The J Mag - July 2020 The New Normal Special Issue

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Did you know the smallest details can make a world of difference?

We did! Accuracy is the air we live and breath

HRD Antwerp India 2nd Floor, D Quadrant, The IL&FS Financial Centre, G Block, Plot C - 22, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra (East), Mumbai – 400051.

Tel: +91 22 4256 8000 Mail: sales.india@hrdantwerp.com CERTIFICATION | EDUCATION | EQUIPMENT Discover more at www.hrdantwerp.com

An HRD Antwerp Jewellery Report is an official document in which a jewellery item is authenticated for different purposes, such as insurance, inheritance or purchase. It can also be used to determine the market value of a jewel. These reports provide a general description of the jewel, the diamonds it contains and the precious metals of which it is made.

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“Stay Strong Even When You Feel the Whole World is Falling Apart”

The planet is tackling humanity’s biggest crisis since World War II. Almost every country has been shaken by the devastating Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). An outburst from China has gone everywhere. In the last few months, Corona’s epicentre has been shifted from China to Europe to the United States and now to India.

Indisputably, this Coronavirus has put the world economy at a foremost threat. Coronavirus devastated the economic fundamentals of global trade. Analysts have identified this outbreak because of hyperglobalisation or starting of de-globalisation. Nevertheless, the world is going to face recession, and global losses, according to experts. But we cannot stop living life and find an alternative to move ahead. It is high time that we accept the situation, fight the challenges. The initial days of the COVID put everyone on hold, but now people started emerging out with innovative ideas and thoughts.

We spoke to a few jewellery experts and they shared with us some beautiful and innovative ways defining the ‘New Normal’. The transformation of thoughts from pre-COVID situation to present and post COVID. A must-read article that will make us realise that we can sustain and survive the toughest of the phase.

I am ending my note with an appeal to stay safe and maintain the social distancing norms and value every life around you. Together with persistence and rational, we can overcome the pandemic.

Divya Vijayan 3

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Cover page courtesy: SUNITA SHEKHAWAT JAIPUR

CONTENTS

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IN FOCUS JEWELLERY FOR THE MODERN WOMAN

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COVER STORY UNDER THE SPELL OF COVID-19

UNDER THE SPELL

OF COVID-19

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PALLAVI DUDEJA FOLEY THOUGHTS ON DESIGN THINKING POST-COVID IN JEWELLERY DESIGN

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POONAM SONI COUNTING THE SILVER LININGS

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SUNITA SHEKHAWAT THE GUTSY REVIVALIST DESIGNER

FEATURE IMPORTANCE OF VIRTUAL SHOPPING IN THE TIME OF COVID-19

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FEATURE TRANSFORMING MARKET SCENARIO

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MEN’S CORNER THE PUNJABI THADKA

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ABHINEET BOOCHRA JEWELLERY INDUSTRY ADAPTING TO ‘NEW NORMAL’

MEN’S CORNER JEWELLERY IS A SYMBOL OF ELEGANCE & STYLE

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ISHU DATWANI DECODING THE NEW NORMAL

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VAIBHAV SARAF JEWELLERY ETAILING POST COVID-19

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FEATURE RAJASTHAN (BARMER) INSPIRED COLLECTION

BY ATUL JEWELLERS

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JEWELLERY THE MODER

The rapid gro Vohra bran work, de collectio modern since its lookout f special occ Mitali Vohra i

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owth in popularity of the Mitali nd is no coincidence. Years of hard edication and a vision to offer eclectic ons of luxury fashion jewellery to young women drive this brand ever s inception in 2015. If you are on the for an assortment of accessories for casions and spontaneous fun wear, is the brand to own.

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The entrepreneur, designer, and creator, Mitali says,

“We believe in creating designs that tell stories, be it our choice of colours or our selection of motifs.

Each piece of jewellery is an expression of the wearer’s personality and meant to add-value to her outfit. Our pieces are handcrafted using resin, enamel, zircons and crystals usually splurged across pearly, transparent and matte blends.”

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Strict quality control measures while manufacturing the products ensure the clients, both in India and the USA, receive satisfactory, high-quality products. Along with The Bohemian, the brand also has many other collections such as Occasion Jewelry and MNV Fine Jewels.

The Meaning of Jewellery Mitali doesn’t mind being called old-school for attaching an emotional value for her jewellery.

If you ask her, she will have a story to share for each of her jewellery pieces. “I love jewellery that I can wear every day as well as on special occasions. This may be an old vintage piece with a tale behind it or a simple diamond solitaire passed down from grandmother to daughter. I am also very conventional when it comes to my taste, but on the other hand not afraid to experiment!”

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My Inspiration “I have been inspired by American Private Jeweler Stephanie Gottlieb. She not only curates other designer jewellery but also makes her own. Her USP is rainbow-themed collections, which I have also dabbled in using coloured sapphires. I look forward to doing a line with her someday!”

Before a creative piece is appreciated or accepted by clients, Mitali sees if it makes her happy and pleases her. She says, “There is no bigger satisfaction than offering your creativity to other people, for them to enjoy as much as you do.”

What I Love “I love eternity rings or a beautiful solitaire when set well! I am also a huge fan of the go-to fashion jewellery pieces that I have for an occasional night out - like big Hoop earrings. These add an edge to my outfit instantly and are a no-fuss.”

Thewa, the art form revived by her mother and jewellery designer, Roopa Vohra, is also one of her favourites. Mitali calls it forever-love.

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Thoughts on

design thinking post-COVID in

Jewellery Etailing post Covid

SPEL COVI

The Gutsy Revivalist Designer

The planet is plagu coronavirus and it is numerous industrie impacted it. And the market has stalled less drop, afraid of virus. We spoke to s and jewellery design us the good side of th

jewellery design

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ued by the deadly s not surprising that es worldwide have e country's jewellery with retailers with f the spread of the some of the retailers ners who shared with he COVID-19.

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Jewellery industry adapting to ‘New Normal’

Counting the Silver linings DECODING

THE NEW NORMAL 11

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The positive impact

The performance of the jewellery industry started off optimistically at the beginning of the year, but sales began to drastically drop as months passed by.

Of course, it is safe to say that nobody expected this to hit them. So, here’s a look into the revival strategy for one of the most lucrative industries in the country.

Following the coronavirus outbreak, the gems and jewellery sector in the country has come to a standstill with retailers managing to do only 20-25 per cent business due to fewer footfalls amid fear of the virus’s spread, according to an industry body.

The coronavirus pandemic has brought all of us some time for some serious re-evaluation of business as we know it. Although it may seem like things are bad, it is crucial to remember that this too, shall pass.

The pandemic has forced us to think differently to survive and that can be a good thing! During this ‘free’ time, business owners are now constantly cooking up new ways to have an edge over their competition in the postlockdown time.

Here are a few ideas that you can implement for your business revival during this time:

Building social media presence: This is the perfect time to build your business’s social profile from scratch. This can be a great chance to re-introduce your branding language.

Empathy: Brands all over the world have come together to display a great deal of courage and empathy during these testing times. Keep the spokes of hope running by doing your bit for society. Generously donate to charities to feed the hungry during this time.

