A shining gem amid the gloom

"Today, young people just like jewelry as a part of daily life. The so-called accessories in the past can no longer meet the needs of today's consumers."

Moreover, the various means of gaining exposure, such as WeChat, Taobao and even the e-commerce platforms from Weibo and Xiaohongshu, have been helping independent designers reach out to consumers more effectively, Jing says.

The success of this year's event has gotten Jing thinking about making Shanghai the new permanent venue.

"Another reason why Shanghai would be an ideal venue for the annual salon is because the Yangtze River Delta has a very good understanding of jewelry and a good balance between business and art. This would help with the development of our local designers," Jing says.

Though the domestic jewelry market is booming and the number of independent designers is on the rise, there are still some issues that need to be tackled for the industry to achieve healthy development.

Jing points out that the domestic jewelry market is currently facing similar issues to China's fashion sector of the past, which is a lack of originality. Other problems faced by designers include being adept at managing their businesses and establishing a supply chain for manufacturing.

"Most designers lack the ability to promote their brands. There also needs to be greater funding in the supply chain and costs need to be lowered," says Jing.

"That being said, we already have amazing jewelry designers such as Anna Hu, Cindy Chao and Chen Shiying, who have garnered attention on the international stage. I'm confident about our designers' future."