Return Of The Golden

Sheetal Wadhwa Munshaw and Charmaine Fernz trace a revival of interest in ethnic Indian jewellery...

Trends change faster than seasons, so while a few months ago the world’s gliteratti were shimmering in diamonds, they are now grooving on the treasure of the golden era. The bold and ethnic look is back. Jewellery exhibitions in India as well as abroad are showcasing oeuvres d’art in the form of antique gold and precious stone pieces. The collections are ensembles of antique settings of various sorts including Jartad, Meenakari and a lot more.

At the recently concluded, ‘Namaste India’ festival in Milan, Indian jewellery along with Indian food, fashion, cinema and art were showcased. The Indian gala evening turned out to be a glittering affair with a spectacular display of Indian jewellery by Amrapali Jewels Pvt Ltd and Ganjam Nagappa & Sons Pvt Ltd. Sheetal Mallar, Ujjwala Raut, Meher Jessia, Lakshmi Menon, Michelle Innes and and Sapna Kumar numbed the collective Italian senses in ethnic India lehangas and exquisite diamond and gold jewellery set in rose cut diamonds, precious and semi-precious stones. Top Indian model Meher Jessia wearing an antique masterpiece floored the creme de la creme of the fashion circle in Milan. Said a designer from Ganjam Nagappa & Sons, “We specialise in heritage master pieces and are in fact on the panel of evaluation for antique jewellery. There is undoubtedly a rising interest for ethnic pieces which is clear from the reaction of the crowd here in Milan as well.” Valentina Pedroni, ex-wife of neo-celebrity Arun Nayar, also sported a bold ethnic neck piece to complement her Indian ensemble designed by designer Tarun Tahiliani. The entire banquet hall at Four Seasons, Milan was packed with celebrities sporting a melange of Indian and Italian fashion. Perfectly elegant western gowns were complemented with Indian chokers, slick bandh-gala kurtis paired with traditional Amdavadi ‘dools’ (earrings) and sarees were enhanced with the dazzle of diamonds.

Of course, you and me can’t be weighed down under kilos of gold but that doesn’t stop us from having our own share of prized possessions. While massive ornate pieces are restricted to bridal wear, ethnic objet d’arts still make their way into select social events. So while you can’t be sporting your wedding ‘haars’ at an evening gathering, you could certainly find that perfect piece of jewellery that would suit the occasion.

The days of owning two bulky gold sets are gone. Like apparel, jewellery too needs to be worn purposefully to complement the ensemble, the occasion and of course the budget. One needs to comprehend that you don’t need to spend a fortune to get a piece of jewellery custom designed. But before you take the plunge into the very high-value world of designer jewellery, take time to understand the prevalent fashion trends and more importantly what piece of jewellery suits you best. It’s only when you have all these factors to your favour that you feel the real joy of owning ethnic jewellery which complements your personality.

Understanding Ethnicity

The essence of Indian culture is depicted and represented in gems and jewels lending each piece an individual character. Traditional ethnic jewellery is usually made to withstand daily usage and is therefore generally fabricated from heavier materials to give it robustness and vitality. Precious jewellery in India has been an intrinsic part of Indian social, cultural and economic identities for thousands of years. Today the precious jewellery industry in India stands at a new threshold. Now fashion plays a more important part in jewellery purchase. When buying jewellery, one does not ask for a specific style or look and what we usually find is a fusion of styles - an amalgamation of new designs and old techniques. Says Niyati Mehta, proprietor of Surajmal Lalubhai & Co, an 108-year-old family owned jewellery house, “The biggest trend in ethnic wear in my experience is remodelling of antique sets. People tend to bring chunky antique gold pieces and embellish them with coloured stones and diamonds to get a personalised look. Among traditional wedding wear, ‘Jaipuri Jadau’ is very popular. Long hanging earrings like ‘Jhumkas’ and ‘dools’ are also very much ‘en vogue’.”

Ornamentation is merely a surface decoration for the precious metal while it’s the style that defines its expression. The term ‘design’ is very subjective. Each piece has its own unique style and identity with a concept behind the creation. Ethnic designer jewellery helps one express their identity and moods and is of course much more personal than clothes as it is worn for a long period – it sort of becomes an extension of oneself. India has romanced with many styles. From the elaborate coiffure of Mohenjodaro accentuated with jewellery, we have now reached a stage where jewellery is worn to adorn as well as for investment.

Styles

Weddings and other similar social events aren’t the only chance to sample India’s ethnic jewellery fare. The Lakme Fashion Week, a case in point, found designers showcasing their fashion range complemented by ethnic gold and kundan jewellery. Besides the varied art forms, it is the intricate designs that catch one’s fancy. In the world of fashion and design there is an all round revival of styles of the lost eras in garments as well as jewellery.

The Indian gala evening at ‘Namaste India’ in Milan saw mannequins adorning traditional Bengali jewellery and exquisite garments worn by actress Aishwarya Rai in the film, placed at the entrance of the banquet hall at the Four Seasons, Milan. Ornate Bengali jewellery has become quite popular after the movie Devdas. A distinctive feature of the Bengali style is ‘Navarattan’. It usually comprises precious stones such as ruby, emerald, sapphire, cat’s eye, coral, turquoise, pearl, opal and diamond.

The Mughal style is also very popular. In the Mughal era, jewellery was almost considered an art form. Every piece of jewellery was embellished with rich Persian motifs and coloured stones such as ruby beads and pearls that are bored and even strung as necklaces. Kundan and enamelling is also characteristic of this style. Sprinkling of natural motifs (rich with botanical details) is an intrinsic part of the exotic Moghul look.

For a rich royal look of gold with antique red hues, the dull copper/Gheru finished jewellery of Baroda is what you are looking for! The use of Kundan and also Villandi is prominent (Villandi are laterally cut diamonds studded into a framework with the help of a 24-kt gold foil). Here we can also differentiate between Polki and Villandi (also called bullandi). The Polki is a diamond chip while the Villandi is a bigger-sized though unevenly shaped diamond. Pachchikam jewellery is basically ‘old wine in a new bottle’ that is back in fashion. Crafted in Gujarat and Kutch centuries ago, this style of jewellery is now being revived by contemporary jewellery designers. Exclusive in artistry, this designer jewellery is fast replacing traditional gold ornaments. The Pachchikam setting is easily distinguished from other Indian jewellery like Jaipuri, Kundan and Jadtar, though, occasionally it can be mistaken for the other when viewed from a distance. Closer scrutiny reveals a certain crudeness since the Pachchikam is hand-crafted yet erodes little of its aesthetic value. This art of jewellery is far from ethnic in appearance. It’s quite flashy in fact and can be worn on formal occasions. The jewellery is fabricated by families that specialise in this art and have inherited it from their predecessors down the centuries.

Customisation is another factor that has gained as an ornamentation trend. The monotony of standardisation has given way to an affinity for the rare and personalised - a tangible of one’s creative expression crafted in a metal that perhaps does its best. This trend in fact smacks of a historical irony. Without the cultural stigma, ornamental fusion is an avenue being actively explored. Connoisseurs are now generously borrowing from styles across the country to give jewellery a whole new direction.