Collaboration: The pandemic is also bringing together like-minded people whose businesses are going through similar situations. Make use of this opportunity to collaborate with other brands on ideas that will drive traction in the future.

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We can, however, expect a few good things to happen after this lockdown period is over.

Segments across e-commerce are helping ease peoples’ anxieties by helping bring solutions both virtually as well as to your doorstep.

The post-lockdown period can also mean a high-risk period for the jewellery industry. With the intervention of online jewellery sales in the future, we can expect a high influx of orders from tier 2 and 3 cities. it’s important that sellers stay prepared for the future with effective fraud prevention tools to keep your risky orders in check.

Online events: The COVID-19 pandemic has also brought in massive traction to the online events industry. As we’re approaching a brief, yet severe contactless future, this may be your best shot at organizing events and connecting with potential customers and partners.

Digitalisation

As we always say, the sense of hope and the spirit of togetherness are two of the major factors that will play a role in the industry revival. In the meanwhile, it is worth remembering that all of us are in this together and optimism will help us travel better during murky times.

If the demonetization move wasn’t motivational enough for traditional businesses to their business online, the COVID-19 pandemic surely is. This is the perfect opportunity for traditional jewellers to make a smooth transition to the digital world by introducing a user-friendly website, a trustworthy payment system and a smooth feedback loop with the customer.

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Thoughts on

design thinking post-COVID in

jewellery design

By Pallavi Dudeja Foley

WE ARE ALL DEALING WITH COVID 19, HOWEVER, IT HAS CAUGHT US OFF GUARD. THERE ARE NO REAL PARALLELS THAT CAN HELP, SO WE ARE DIGGING FROM THE PAST AND INTO THE FUTURE, THEN PUTTING OUR FULL FAITH INTO SCIENCE AND QUICKLY ZIPPING INTO THE SCIENCE OF THE SOUL AND HEALING THROUGH NATURE, WHATEVER CAN OFFER US HOPE AND A POSSIBLE SOLUTION.

Jewellery by Pallavi Dudeja Foley

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The whole world is in some form of a lockdown or the other, and we have never been here before.

The situation feels like a sort of collective social experiment, we are making new habits, which means we are changing for good.

Jewellery by Pallav

vi Dudeja Foley

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I was thinking about the word ‘change’.

It can mean many things, an adjustment, a modification, mutation, transformation, correction, metamorphosis, transition, a switch or a diversion.

We don’t know the quantum of change at the moment that we are going to see, which brings a sense of uncertainty.

The rules of this new world, that are now constantly changing and forming, are giving directions and clues for innovators in all Image by Pallavi Dudeja Foley fields, including design. Design professional and innovators in all fields have an opportunity to rethink a whole new avatar of this planet.

‘The concept of Design Thinking’, which could be defined as a process where we try and understand better, the world we are designing for. We need to question everything constantly and only then can we get answers. We can use these learnings to come up with creative and innovative ideas and design solutions for our new world.

As new accessories are needed for the changing world, where we adapt to new habits and approaches to communicate differently with our planet and each other.

It is the time for experimentation, to make the lives of people better and change our environment for the collective good of the planet.

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Below are a few design directions that could be seen and become popular as we go through this transformation, because of our new reality.

1) Appreciation of the Gifts of Nature Mother nature who is the source and the guiding force of creation has taken care of us and now it is our turn before it becomes too late.

Now that we are in lockdown and are spending all our time at home, the longing to experience the magic of mother nature is becoming stronger. We are realizing how lucky we were to climb the mountains and walk into the fields full of flowers.

I feel that nature will become a part of our design stories since we miss it so much.

I get reminded of the poem ‘Daffodils’ by William Wordsworth I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o’er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

And then as I think of the last paragraph of this poem, it somehow wholly sums up how naturereplays-in-our minds-constantly and transports us and our hearts so easily. We belong to nature and we are one with it.

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Image by Pallavi Dudeja Foley

facetime while having tea, and her attention went to the cup, which happened to be from Egypt and had Egyptian hieroglyphs printed on it. Hieroglyphs were the formal writing systems used in the ancient Egyptian civilization, something that has always intrigued me and it made us recollect stories of our travels together and filled our hearts with enchantment.

I had never realized the importance of souvenirs until now.

For oft, when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils.

Attached below is what I have been working on, The Indian Rose collection which is inspired by the paintings of roses in the palaces of Bikaner.

In one of my visits there I had spent many days and nights sketching my version of the roses, inspired by what I saw in the paintings. Today, as I work on detailing the jewellery line out, I am noticing that I am spending more time on every single detail, including the colour grading of minakari (enamel) that I am working on closely with the craftsmen.

I believe that studies have shown that flowers have an instantaneous impact on our happiness, thus a theme worth exploring.

2) Souvenirs and travel stories Yesterday,

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I was chatting with a friend on

I foresee a lot of inspiration for fashion, accessories and jewellery design coming from souvenirs since we all have personal stories attached to them and we have them with us at our homes. They are like magic buttons that hold in them the power to transport us.

For example, Matryoshka dolls which are stacking dolls in wood, that fit into each other and diminish in size. We open one to find the other. Sometimes they tell stories and depict a family and sometimes they are just sized

Jewellery by Pallavi Dudeja Foley

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Image by Pallavi Dudeja Foley

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Quest for happiness

As safety becomes our foremost concern, we look around for things that make us stronger emotionally and physically.

We are all feeling anxious as we face uncertainty as a community. I think this is making people do things that make them feel better and happier.

New habits, new essentials, new thoughts, new normal’s and new events, all lead to a new place for design and innovation play.

replicas. I had bought one set on my last travel to Prague, and my daughter had selected it.

She went through so many, till she found the family of dolls that she identified with.

Some people are looking inwards, some towards science and some towards the science of the soul. Alternate healing and holistic living approaches are becoming popular.

Very recently, after three decades the mythological sagas, the Ramayan and Mahabharat were telecast again.

Image by Pallavi Dudeja Foley

Jewellery by Pallavi Dudeja Foley

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sales and queries, as communities chant the mantras for the collective well-being of the universe.

So, look at stones that heal, elements of yoga and ancient life philosophies for inspiration.

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Jewellery by Pallavi Dudeja Foley

Ramayan broke the world record becoming the most-watched show.

These are the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. It contains philosophical and devotional material, such as a discussion of the four “goals of life”. This says a lot about what’s trending and possible design directions.

Image by Pallavi Dudeja Foley

My collection of angels, inspired by archangels saw new popularity.

However, ‘The Wear Your Prayer’ collection, which has 19 different world prayers e n g r a ve d on them, in a miniature gold egg, gained huge Jewellery by Pallavi Dudeja Foley momentum in

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Sustainable design

Environmentally-friendly-design is not an option but a necessity. We have seen how neglecting this aspect of the design has caused huge damage to our planet.

The word that we have to constantly think about when we design, create or buy, is ‘conscious choices’. Ethical sourcing helps not just the end customer, but each one in the chain of production and our planet. Companies which only think profits and not sustainability will lose.

Now that we have had time to delve into what we want, this could have made us more sure of what we want, thus our purchasing choices are possibly going to be more decided.

