The Amber Galbin Group of Companies brought to the Amberif Spring 2023 international fair legally mined amber from the Rivne Polissya region. So far, it is raw material, but later the entrepreneurs will bring their own products.
Someone looks at beautiful products, someone buys and sells, someone negotiates cooperation, and someone earns money online. People and companies are also awarded here for popularizing amber art. For a few days, Amberif brings together everyone from all over the world who loves amber or is somehow connected with the stone.
Amberiff Spring 2023: fewer people
The fair traditionally takes place twice a year - in March and September - at the Amber Expo in Gdansk. The building covers more than one hectare, so it can easily accommodate several hundred participants.
This year's spring “Amberiff“ returned to Amber Expo after a three-year break due to the coronavirus.
The fair brought together 250 exhibitors from 15 countries and guests from 35 countries, according to the event organizers. However, there were not enough people, said regular visitors to the auction.
First of all, this is due to the pandemic, says Polish designer Mariusz Gliwinski:
For more than 20 years, this auction has been a holiday for us. "Amberif is the only fair in the world, apart from the one that later opened in Vilnius, dedicated exclusively to amber.
After the pandemic break, the fair resumed, but naturally there were fewer participants. Some companies have ceased operations, while others are not yet able to participate because it is not cheap. At the same time, it remains a holiday for amber producers.
Another reason for the decline in people is the war in Ukraine, according to the fair's regulars. But how is this connected?
"Ukrainian amber is characterized by a different bark, it is not cracked, so it is of better quality," says Kamil Stashak, an employee of the amber museum in Kolobrzeg. That is why European and other jewelry manufacturers prefer amber from Ukraine. Thus, instability in Ukraine affects the situation on the market in general.
People are afraid to invest or start a business because they don't know what to expect in the near future. In addition, as far as I know, Ukrainian amber is mined in the territories bordering Belarus, which are now mined, so production has decreased. It is also not known what the price will be in the future: if production decreases, the price will increase, if it remains at the same level as now, the price will be stable," says Kamil Stashak.
Legal amber will lead to success
At the same time, the Poles are pleased with the development of legal amber mining in Ukraine. For Polish taxpayers, it is more profitable to cooperate "in a white way," explains Kamil Stashak.
If you buy legal goods and pay on account, you pay tax on the difference, but if you buy illegally, the tax increases significantly, which is unprofitable. That is why we are very pleased that those companies that have discovered deposits in Ukraine can sell legally, and this is a very good step on the Ukrainian side."
Burprom and Zakhidzemresurs of the Amber Galbin group of companies were among the first to buy special permits under the new law. They started working in the fields and were the only ones to present Ukrainian legally mined amber at Amberif Spring 2023.
The company has been working towards this for three years. First, it bought special permits for geological exploration and commercial amber mining in 2020. Then we waited for a year and a half for the Cabinet of Ministers to approve a model agreement to be signed with landowners to start working," said Pavlo Bondar, director of Burprom.
The Gdańsk Fair is about negotiations, finding partners, not just buying and selling goods, added Pavlo Bondar.
In the fall of 2022, the Amber Galbin group of companies has already been to Amberif. Last year, the companies received 20 proposals for cooperation and sent eight batches of amber abroad.
Amber jewelry: Amber Galbin is already planning production
Every time at Amberif you can see thousands of amber jewelry, and among them unique highly artistic works of art. These pieces once again confirm the existence of a separate type of jewelry art.
In my workshop, everything is done by hand. That is why we try to use the advantages of each piece of amber to the fullest extent possible. I have participated in several hundred exhibitions and fairs around the world. I have realized several dozen projects together with fashion shows. I am happy to collaborate with fashion designers and sometimes I also draw jewelry for models. It's a kind of applied art aimed at people, so it's designed that way," says designer Mariusz Gliwinski.
Ukraine also organizes international jewelry auctions. However, it is not without problems. Mariusz Gliwinski was a guest at the fair in Kyiv and spoke about the difficulties encountered in the customs declaration of jewelry.
The Ministry does not recognize the Polish hallmark. I think it is worth discussing with the organizers and government officials how to simplify the procedures related to the transportation of works of art and jewelry from one side and the other."
Currently, the creation of amber jewelry is not widely used in Ukraine, and even less so is the treatment of jewelry as artistic works. Mariusz Gliwinski suggested how to change this:
You can organize joint workshops with students and artists to create a joint product. For example, from Ukrainian raw amber together with Ukrainian designers and Polish artists. So that these works and collections could be presented at this fair and at art fairs in Ukraine. This would make exceptional sense for Ukraine, if we are talking about raw amber, artistic intellectual potential, and art history in general."
Rivne region with its deposits has every chance to become the capital of amber. 26 years ago, the first Amberif took place in Gdansk. Today, there are almost no deposits in Poland, but the brand of the fair remains known all over the world.
So, the time has come for Ukraine. At least, the Amber Galbin group of companies, which was the only one to present legal amber at Amberif, is already thinking about setting up its own jewelry production.