jewelry, distinctive colored gemstones, pearls, or sophisticated designs could therefore find Japanese buyers particularly valuable.
For some Thai businesses, securing a dependable Japanese customer capable of placing repeat orders could ultimately be more important than landing one exceptionally large transaction during the fair itself.
Sri Lanka Strengthens the Colored Gemstone Story
Sri Lanka was the fifth-leading international visitor market at the 73rd edition, and its presence reinforces Bangkok’s position within Asia’s colored gemstone network.
Sri Lanka is internationally famous for sapphires and numerous other gemstone varieties, while Bangkok provides a major regional marketplace where stones can be traded, evaluated, cut, treated, certified, manufactured into jewelry, and presented to international buyers.
The commercial relationship therefore extends in several directions. Sri Lankan participants may arrive as buyers, gemstone suppliers, dealers, or potential business partners. Bangkok gives them access not only to Thai companies but also to buyers and traders arriving from dozens of other countries.
This cross-border interaction is one reason international fairs remain particularly important to the gemstone sector. A stone originating in one country may be purchased by a trader from another, cut or treated elsewhere, incorporated into jewelry in Thailand, and ultimately sold into an entirely different consumer market.
Middle Eastern Buyers Could Deliver High-Value Orders
Another region worth watching closely is the Middle East. Markets across the Gulf have traditionally maintained strong demand for gold, diamonds, precious stones, and luxury jewelry. Buyers serving customers in countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia can therefore represent attractive opportunities for Thai manufacturers and exporters. The product mix may also differ from other markets.
Statement jewelry, higher-karat gold pieces, elaborate gemstone designs, and diamond jewelry can carry substantially higher unit values than lightweight commercial products. Consequently, Middle Eastern buyers do not necessarily need to dominate attendance figures to have a meaningful impact on the fair’s overall trade value.
Dubai’s position as a major international gold and jewelry trading center adds another dimension. Buyers operating there can potentially source merchandise for distribution beyond the UAE, giving Thai suppliers access to a much broader regional market through a single commercial relationship.
US Buyers Could Become September’s Wild Card
The United States should not be overlooked either. The American jewelry market encompasses national retailers, independent jewelers, designers, wholesalers, e-commerce companies, manufacturers, and specialist gemstone businesses. This creates opportunities for Thai companies operating at several different levels of the supply chain.
Thailand’s capabilities in silver jewelry, colored gemstones, fine jewelry, and contract manufacturing could be particularly attractive to American companies looking to diversify sourcing or develop exclusive product ranges.
American buyers can also place significant emphasis on reliability, consistent quality, delivery schedules, product differentiation, and the ability to manufacture at scale. Thai suppliers capable of satisfying those requirements could potentially turn initial meetings at the 74th Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair into substantial longer-term business.
Strong Export Numbers Raise Expectations
Thailand’s broader export performance provides an encouraging backdrop to the September event.
According to the Gem and Jewelry Institute of Thailand, the country’s gem and jewelry exports reached approximately US$15.66 billion during the first five months of 2026, representing year-over-year growth of 29.41 percent.
The headline figure requires some perspective because unwrought gold contributes significantly to the total. Excluding unwrought gold, exports were approximately US$7.37 billion, still representing growth of 11.11 percent compared with the same period a year earlier.
Those figures suggest that underlying international demand remains important even after the impact of gold is removed.
For exhibitors preparing for September, that matters. Strong export activity can encourage manufacturers to invest in new collections, expand international relationships, and approach overseas buyers with greater confidence.
International Buyers Could Determine the Final Score
The 73rd Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair generated more than THB 4.75 billion in trade, establishing a new record for the event. That performance inevitably creates greater expectations for the 74th edition.
Yet breaking another record will require more than packed aisles and impressive visitor numbers.
The commercial quality of those visitors will matter enormously. Thousands of attendees looking at displays create atmosphere, but serious wholesalers, retailers, manufacturers, gemstone dealers, and sourcing executives placing substantial orders create trade value.
This is where the 61 percent international attendance figure from February becomes particularly significant. Overseas buyers are not simply adding an international flavor to the event; they have become fundamental to its commercial character.
India appears well positioned to remain a major force, while Myanmar’s gemstone connections, China’s immense market, Japan’s focus on quality, and Sri Lanka’s colored stone expertise give each country a distinct role. Middle Eastern buyers could deliver particularly valuable transactions, while American businesses offer potentially important manufacturing and sourcing opportunities.
Ultimately, September’s most revealing number may not be total attendance. It could be the amount of business generated by the international buyers walking the exhibition floor. If those buyers arrive ready to spend, source new products, negotiate contracts, and establish long-term supplier relationships, the 74th Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair could strengthen Thailand’s position as one of the most important meeting points in the global gem and jewelry trade.
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