The whole world is in some form of a lockdown or the other, the concept of ‘one world’, is clearer today than ever before. We see how our destinies are connected and that we share a home, ‘planet earth’.

Stay safe and if you think you can make this world a better place through your work, contribute.

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Emphasis on

GOLD

as an investment Jewellery Retailing has changed post covid Gujarat has recently started opening. The footfall is very less as compared to the earlier time. The operating times has increased to 7 pm from 1st of June. Before that it was till 4.30 pm where we would start winding up from 2.30 pm. As a result of which, the retail market was open only for 3-4 hours. From 1st June, our work timing has increased. The footfall is limited and the customers coming to buy visit the store for a speciďŹ c purpose and no window shoppers. Since the shops have opened just now, customers are taking time to get back to their normal lives, resulting in less footfall. They will take time ďŹ rst to ensure that they have enough savings, have a job in hand, amongst other things.

Customer Safety We at Narayan Jewellers by Ketan and Jatin Chokshi are maintaining cleanliness and hygiene. Using disinfectants at regular intervals is one of our most important safety measures.

Once the customer has left the showroom, we spray disinfectant at each place the customer has visited. The entire staff has been instructed to wear gloves, masks, and their temperature is also being checked on a regular basis. At Narayan Jewellers, we are ensuring to keep our team and store safe and hygienic and create a safer environment for the customers also. We also make sure that customer gets to try the jewellery piece that they are most likely to buy.

By Appointment only We are entertaining customers as per appointment basis only. Although we are equipped with everything, we believe it is important to give time to the customers to settle.

Customer Sentiments It has not impacted the sentiments of the customers. In fact, during the period of lockdown, gold has been appreciated by nearly 20% of the customers. The customers have started to think of gold jewellery as a form of investment rather than just a mere accessory or an expenditure. People will start buying jewellery, however, this will take little bit of time and will happen as and when they settle.

By Ketan Chokshi, Co- Owner, Narayan Jewellers by Ketan and Jatin Chokshi

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Counting the Silver linings

By Poonam Soni Did we ever imagine going through a pandemic of the magnitude we are facing today? Coronavirus has catapulted entire humanity into disarray, no less than a world war. The onslaught has been devastating where countries touted as superpowers are buckling under its impact. As we scramble to save our lives and the lives of others- the other hard-hitting question we are faced with is livelihoods and the impact on an economy which was already tottering since a couple of years.

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Jewellery by Poonam Soni

We were battling an economic meltdown and the two of our golden industries, jewellery and real estate were struggling to survive under new economic reforms.

New formulas were being tried out like collaborative ventures, tie-ups for added strength, and luxury had become mass descending on exhibitions, malls, relying heavily on brand ambassadors to pull in buyers. Brick and mortar stores stood empty and isolated.

The coronavirus has come with its own norms of social distancing, hygiene and turned upside down the revival formulae just about setting in. To top it all, the economy which was heavily depended on its labour force had migrants and labourers fleeing to their hometowns.

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Jewellery by Poonam Soni

The question of life and economy post corona is a looming one today. With the new set of norms of social distancing, hygiene, masks, and gloves- the new normal seems a far cry from the economic formula the world had developed.

Stand-alone stores, with by-appointment strategies, are going to be the norm which will give the consumer space and comfort. Mass exhibitions, events, malls are going to be a thing of the past at least for some more time.

The luxury order will change just as a new world order is emerging. The mid-luxury single- owner brands carrying a lesser burden of costing and investments are going to emerge as power runners. These brands will have one on one contact with their customers and quality products. The home industry will get a boost again.

Luxury brands like LVMH have furloughed a large percentage of their employees.

Many large players have followed suit as the

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lockdown and constrained cash flow is making it impossible for them to pay their creditors.

The Tata company finds half their staff working from home more lucrative. The lockdown has been an eye-opener and new norms are going to be set, post the open up.

Among the larger brands, there is going to be more interconnectedness of the industry and most big brands will get extinct because of lack of funding, travel restrictions and infrastructure.

In addition to the new retail therapy, the product types will also change. The consumer will be looking at more sustainable products- simple, value-oriented and chic in style. This will be a far cry from the more flamboyant and opulent look most designer brands like to promote.

The digital and online will get a bigger boost with value-oriented and sustainable products.

The meaning of luxury will be redefined.

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In the jewellery industry in India will see simpler ornaments and cleaner lines will be in demand and gold will be a popular choice as is always the case, in uncertain times.

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be ready with production to match the retailing power of the consumers. With the migrants and labour moving back to their hometowns, there will be a void which will cause challenges in production but hopefully, everything will settle

Even though the backlash of this deadly virus

down as we move towards a self-reliant India.

may be temporary it’s effect will be longer-lasting to create a completely new infrastructure for the jewellery industry. Once we have learnt to live with the virus - the consumer will emerge with new spending power to create a market boom by the end of 2020. The consumer will be ready but the question remains whether the jeweller will

No one can predict what the new normal would be post-Corona. But certainly, our lives and choices are going to change and hopefully, we can look forward to a new emerging retail economy, sustainable products and a new power order.

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The Gutsy Revivalist Designer SUNITA SHEKHAWAT FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, SUNITA SHEKHAWAT JAIPUR

Any attempt to introduce the Modern Meenakar Sunita Shekhawat will be an effort gone futile. Her perseverance through many decades for preserving and reviving Meenakari is beyond anyone’s imagination. Each of the jewellery pieces she designs and makes demands constant attention, scrutiny and detailing at every stage. Let’s learn about Sunita and her life amidst precious stones and glimmer of metals and her undying passion for Meena designs.

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Brand EVOLUTION Sunita Shekhawat brand has come through a journey of passion, conviction, relentless hard work and a no–holds barred approach towards bringing the very best of all these elements together. Noted for its amalgamation of unusual colour palettes and interpretations of fresco motifs and architectural shapes from different regions within India, Sunita Shekhawat is a brand name that’s redefining fusion jewellery. Their USP is the detachable reversible jewellery, making it multipurpose for the customers for years to come.

Reversible necklace set

“For my recent innovation, I would like to highlight a neck piece for one of our brides incorporating all the different hues of Meena. It took us 4-5 months to finish more than 12 shades of enamelling. We made it a detachable and a reversible necklace for her as it’s more versatile and serves multipurpose for the bride.”

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Clarity IN VISION Sunita has invested years into researching the eccentricities and origin of the Meenakari, which emerged in the 6th Century in Rome. Behind each jewellery piece lies the intention to craft for eternity.

She designs not just for the individual, but also for those to whom they might pass it on. A guiding design tenet is that a truly timeless piece should be able to be worn by the next generation and the next after that.

Traditional aadh

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Inspiration While her travel across India, the colours and contrasts of life in Rajasthan had the most profound impact on Sunita. It’s this mood board that she draws from and presents a palette of unusual hues and tones in new forms. A core theme through all collections is duality, and the jewellery has two styles of illustration: one traditional and the other modern. Her fore-fathers had links with the Raj Gharanas of Jodhpur, owing to which she had access to see the beautiful handcrafted jewellery.

