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Press, 1 September 1980, Page 25

Delicate diamond rings to grandfather clocks — every. kind .of jewellery imaginable — will be on display to the public in the sixth official New Zealand Jewellery Fair next week. < .

The fair is being held in the upstairs section of the Christchurch Town Hall today and tomorrow. Six million dollars worth of jewellery' is taking up over 929 square metres of display space (oyer 40 stands in all) making it the most valuable collection ever to be displayed in New Zealand. One stand alone is worth $1 million.

The fair is open to the public from 12 noon to 9 p.m. on both days, with an admittance fee of $l.OO,

and for the first time, all the items on display will be available for purchase. Among the jewellery featured are some of the best New Zealand-made greenstone and paua pendants, rings, bracelets and earrings. Paua shell is something unique to New Zealand — it can be found only on our coasts. Our sephrite jade (greenstone) Is found in the Arahura River and surrounding area of Westland.

The fair is being or-, ganised this year by the Canterbury and Westland branches of the New Zealand Jeweller’s Association, and coincides with the jeweller’s conference, being held at the Town Hall at the same time.

The different displays ire being assembled by

wholesalers and retailers from all over the country.

The displays reflect- all he * latest trends in jewellery, including New Zealand and overseas creations.

“New Zealand jewellery is on a par with the rest of the world,” said publicity manager for the fair, Hr Brian Keeley. The very best in security irrangements have been made, including a 24-hour surveillance of the displays. There will be “lucky spot” competitions during the fair.

Every hour, on the hour, the person standing in the “lucky spot” will receive a jewellery prize supplied by the Canterbury-West-land retailers.