More Retail Visitors at Future Shows, Says Kaufman

Diamond Dealers Club of New York President Reuven Kaufman said the second Israel Diamond Week in November had been much bigger and with many more buyers and sellers than the first event held a year before.

"It was more successful in the fact that for the first show we did not know what to expect, so many companies from New York did not even come down to the bourse and many people from outside of New York did not come either," he explained.

"This time more than 500 company representatives were on the bourse floor at any given time from all over the United States and Canada. There were retailers and wholesalers.

"They said it was easier than traveling overseas. They saw a tremendous number of people and goods. There was a tremendous atmosphere. It was such a good feeling. It was the old trading floor and a good feeling."

He said the big traditional tradeshows have many advantages "but they are so big that you do not have enough time to meet everyone. By contrast, a smaller show allows visitors to check all the booths. There is enough time to talk to all vendors. It's a much more relaxed and cheaper and workable atmosphere. There was no entrance fee, it was free."

He commended the teams in Israel and New York who took care of the organization of the event, saying they had been highly professional and hard-working.

"There is such a warm feeling between Israel and America that we just seem to mesh together. There were no major obstacles."