These visits to view the collections of the past era inspired her to re-create this magnificent art form and create designer pieces for today’s world.

Defining THE PATH

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I, Me, Myself

“For me, less is more. I am into very minimalistic jewellery. Just a pair of statement studs with a delicate string would do the magic for me.”

“All my collections are very close to my heart, but my favourite is my blue pottery collection, Neelpushpa. The blue pottery collection is a fusion of Rajasthan combined with my study of Turkish art, specifically the interiors of the blue mosque.”

2-tier bridal necklace set by Sunita Shekhawat made in 22k yellow gold and finest of the diamond polkies from Neelvarna Collection

Design, timelessness, craftsmanship and revival of the art are the values that hold the brand together.

The brand believes that to be able to design for the future one must learn and honour the past.

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Jewellery industry adapting to ‘New Normal’ The current pandemic has affected the jewellery turf on a whole.

Though the initial days were difficult, now people will start getting used to this new normal. But as Humans, we know we adapt quickly and get used to various things quickly too. So once everyone around maintains social distancing and learns the new normal, we all will get better. In an exclusive interview with The J Mag, Abhineet Boochra, Director, Silver Centrre talks about how situations are changing, and people are adapting to the ‘new normal’.

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In speciďŹ c to jewellery, it is something which is probably not essential, yet it is an especially important part of one’s life. We have seen that no investments have paid off during the COVID-19 time, only gold and silver have risen and have paid off well, as they are at their all-time high. Hence the consumer interest to invest in these precious metal jewellery has increased. The demand is picking up and I feel the market will open strong when we talk about business and numbers. So. things will quickly get back to normal. I think it would take 2-3 months for people to understand.

In my opinion, the market would be very strong and there is nothing to worry about.

At the end of the day, jewellery will hold that investment value, hence faith of people in jewellery will not subside.

From March to May, of course, there has been no work as everything had come to stand still, but people’s faith in branded jewellery and trusted companies have been there. People were active on social media and were showing interests in products regularly and a lot of people have shifted to digital purchases rather than visiting the stores.

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Challenges

Major challenges which most of the brands and designers are facing :

Rentals at various locations, brands and designers need support from their

landlords and mall owners to reduce the rents from April and going forward they want a reduction in rents with deferred payment options as future is uncertain in terms of footfalls in malls or high street. And as the rentals play the major chunk in terms of expenses incurred by any brand.

Salary and employee/artisan/labour retention is another such problem. A lot

of designers and brands do not have the bandwidth to deal with such a situation as they usually work on a 2-month working capital cycle, which in this case have changed and they are short of cash and funds. Hence, they are unable to retain their employees or take care of them during this situation.

Migrant labour problems, most of the people working in this industry are

largely dependent on artisans and master craftsmen plus labours from different states mainly UP, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand etc. Most of them have gone back to their villages due to which now the brands and designers cannot start their production.

Following the strict guideline of government in terms of social distancing

and maintaining adequate space between the individuals is a challenge, a lot of companies don’t have that kind of infrastructure. Hence it is leading to job loss, limited production etc.

Major export orders have been cancelled due to the pandemic and companies who have already purchased the raw material, they do not know what to do with it as their capital is already infused and there are no takers.

Brands and companies dealing with perishable products or textiles/leather etc their product are getting damaged as they have a limited life. A lot of brands products had damaged when they opened their stores after 2 months. This is a major loss to them.

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A shift in the Shopping Structure There is going to be a big change in the shopping experience once the lockdown ends. For instance, there will be a shift in shopping module like video calling, WhatsApp sales, augmented reality, by appointment only features, contactless delivery, etc, such features will pave its way into the world of shopping.

Like mentioned, there will be a shift in the shopping experience for some time.

It won’t last forever as offline model experience is still by far the best and the most accepted around the world. But yes during this time various options they should explore should be : • Robust website platform should be developed for sales • The team should be dedicated to handle WhatsApp sales by sending images and doing video calls with clients across.

• There should be quick reply and responses to clients queries, we should try and give them the same experience as they used to get when they visited our stores.

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• Contactless delivery and payments should be encouraged and everyone should try and go for prepaid orders for the time being and should avoid cash on delivery. This would increase the trust among the bands and consumers would have the contactless option of delivery.

get the same experience as in-store shopping. Webcam gets on – the pc they want to try can be tried digitally and you can experience and judge how the pc looks. This can help in boosting sales.

Ensuring customer safety

This is one of the major concerns and should be enforced properly. If not then even by appointment should not be implemented.

• Technology should be implemented in every step to make things easy and systematic. Invest in technology, hire a good team or teach your existing employees to work towards this.

• Focus more on social media and awareness.

• By appointment, the feature should be encouraged only if you believe that you have that infrastructure and can maintain that safety measure.

• One should give an option of a contactless trial of products, by working out solutions with logistic companies. Where we give the same experience to the consumer.

If they don’t like they can return it immediately.

• Mirroring 3d technology should be implemented where a person can 32

• Sanitizers at the entrance which can be used by contactless method for both hands and shoes for customers and employees.

• Checking of temperature through infrared thermometer at the entrance of customers and employees.

• Contactless entry without touching the door.

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methods to be followed for all employees when they leave and enter the premises.

• Encouraging employees to not to go out of the office premises during work hours unless it’s utmost necessary.

The artisan’s dilemma • Sanitizing of jewellery or clothes whenever touched or tried immediately.

• Sanitisation of the stores and factories every day, through defogging machines and using the latest equipment available in the market.

• Providing new gloves/face shields/ masks to every customer and employee before entering.

• Limited entry to be allowed in the store to maintain social distancing.

• Refrain serving of all types of tea/coffee/water/cookies etc • Encouraging customers to make payments through contactless methods.

• Calling limited staff/ employees at the stores on an alternate basis.

• Working time should be reduced for all employees and proper sanitisation

As we have already addressed this as a problem in the abovementioned question. We feel that the solutions to this are: Sangeeta Boochra & Silver Centrre as a brand is a pioneer in the community development programme and the only company to have been actively involved in this since 1998. We have a network of 25,000 artisans through our 400 clusters where we provide work from home to these artisans and make sure that no one sleeps hungry and without work. We are the largest company when we talk about the upliftment of artisans. We provide them with work from home.

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For all the other brands and designers they should follow : Try to pay them their dues.

Don’t cut their salary Try to negotiate with them if the can come back.

Provide them with a safe environment to work and stay Pay for their expenses, even if you need to pay little extra you should take care of their families.

This is a time when you can’t leave them because they have given their lives to you, they are only dependent on you. For ex: you will have to pay them their salaries despite your factories being shut if you have managed that. Then there can be a delay in production or employee problem but it will not be permanent and this can be resolved quickly.

One should start giving work from home wherever possible.

Most of the companies who have followed this are not facing this trouble at all, there might be a limited number of artisans available but still, the work is on with social distancing.

Temporary Phase Jewellery buying is not going anywhere.

There will be an increased demand gradually and it will get better. Gold 34

Silver is the safest bet and provides a safe haven to your investments. With all other investments like stocks / real estate / mutual funds have gone down.

