Expertise Events is the organiser of Australia’s two largest annual trade shows, the International Jewellery Fair and the Australian Jewellery Fair. In an email distributed to the local trade on 27 October 2025, the company confirmed that the JAA will participate in the Adelaide event, scheduled for 19–20 April 2026 at the Adelaide Convention Centre.
The announcement described the JAA’s participation as the beginning of a “new chapter” and noted that the association will appear alongside other trade bodies, including the Gemmological Association of Australia (GAA).
This will mark the first time since 2016 that the JAA has participated in an Expertise Events trade show. The member-based association severed its 25-year partnership with Expertise Events that year and unsuccessfully attempted to launch a competing trade fair.
As part of the announcement, Expertise Events managing director Gary Fitz-Roy said that while it was important to acknowledge the challenges and divisions of the past, “now is the time to focus on the future.”
The JAA also published the announcement on its website on 27 October, confirming its participation in the Adelaide Jewellery Fair. The media statement framed the decision as an “ongoing commitment to collaboration, engagement, and growth of the Australian jewellery industry.”
Spot the difference
With that said, while the two announcements were released on the same day, they differ in at least one significant respect.
Jay Bartlett, managing director of Bartlett Master Jewellers in Townsville, joined the JAA board as a director in April.
As part of the announcement on the JAA website, he offered the following: “The JAA is delighted to be part of the 2026 Australian Jewellery Fair.
“Events such as this play a vital role in our industry. They bring our community together, foster knowledge sharing, and a collective passion for the future growth of the Australian jewellery industry. We look forward to meeting with members and colleagues to share in that spirit of unity.”
Interestingly, in the announcement distributed by Expertise Events, Bartlett’s comments went further, including an apology for the JAA’s actions during its split from Expertise Events nearly a decade ago.
“I’d also like to personally apologise for the actions of previous board members who are no longer involved. While I can’t speak for past boards, I do recognise the impact those actions have had,” Bartlett said.
“The current Board is focused on making things right where we can and on strengthening what unites us and benefits the broader industry.”
The JAA’s decision to end its long-standing relationship with Expertise Events in 2016 was led by Selwyn Brandt (President), Laura Moore (Vice-President), and Amanda Trotman (Executive Director). All three subsequently left the JAA; however, the fallout from the split was immediate and severe.
As documented in Jeweller’s State of the Industry Report, the JAA’s membership declined by approximately 73 per cent between 2010 and 2023.
More notably, the association had received more than $1.2 million in support from Expertise Events over the decade leading up to the split in 2016, meaning that the decision also had severe financial consequences.
The decision led to a collapse in the relationship between the JAA and Nationwide Jewellers, the largest industry buying group in Australia and New Zealand. The Australian jewellery industry has remained divided since that time.
Subsequently, Laura Moore established the Jewellery Industry Network in 2020, which has since hosted Jewellery Industry Fair events in Melbourne and Sydney as well as Jewellery Industry Summits, and other activities. The JAA has backed those events and contributes a regular column to Jewellery World, a trade publication owned by Moore.
Moving towards reconciliation
While the circumstances surrounding this ‘reconciliation’ remain somewhat unclear, Fitz-Roy and Bartlett have emphasised that they intend to move beyond past divisions for the betterment of the broader jewellery industry.
“Jay [Bartlett] is a leading example of the future of the jewellery industry,” Fitz-Roy said.
“He’s committed to setting a direction that unites rather than divides. The fact that he’s big enough to acknowledge what happened before — none of which involved him or the current board — shows a genuine commitment to move forward together. The JAA will be far stronger with this kind of approach and attitude.”
Fitz-Roy added: “As the industry looks ahead, one thing is clear: by setting aside past differences and working together, the Australian jewellery community can achieve more, grow stronger, and ensure a vibrant, united future where everyone wins.”
As a curious aside, JAA president Joshua Sharp is not mentioned in either the Expertise Events statement or the JAA’s own announcement, which is intriguing given that important industry announcements are usually made by the sitting president.
Jeweller has contacted Sharp to clarify why the announcement was not issued in his capacity as president and why Bartlett’s apology, which was included in the Expertise Events version, was not included in the JAA’s statement.
The story will be updated should a response be received and may require a follow-up article incorporating Sharp’s remarks and explanation.
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