Shopping for jewellery

[vijigermany]

Shopping for jewellery

With the wedding season upon us again, brides are opting for more personalised and timeless jewellery. Let's go jewellery shopping...

The big fat Indian wedding wouldn't be complete without it. Just as the bride's and groom's families fuss over every aspect of a wedding, from the venue to the food to the most coveted bridal trousseau, the ornate jewellery that goes with the outfit is also of utmost importance. The bridal set is not only meant to add some sparkle to the bride, but also act as a display of prestige and wealth. From the days when women were seen dripping with heavy gold and diamond ornaments to today, when jewellery is all about about making a style statement, the industry has seen a great change. With the use of semi-precious coloured stones, experimentation in terms of metals used and even incorporating Western designs, bridal jewellery has taken a new turn.

Traditional is timeless

Designer Farah Khan Ali believes the traditional look is timeless. "Brides are definitely more aware of design aesthetics. The demand is for a mix of jadau diamonds with lots of colour in the form of rubies or emeralds. The motifs are still based on the Mughal era, with larger stones and uncut diamonds for the main wedding function. However, for the cocktail/sangeet, women are opting for Victorian designs," she says. Layering is also very 'in', with lots of multi-strands being used. You can wear a choker and a longer necklace with it that can be worn separately later. This also lengthens the neckline and gives the woman more poise.

Multi-utility jewellery

Today's bride is very practical and wants jewellery that suits all the various roles she plays, feels designer Varuna Jani. There's a demand for interchangeable jewellery that can be used for a formal, semi-formal and also a casual occasion. "Indian jewellery has traditionally been very heavy, and hence ends up being kept in lockers most of the time. Brides today want something that's classic and opulent, yet not overdone. This multi-use jewellery consists of pendants that can be detached from neckpieces and worn separately," adds Varuna. She says that people like using white gold now, and diamonds are still preferred over coloured gemstones.

There is a dual jewellery trend, says designer Poonam Soni, wherein brides prefer one set of traditional ornaments and another that's very stylish and different. "Expensive heirloom heritage jewellery is a huge trend. At the same time, for the other functions, brides want international pieces like a big cocktail ring and a cuff. For the traditional evening, they prefer stones of the maharajas' jewellery, like old-style basra pearls, rubies and emeralds. But for the cocktails, they want fancy coloured diamonds in different shapes, sapphires, turquoise and corals," says Poonam. Brides are also choosing gold belts matching with their lehengas.

A modern twist
There's a shift from the kind of jewellery their mothers and mothers-in-law wore, says revivalist couture jeweller Roopa Vohra. They are looking for very personalised pieces that match their complexion, outfit and style sense. "There's a lot of colour in terms of stones like tanzanites and amethysts. Brides don't want the same yellow gold-and-white diamonds look, but are going for rodium finish or treated gold," she says. There's a need for traditional pieces with a modern twist, and something with multiple uses that can be worn even 20 years down the line.

[nancyjohn88]

These tips are really worthy to read. However I would love to go for platinum jewellery only. Its amazing.

[Unregistered]

Really awesome and informative post thnxx for the share such a great post

[Uniquejewel]

nice one, thnxx for the share informative post

[vaishu.subra]

very useful tips viji.. thanks for sharing..