Only the prices of these precious metals have increased. It has increased the trust of investors and consumers.

• • • •

Jewellery is not perishable It will remain intact forever Value increases Weddings will be of 50 people, where will the balanced budget. It will go into jewellery and photography.

• People will refrain from travelling and other expenses, a major chunk of that money will go into jewellery purchases.

There is already demand in the market and Indian markets have opened positive, people have shown a positive attitude t o w a r d s mostly brands and reputed companies.

People are showing interest in making jewellery purchases because it is a safe haven and their disposable income will be invested in jewellery rather than spending on travelling or any other thing.

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Investing in jewellery post the pandemic help the customer The customer has lost interest in investing as have lost a lot of money in all other things, only precious metal and jewellery have shown increment.

Help them get back into investing emotionally and financially by providing them with solid returns.

Secure their children and their future.

Brides and Grooms family should invest more in jewellery as most of their budget is now saved due to fewer people at weddings and limited travel.

This will secure their children’s future.

See the past, since centuries kings and queens across the world have only invested in jewellery which has also helped them in their difficult times.

When there is blood on the street or there is a disaster the only safe haven or the currency which works is jewellery ( gold & silver ) Solutions to customers : • EMI payment option • Buyback return value • Token payment system • Exchange and returns at a reasonable cost

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Encourage investment • The only safe haven for centuries • Have never shown negative results • Can be passed on to generations • Brand Sangeeta Boochra & Silver Centrre are Heirloom Jewellers and trusted by Govt emporiums and museums and crafts councils across India. Our jewellery can be passed on to the next generation. So this is something which will stay with you forever.

• It doesn’t require a lot of space • You can be fashionable yet have value for money. Being fashionable with investment is a good choice.

• We have live example stock markets / real estate / mutual funds – all have crashed in the last 3 months. The only sector which has boomed is jewellery.

• It is a proven fact that only jewellery is the final currency when a situation like this arises. It can be liquidated instantly with one go.

1. Digitization of businesses is going to be an important factor. How will jewellery buying cope/be affected? What will be the impact on the jewellery business should digitization be the only way forward?

Providing solutions and implementing them would be a task in the beginning.

Most of the people involved in this business have no or very little knowledge of digitalisation. As most of the business depends on offline mode.

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Impact on jewellery buying :

• Customers would fear to visit the stores.

• Low disposable income would reduce impulse buying.

• Job loss due to COVID they don’t have money to invest or buy.

• It is a non-essential product, last on the minds of people.

• It is a luxury segment and people prefer buying jewellery after touching / feeling / wearing it. Which would be limited during this time.

• Due to restrictions and fear amongst the public for gathering/weddings/ meetings/parties/travelling – the overall demand would go down because there is no occasion to wear the jewellery.

• Jewellery buying is usually indulged in buying, which now will not be the case. It would more be towards needbased buying.

• Jewellers are not very tech-savvy, they will have to spend and learn and implement a lot of things which they have not done in the past forex : selling through social media / developing a robust eCommerce platform/ app development / high-resolution photoshoots / graphic designing • Most of the jewellery manufacturing hubs are mainly: Jaipur, Bikaner, parts of West Bengal and Gujarat.

Now, these places don’t have big IT companies to implement the solutions. Also, staff hiring with excellent knowledge and skills who 36

can help and implement is a very big challenge.

• We feel that every company should digitalise and that would be a way forward. I would not agree that it would overcome the offline mode, but yes it would help you sustain this difficult time and get your business back on track.

The spark will return to the jewellery business The jewellery industry will bounce back soon and this time it will be with more force and power seeing the return on investments people have got on jewellery and precious metal in the past.

History repeats itself, the world has seen the worst times when the kings/ politicians/head of states/countries have fought against various enemies / natural calamities/disasters/world war etc and resolved it because their entire treasury and investment was jewellery/ gold coins/silver coins etc. When barter

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system started it was based on precious metal only. We cannot blindsight this, this has been there for centuries. Hence we feel that there is a possibility that it might be difficult for other business to survive during this pandemic but jewellery specifically would not be one of them.

Currency is printed based on the gold reserves of any country. Which means anything can fail but jewellery, gold, silver will never fail.

Ways to be on track • Create fresh designs • Manufacturing should be of best quality • Competitive pricing • Use best quality material and gemstones • Diversify into all types of metals for ex : copper / brass / silver / iron

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Jewellery retail can get back on track : • Technology implementation as discussed above • New ways of sales/video calling/pictures etc • Fresh designs – low cost • Maintain the Highest quality and return on investment.

A game-changer We believe COVID-19 would be a gamechanger for the jewellery industry.

There will be a new normal post COVID-19 and people will gradually adapt to it and learn the new social distancing norms, better hygiene and travel etiquettes. Buying will be needbased rather than indulgence in Gold & silver jewellery.

Wedding sizes would shrink with less number of people and the focus will shift to Jewellery. Brides would want to invest more in gold and silver jewellery for weddings as it would be a safe haven for their money. With only the precious metals at their highest right now, rest the entire industry price have fallen drastically. In India, weddings are a status symbol and hence jewellery will playan important role in displaying power and luxury. In our opinion brides of 2020-21 will invest and buy more jewellery as compared to any other years.

Jewellery will mark their top position.

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Gold and silver is the safest bet to invest in, would attract more families and brides families to buy more jewellery made from these precious metals.

It is an appreciating asset which can be quickly liquidated as well with a fair the market price which can be tracked from MCX. 1. Future of jewellery import and export post COVID-19 Import and exports are affected. • Companies are refraining from imports and trying to be self38

dependent now by manufacturing inhouse as there is a fear amongst them and now people have understood the power of make in India. • Exports to countries where there is less dependency on online mode are at the lowest. Countries like the USA where online business is at its peak is seeing robust demands. Factories supplying to US companies are working overtime to meet consumer demands. The demands have been at the highest in the last 3 months. • Exports are getting back to normal, I would say not entirely but yes 60% have recovered.

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Upliftment of Artisans & Master Craftsmen Luxury Brand Sangeeta Boochra & Iconic Company Silver Centrre is working towards the upliftment of Artisans & Master Craftsmen through its community development programme and is providing 25,000 artisans work from home post covid19.

We are providing daily wages, work, medical help & aid, food and all other necessary things which are required for livelihood.

The company has made sure that no Artisan under their programme would sleep hungry and would face any loss of work. We have deployed an extra team to take care of this situation adhering to all the govt guidelines. Our advantage is that we have built a network over 22 years where our connectivity inside the villages of India and amongst the Artisans is very strong. We can easily facilitate services and money in remote locations, as our nature of business calls for it.

The brand manufactures beautiful handcrafted jewellery which is inspired by the traditions and culture of India, hence these Artisans are the real strength of India and company who makes it successful.

We are preserving the dying form of art by helping them to sustain, else our forthcoming generations would not be able to see any beautiful bygone pcs.

And those will be only seen in museums.

Luxury Heritage Jewellery Brand Sangeeta Boochra & Silver Centrre aids Artisans in tough times

The brand ethics are so deep-rooted that we value every life of our employees and artisans.

