BeDazzled

As Indian jewellers return from Baselworld 2003, Sheetal Wadhwa Munshaw takes stock of current trends in jewellery designs and designers

It’s April and time for Baselworld 2003 - the biggest watch and jewellery show in the world patronised by jewellery manufacturers, designers, wholesalers and retailers the world over.

This year, it was held between April 3 and 10, 2003, attracting over 2,400 exhibitors from 41 participating countries. Hong Kong maintained its position as the largest Country Pavilion with 308 registered exhibitors. The other participating countries included Brazil, China, France, Italy, Korea, Lebanon, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United States of America. The fair also had a very strong Indian representation. Says Dharmesh Sodah, president, Trendsmith, “Baselworld is seen as one of the most promising shows by Indian jewellery exporters. This year saw around 50 Indian companies participating at the show. The Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council also had a presence at the show.”

The novel feature of Baselworld 2003 was the concept of One Show - Two Locations, a proposition designed to enhance the business environment for exhibitors, buyers and visitors alike. Baselworld 2003 was held at both Basel and Zurich. The new concept was very well received and resulted in the participation of prestige brands such as Bulgari, Gerald Genta and Daniel Roth.

Most of the diamond export houses located in Seepz, Mumbai headed to Basel and Zurich. A large number of designs in India draw their inspiration from Baselworld and designers returned completely charged with an array of new collections.

The feedback was that it’s clearly the diamond that's shining brightly above all other precious jewels...

Diamonds Are Forever
No longer a status symbol of the elite alone, the average upper middle income group of India like and can afford wearing diamonds. Diamonds are now perceived as accessible. This could be attributed to the fact that they are now available across segments – from solitaires to studded stones. Another reason is that the consumers already possess gold jewellery and are now ready to add diamonds to their collection.

Not to undermine, of course, the aggressive promotional efforts by the Diamond Promotion Service (DeBeers) for brands like Arisia, Nakshatra, Asmi as well as the generic promotion of diamonds as a symbol of love, celebration etc. And of course due to the influx of jewellery brands like Inter Gold, Tanishq, Trendsmith, Ozsterbay etc in the Indian market, and the access to a phenomenal variety of both quality and design across varying price points.

Says Nikhil Khanna, Paramount Gems & Trading Co, “In the past, the entire focus of making diamond jewellery was to flash the diamonds. The emphasis was not so much on aesthetics and design as it was on the visibility of the diamond. The other drawback was that people didn’t mind lower quality so long as they got a bigger size, especially in the Delhi market which is essentially quantity conscious and not quality conscious.”

The whole outlook of the consumer has transformed dramatically and the inclination towards diamonds is crystal clear. The very existence of an only diamond brand such as Inter Gold explains that. To back this up with figures, as a large diamond jewellery supplier revealed, the diamond jewellery market has been witnessing a healthy growth of around 20 per cent plus in the last three years.

From Goldsmith To Trendsmith
While the consumer’s attitude and approach is rapidly changing, the largely unorganised jewellery sector is also gearing up to service their demands. From the babus and sonars we have progressed to designers and design houses. Although a large number of people remain committed to known jewellers, the younger generation is clearly looking for contemporary, wearable styles that are aesthetically appealing with a clear accent on design and quality. They no longer look for traditional bulky sets that are tucked away in safety lockers.

Says Sodah, “The Indian market is witnessing an accelerated shift from viewing jewellery as an investment to possessing jewellery for its aesthetic appeal. The focus is shifting from content to design. Design and quality are the key attributes that consumers look for while buying jewellery. Today’s buyer seeks a wider selection at a single convenient location and expects an international shopping experience that they have witnessed in other product categories right here in India.”

So is branding the name of the game? Vijay Jain, CEO, Inter Gold certainly feels so. He explains that the very absence of standards creates discomfort with the younger generation whose thrust is clearly on quality. Branding, he feels, is important as it assures uniform standards. “Jewellers often tell clients that the diamonds they are selling are super deluxe quality when a categorisation like that does not exist. So, I think that there is a great amount of misrepresentation of facts in this industry. Hence, branded jewellery is clearly the way forward,” he says.

At the same time, interestingly, even traditional family-owned jewellery houses are becoming increasingly professional.

Moreover, this segment tends to feel that the branded jewellery sector will remain restricted to gifting and to the elite, while the larger consumer belt will continue to patronise jewellers known to them. “In India, when people make jewellery for weddings, the sizes and numbers of sets itself make branded jewellery simply unaffordable,” opines Bunty Khushalani, freelance jewellery designer.

Whether branded jewellery is here to stay remains to be seen, but the good news is it’s a buyer’s market with options galore!!

Style Check
The contemporary woman wants to make her own style statement and yet remain minimalistic. The jewellery is keeping pace with the changing attire of Indian women. Most women are willing to experiment and swear by light, wearable, carefree, precious yet appealing and individualistic jewellery. A clear shift from the bulky and ornate to the slick and delicate.

In terms of design and setting, fusion designs, melanges of yellow and white gold are gaining popularity. Indo-western styles inspired by Italian and other European designers as well as newer forms of setting such as invisible or channel setting are now widely appreciated. With an increasing focus on wearability, designs with arrangements to change stones or use the same pendants with different chains are being made.

Platinum is back in fashion though it can be fairly expensive. White gold is in vogue but since it can’t be changed it’s not the most popular. The absolute best bet would be to use rodium polish on yellow gold which provides for the same look as white gold but the advantage is that it can be changed back to its original form depending on what is en vogue at that point. So rodium is the most viable option both economically and from the utility point of view.

With diamonds, solitaires remain the most sought after. Round diamonds are most common. And cut diamonds such as baguettes, princess cut, marquise are gaining prominence but are not as popular. Coloured diamonds are nascent in India as a result of the price sensitivity. Being rare, they are expensive and are ideally meant for people who already have a great collection of diamonds and are looking for variation. Speaking of variation, some very interesting combinations have entered the market – trendy contemporary melanges of diamonds with bright coloured stones set in white metal, be it platinum or white gold. Stones on their own have captured a sizeable audience. Precious stones add colour and style and enhance the appeal of the basic design. Semi precious stones are far more popular as they are cheaper. The other real fad at the moment is the use of stones that can be changed to match one’s apparel as it is more wearable.

The future trend would be costume jewellery which is really big in the US and European markets but has not yet picked up in India. Costume jewellery, bought mainly for aesthetic appeal, is not expensive as commercial quality diamonds are used. Such jewellery is worn and disposed as fashions change.

(With inputs from Vijay Jain, CEO, InterGold; Dharmesh Sodah, president, Trendsmith; Nikhil Khanna, Paramount Gems & Trading Co; Bunty Khushalani, freelance jewellery designer)