To help the second-largest workforce sector in India, the Master Craftsmen and Artisans, facilities have been

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allocated by brand Sangeeta Boochra & Silver Centrre to allow them to work from home during this difficult time due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Covering a total of 25,000 Artisans across India, the company aims to provide them with hope and a bright future.

This innovative programme was started by the brand & iconic company Sangeeta Boochra and Silver Centrre in 1998. Till today, it is the only initiative of its kind taken up by any jewellery company in India.

Sangeeta Boochra is a Veteran Designer of the nation and a Rajasthani Business Magnate. She produces more than 10,000 designs of precious metal jewellery studded with precious, semi-precious gemstones, handmade paintings and pearls every year.

“We are providing daily wage, work from home, medical help & aid, food and all other requirements that are useful for their livelihoods. The brand’s ethics are so deeprooted that we value the life of every employee and artisan of the company,” informed Abhineet Boochra.

Silver Centrre was founded by ‘the Silver King of India,’ Seth Kistoor Chand Boochra in 1897 as a Bullion Trading Company. It was only in 1960 when his visionary son Seth Lalit Kumar Boochra saw an opportunity and converted it into a Jewellery Manufacturing Company.

The brand & company has 45 stores, 3 factories and design studios.

Mrs Neeta Boochra – Director, Mrs Sangeeta Boochra – Director and Designer, Mr Abhineet Boochra – Director, Mrs Divya Boochra – Director & Creative Head, Mr Riteek Boochra – Chief Brand Officer.

The brand has been loved by many royal families of the world, industrialists, politicians and celebrities. From Her Highness Majesty The Queen Elizabeth

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the brand is helping the second most important sector, the Artisans and Master Craftsmen of India, by providing them work in their villages through the companies long-standing network of 400 clusters across all states and union territories in the country. This way, they are helping 25,000 artisans on the national level in the jewellery industry.

In 1998, Sangeeta Boochra along with her father-in-law Seth Lalit Kumar Boochra jointly started a programme known as the ‘Community Development Programme’ which turned out to be a boon for these Artisans and Master Craftsmen during this pandemic.

II of England, Maharani Gayatri Devi of Jaipur, Royal Family of Patiala, Nizam of Hyderabad, Royal Family of Rajkot, Royal Family of Kota, Wadiyar Dynasty of Mysore, Royal Family of Baroda - the Gaekwad Dynasty, John F. Kennedy, President of United States to Hollywood celebrities Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Sofia Vergara, Monica Bellucci, Salma Hayek, Audrey Hepburn and Bollywood celebrities like Deepika Padukone, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Vidya Balan and Alia Bhatt, all have adorned the brand’s collections.

Director of the brand Abhineet Boochra states that during this difficult time due to Covid-19,

The company has made sure that no Artisan under their programme would sleep hungry or face any loss of work. We have even deployed additional teams to take care of this situation adhering to all government guidelines.

“Our advantage is that we have built a network inside these villages and clusters of India over 22 years and now the connectivity amongst our Artisans is very strong and we can easily facilitate services in remote locations as our nature of business calls for it,” said Abhineet Boochra.

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Community Developm

• Unskilled Rural Poor are made jewellery through community mobilization and skill t

• Training and livelihood sources are a doorstep, fair wages, no exploitation, n labour, no pollution and no harm to the so

• Social Development Support: Artisans an communities are facilitated for better life skill education, sanitation and othe imperatives. Financing the marriage of a daughter of an Artisan.

• Connecting artisans to world markets by them to all shows and exporting their pro different countries of the world.

The brand manufactures beautiful handcrafted jewellery which is inspired by the traditions and culture of India, hence these Artisans are the real strength of India and the company as they are the ones who make it successful.

“We are also preserving the dying form of the jewellery making art by helping these artisans to sustain this craft so that our forthcoming generations can see these beautiful pieces of art. Otherwise, in the future, these might only ever be seen in museums,” stated Abhineet Boochra.

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• We partner with Government, Civil Societie etc.

• Employing Artisans who live in the most parts of India with little to no access to tr The greatest challenge in their lives is com to work and back, often resulting in fami live far apart. One of the key differentiator model is an artisan’s ability to not only wo home, but have business travel to them.

• A grassroots network that requires sp logistical support is set up through wh materials are dropped off at an artisan’s ho

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ment Programme since 1998.

artisans training.

at their no child ociety.

nd their health, er social at least 1

y taking oducts to

es, NGO’s

t remote ransport. mmuting ilies that rs of our ork from

pecialized hich raw ome from

where they work on the product. To ensure customers receive high-quality products, quality supervisors inspect the production to help ensure a consistent output while tracking progress. These supervisors also ensure artisan service to ensure they are not interrupted by the shortage of raw bullion. When completed, the product is picked up at the Artisans’ doorstep and sent to the next stage of the jewellery making progress.

• These networks stretch across 400 villages in India through an intense grassroots network to connect 25,000 artisans.

• Sangeeta Boochra / Silver Centrre’s Artisans’ thus can work from home.

• More women can work towards financial independence as they don’t have to navigate commute, especially in remote villages.

• Artisans decide their work hours - being able to work around their family’s schedules.

• Artisans will lose no workdays in receiving and transporting material.

• Traditional Indian communities do not allow women to work outside the home and thus Sangeeta Boochra / Silver Centrre’s model provides an easy solution to this.

Authored by: Abhineet Boochra

Jewellery: Sangeeta Boochra

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Necklace Set by ANMOL crafted in 18 K gold and set with rubies, pearls and uncut diamonds

DECODING

THE NEW NORMAL We might not entirely be incorrect when we say, Jewellery Retailing is going through its toughest battle, not because the business is almost at a standstill and the economy is operating at its lowest level, but because now the fight is for survival. It is time for every jeweller to reinvent to stay in the business. Survival now purely depends on decoding the new norms that will define jewellery retailing.

Ishu Datwani, the chief driving force behind Anmol Jewellers needs no introduction. A first generation entrepreneur, Ishu founded Anmol Jewellers in 1986 and made it into one of India’s finest and most revered Jewellery brand.This journey has been possible because of the attitude of reinventing the brand. ANMOL today is revered by top Bollywood actors and celebrities and has had the distinction of doing wedding jewellery for quite a few of the high profile Bollywood actresses.

In this exclusive article for The J Mag, Ishu Datwani writes about the changes the Jewellery Retailing is going through post lockdowns and decodes the new normal of Jewellery Retailing.

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Founder Anmol Jewellers

FEATURE

I believe Covid-19 is going to be a game-changer for Jewellery Retailing. It will take probably a year for the virus to play out its entire tenure. There will be a new normal post-Covid-19 and people will gradually adapt to it and learn social distancing norms, better hygiene & travel etiquettes.

Bridal necklace set by ANMOL crafted in 22 K gold embellished with kundan and semi-precious stones.

This ‘New Normal’ will bring a radical shift in consumer behaviour & buying patterns.

Jewellery retailers would have to devise & implement a new standard operating procedure to ensure safer store & service operations for the customers. Masks, gloves & sanitizers for customers & staff, body temperature checks for all, sanitizing & disinfecting merchandise, contactless transactions & social distancing will become norms for retail store operations. Initially fewer customers will come to the stores due to the fear of being vulnerable to the virus.

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Weddings sizes will shrink guestlist wise and scale-wise, which means the focus is likely to shift back from grand decors to jewellery and photography as the most important aspect of the wedding. In India, weddings are a status symbol and therefore jewellery will play a vital role in displaying luxury. Photography and videography, as well as live weddings on apps like Zoom, will be seen to ensure that guests can participate in the ceremony remotely. So, in my opinion, jewellery for weddings will earn its muchdeserved top position in the Indian diaspora and a major part of the wedding budget will be directed to real jewellery as it’s an asset & saving, more than an expense.

Home visits by retail staff may take precedence over store visits by consumers. Technology would play an important role in creating alternate avenues for reaching out to consumers & generating sales through online stores/ e-commerce, augmented reality & virtual consultations.

Another possibility is where the consumer desperately reaches out to the safe-haven gold as he/she has just experienced a lifealtering crisis and has realized gold is the safest bet because it is both an appreciating as well an easy to liquidate asset. So, jewellery stores like ANMOL, which is a strong brand with good ethics can witness an overwhelming response due to the pent-up demand. Brand & reputation will play an important role in the post-Covid era. There is also this trend of ‘rebound consumption’ that is being talked about. One can already see this happening in China.

There is a possibility that people will have a limited disposable income and some of it could be directed to jewellery. Buying will be need-based rather than indulgence. Classic & timeless jewellery will do better and gold jewellery may get popular because of its propensity to appreciate.

There would be more emphasis on relationships & bondin g, meeting your small group of friends; appreciating life a little more. There is place for luxury in the near future but it will take time. We humans are social beings, so eventually things will start coming back to normal maybe after a year.

Jewellery by Anmol Jewellers, Mumbai

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Jewellery Etailing post Covid-19 Gold buying in India is an integral part of the consumers lifestyle. From buying gold for investment to gifting it to spouse/family members as an expression of love, gold purchase in India plays different role to every consumer.

For the investors, the metal has never disappointed them and during the most uncertain times where every asset and investment lost its value, Gold continued to showcase positive growth.Inspite of the Lockdown, during Akshay Tritiya, a lot of our consumers requested us to open the stores and we were not the only brand who experienced this. To support their demand, we had to jewellers had to start jewellery booking services. This in itself shows the importance of the yellow metal in a consumer’s life.

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It is therefore safe to say that the demand for Gold will continue even in the New Normal, in fact it has regained its popularity amongst investors by proving to be a safe haven.But a jeweller doesn’t only sell Gold he also offers various metals, gemstones, polki, diamond and a variety of karigaris. Therefore, it is essential for a jeweller to adapt to the new normal needs of the consumer while the market settles and the world regains order.

Wedding industry in India has always been recession free, first time ever this pandemic may affect the sector. I personally feel this change will be in favour of gems and jewellery industry.

Traditionally speaking Jewellery was always the hero of Indian weddings but in the last decade the wedding industry saw a shift and the focus was now on grand decors, elaborate caterings and multiple functions.

Once the dust settles, Weddings are going to shrink guestlists which means the focus is likely to shift back to jewellery, outfits and photography as the most important aspect of the wedding.

In India, wedding is a status symbol and therefore jewellery will play a vital role in displaying luxury whereas photography, videography live streaming of the ceremony will become popular to ensure that guests can participate in the ceremony remotely.

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So in my opinion, jewellery will earn it’s much deserved top position in an Indian wedding as people will drift away from grand decors and set ups.

From trend point of view, temple style Gold jewellery will be consumers preferred style compared to polki or diamond as the money gets parked in the yellow metal. As a jeweller, to cater to this new shift in consumer requirements we will have to adapt. As a brand, we have started a premium At Home Jewellery Service ‘Exclusively Yours’ which integrates an Augmented reality App so that our brides can experience several designs at comfort of their homes. The consultant who visits the customer follows every social distancing guidelines. At the store level also, we have reopened keeping every guideline in mind to ensure safety of our staff and the customers. To keep up with the trend, we are also introducing online jewellery buying to make contactless jewellery buying a reality.

Article by Vaibhav Saraf, Director, Aisshpra Gems and Jewels

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Importance of

Virtual Shopping in the Time of COVID-19

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Suddenly the whole world is finding solace in holding online meetings, enhancing learning on webinars, kids pursuing online classes and more such online engagements, and we can certainly believe that COVID-19 pandemic has made all of us social media bugs.

Even for businesses I would say that online interaction modes and transaction mediums have come as a savior. For businesses to survive, in these times of distress, the need of the hour is to promote virtual shopping and use virtual marketing tools to make it an enjoyable shopping experience rather cribbing about being prisoned.

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As a technology buff I had set my eyes on setting up a virtual jewellery boutique, long ago and for any and everyone who must have ever thought of this but couldn’t get time I suppose this is the right time to do so. As this will going to give good beneďŹ ts for long time too.

The new virtual jewellery experience is fascinating too and makes the procedure of jewellery selection and jewellery selling easier at the time of LockDown. The software called, MIRRAR, enables the long distance jewellery experience where clients can try jewellery on them without being physically present in the store. It provides a 360degree look to the consumers which helps client to choose best of all as per their requirement.

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Virtual Shopping has also come as a boom for all the brides-to-be and the wedding families.

Because the plight of those girls who have marriages in the offing and their lot of shopping is pending, is incomparable. A virtual buying experience is the only answer to situations like these and jewelers as well buyers should successfully use it.

As everyone knows that buying jewellery calls for significant investment, so I recommend users of Virtual jewellery shopping to do it with only trusted sellers whom you know and have faith in their jewellery quality. Also one should be aware of the seller’s cash back policies and protected transaction modes as if gone wrong that has no look backs. Adding to this, one should also provide key focus on safe deliveries by the seller so that you stay protected from the unwanted call of illness.

By Atul Jain, Owner, Atul Jewellers

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Transforming MARKET SCENAR The sudden outbreak of the Pandemic has affected most of the sectors globally.

For some, there is a temporary impact and the businesses will go back to normal as soon as lockdown ends. Gems & Jewellery industry is one of those sectors.

Gold as metal holds an especially important place for the Indian Consumers. The consumers have realized amidst this pandemic that their favourite yellow metal has only appreciated during the pandemic. It also has an adornment value which makes it an item of luxury that only appreciates with time unlike a luxury car or an iPhone.There is a lot of impacts created by the COVID 19 which has led to changing the scenario of the gems and jewellery industry as below:

Adapting to the New Normal:

Shift to digital mediums:

Adapting to the New Normal is one of the major and mandatory change COVID 19 has left on every industry. The jewellery industry will have to be very particular about having everything sanitized, making sure that the staff is well trained about social distancing and wearing masks and gloves etc.

As this would play an important role in making sure that the customer feels safe and comfortable.

Integrating digital mediums in the business is essential now. Digital is going to become an integrated part of our entire customer service experience.

The industry will have to be well equipped technologically to integrate digital ways in the jewellery buying experiences for the customers as they would not want to step out of their home with the fear of safety. Shop at home experience by giving them a virtual tour of the collections with wellequipped technology, use of apps like

With social distancing being very important change coming with the new normal way of living, there is going to be lesser visits of the consumers to the store. The industry will have to shift their approach towards the customers as per their comfort by integrating digital mediums in the business approach by giving them services like shop at home and online consultations.

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Whatsapp Video for consultation is a must. Pandemic has managed to make the future our present.

The sensitivity of customers and Necessary Buying: With limited disposable income in the hands of the consumers, there is going to be only necessary buying.

Consumers are also hesitant to step out and it is important for the brand to ensure not only the store is a safe environment to host the client but also there are services the brand provides to reach the client’s doorstep. Keeping in mind the government guidelines, brands will have to ensure that clients experience the highest service and safety standards possible. This is an opportunity to take jewellery buying experience to another level. We as a brand have always been a bespoke jewellery house which simply means we tailor our products for our customers, now in the new normal we are also tailoring the sales channels as per their comfort. At our store, we have created a warm homelike environment to the consumers who are walking in and are served with fresh, hygienic food cooked in our kitchen while also maintaining all the possible guidelines.

Also, as Wedding sizes will shrink but jewellery buying will become more important as it’s the best way to retain the asset in the family instead of spending it on larger guestlists or multiple functions.

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A surge in the prices The pandemic has affected everyone in the world i.e. is in international as well as domestic markets equally. The gold prices in the domestic market are defined by international prices. Gold is the first commodity to get affected when any kind of Natural or Manmade calamity occurs. Hence, due to the pandemic that has affected the country recently, from 2-3 months, the prices have seen an upward move. Also, Gold is the only asset class which gives confidence to investors around the world since forever.

Due to the pandemic, even the Reserve Banks of the world are also acquiring more gold. The Indian rupee has weakened as well and there is a rise in the dollar price which has by default effect on Gold’s value in INR. Thus, considering all these factors we can say that there is a multiplier effect seen on gold prices.

Indian may arise a manufacturing hub The import-export scenario of the gems and jewellery industry has deeply affected, due to the anti-china wave worldwide going right now.

But it would prove beneficial to the sector. So as time goes by India will emerge as an excessively big manufacturing centre for jewellery as it will poach a lot of orders that normally go to china.

If we become stronger in manufacturing by default our export will strengthen.

Authored by Snehal Choksey, Director, Shobha Shringar Jewellers

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Punjabi Tadka Madhav Mahajan, a singer and music producer who loves to explore life as it comes. Passionaite about music, Madhav initially got attention with his Bollywood covers on songs like Naina from movie Dangal, unforgettable love mash-up and enna sona from movie Ok Jaanu which became very popular track. Madhav is a doctor by profession, but considers singing and music as his passion, and his ďŹ rst choice for career.

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Are you a jewellery person?

Yes, accessorising is part of my profession and it accentuates the overall look. I love wearing bracelets, rings and chains.

Which is your favourite jeweller for brand or jewellery designer jewellery?

I love it’s love Cartier bracelets and rings.

What are the popular trends in jewellery?

I think for men, Bracelet also known as Kada either in Gold, Silver or Iron has been always in trend.

Gold, silver, or diamond? What do you prefer and why?

I have always loved Gold but lately Platinum is winning my heart because sometimes you want minimalistic look.

What kind of trends do you see in jewellery?

Jewellery was never been very crucial part in men’s attire.

But I think lately I have seen people matching watches with their bracelets.

How lockdown has affected (negatively or positively) you?

It has affected me both positively and negatively. Positively as I have got so much time to spend with my family after long time. I have worked on many of my new song projects in this time. I have got back in track on my fitness routine.

Negative would be that our shooting projects are delayed and I’m unable to go back even now when the lockdown is lifted due to increasing no. of cases.

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JEWELLERY IS A SYMBOL OF ELEGANCE & STYLE

Arian Romal, a man who’s actions speak louder than his words with humility being the grounds.

His journey has been immense with most humbling experiences. Started his entrepreneur journey from the early age of 13, from building websites, to opening and managing a Restaurant to making music. Presently he is running an International Empire with paving the new wave of Digitization taking it to the next level, where AR (Augmented Reality) playing a huge. Recently launched, India’s First ever 3D song from an International Album and an English track of Tia. B/Tia Bajpai, Arian talks about his interest in jewellery.

Are you a jewellery person and which is your favourite jewellery?

Oh of course Yes! It’s the significance of a Man dated late back from the history.

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Gold, silver, or diamond?

What do you prefer and why?

What is the best about Jewellery?

It adds on personality, conďŹ dence and gives out a statement according to me.

I would say Gold, as it holds some sentiments from some of the custom-made jewellery which I own.

Which is your favourite jeweller for brand or jewellery designer jewellery?

Versace, as I believe they do it right with minimalism, elegance and of course giving the right statement out about your personality.

Which is your favourite piece in jewellery and why?

A ring which is custom made, embedded with our family and empire legacy symbol.

What are the popular trends in jewellery?

We men, take our jewellery seriously when it comes to elegance and style.

To name a few of my favourite trends going around the world especially among the International Artists – APC bracelet, Ambush necklace, Versace brooch, Alighieri necklace and some subtle earring hoops and studs.

What kind of trends do you see in jewellery?

Oh, there are multiple and they keep changing depending on the culture and personal style the individual holds or represents – it has variations in different piece of jewellery from

earrings, to necklaces and bracelets, to rings, Just name it!

How lockdown has affected (negatively or positively) you?

It has been a mix of both negative and positive impacts in many ways, as everything and everyone was stalled and was a very confusing situation at the same time. But yes, I have been able to bounce back in a big way with some exciting and new waves of digitization coming soon.

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Rajasthan (BARMER)

Inspired

Collection by

Atul Jewellers

Our much-in demand Rajsthan collection comprises of antique jewellery pieces which are largely inspired from Barmer city of Rajasthan. The stones that used to curate these designs are Burmese rubies and Columbian Emeralds (manis), resting on mesh of highly valued Basra pearls strung in a real 24kt gold wire. These pieces are of the early teen century era and still stand as the strongest pieces of all. High inspiration of kundan style of setting is developed in Atul Jeweller’s Rajsthan Collection, which used to be adorned by Royals of Jodhpur/Bikaner, with a large incarnation of Burma originated ruby stone.

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Some unique combinations are also experimented in this collection like a mix of turquoise and spinels is used where both the rare found gems are bought from Afghanistan and are set in ‘Magar Chauranis’ earrings.

Also different style motifs have been played with especially the bird motifs which are also commonly prevalent in Gujarat & Rajasthan circa 1920. Also it is a specialty of Marwari jewellery from Rajasthan.

The collection has earrings, Nose ornaments, chokers, statement haar, rings and more. These are a collection of jewellery items which are considered to be a compulsory part of Bride’s jewellery in affluent families of Gujarat & Rajasthan. It also comprises of a statement Katla necklace comprising of 5 pendants, each having a crescent moon shaped pendant hanging from a bird pair motif and it is reminiscent of the grandeur of jewellery from the rich Barmer region, which is border town of Rajasthan.

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