Need of the hour: Hallmarking

The Indian government postponed the implementation of the Gold Hallmarking Act, which was scheduled to come into effect from 1 January 2008, due to apprehensions by jewelers, led by the All India Gems and Jewellery Trade Federation (GJF), officially representing about three lakh retailers across India. The hallmarking act would have made mandatory for all gold jewellery to be certified for purity at centers spread across the country.

According to GJF, licensing is the major issue which will hamper the growth of the jewelry industry. The BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) licensing, which reminded jewellers of the ‘Gold Control Act’, is applicable only on the jewelry industry, echoing the times of the ‘Licensing Raj’. “We’ve seen the draconian effect of Gold Control Act, and we’re not ready for that experience again. The paperwork and procedure should be simple and transparent with the absence of taxation and rigidity in licensing system,” commented Atul Jain, director of AR Diamond Gem Grading Services. Some of the other objections raised included insufficient infrastructure and the precondition for a jeweler to have a license for selling hallmarked jewellery. Jain also mentioned that the license charges should be made affordable for the small jewelers, rather than catering to just the bigger players.

SL Palkar, regional coordinator, BIS-western region told JCK India, “Earlier the charges for licenses were Rs25,000 per year, but we are now charging the same amount for three years.” It was also necessary for BIS officials to visit the showroom prior to approval, but now the BIS requires jewelers to submit a photograph of the showroom with a declaration that they will not stock cadmium jewelry. “We issue licenses within two hours of the submission of required documents,” Palkar claimed.

Out of the 35 states and union territories in India, currently there are 106 hallmarking centres in 14 states, which have close to 5,000 licensee jewelers, according to the Indian Association of Hallmarking Centres (AIHC). An additional 12 states have more than 500 licensee jewelers, but no hallmarking centres. The remaining nine states and union territories have neither licensee jewelers nor hallmarking centres.

The four metropolitan cities of New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai currently have 41 hallmarking centres. The AIHC is adding 17 to take this number up to 58 by the first week of January 2009. Industry experts say this is still a fraction of the estimated infrastructure requirement of 500 centres for the successful infrastructure implementation of compulsory hallmarking.

Remarking on the weak infrastructure issue Uday Kumar Vummidi, secretary, Gems and Jewellery India International Exhibition (GJIIE) commented, “Hallmarking will definitely facilitate the growth of the industry, but it should be made mandatory only with adequate arrangement of proper infrastructure. It should be convenient, comfortable and accessible to every jeweller.”

However, BIS deputy director general P Sengupta finds the demand for more centres baseless, as even most of the existing ones are underutilised. “Despite this, the government is providing huge financial incentives for new centres, offering subsidy of Rs1-1.5 crore on each centre.

According to Indian Association of Hallmarking Centres’ Secretary, James Jose, only around 10 percent of the 106 existing hallmarking centres are working at full capacity. “There are huge unutilised capacities in the hallmarking centres - the average capacity of a hallmarking centre is roughly 2,500 pieces or 35 kilograms per day, which works out to 10 tonnes per annum.” Thus, the 106 centres across the country can hallmark more than 1,000 tonnes of jewellery every year, versus the actual hallmarking happening of less than 200 tonnes.



India’s annual consumption of gold jewelry went up from an estimated 65 tonnes in 1982 to 620 tonnes in 2000. However, there was no hallmarking of jewelry done in this period. For the first time, a mere two tonnes of jewelry was hallmarked in 2001, when jewelry consumption touched 615 tonnes. By 2007, India hallmarked 180 tonnes of jewelry against a consumption of nearly 560 tonnes.

Anticipating mandatory hallmarking, which was to be implemented in January 2008, many new centres sprang up in small towns as well as in the metros, irrespective of the volume of jewelry that can be hallmarked in these places. Commenting on low capacity utilisation, Jose said: “For instance, though the existing volume of hallmarked jewelry in Mysore is not sufficient even for a single centre, it has four hallmarking centres. The same is applicable for Kollam in Kerala, where daily hallmarking volumes are hardly five percent of installed capacity. Of all the licensee jewelers, only around 25 percent go for 100 percent hallmarking.”



The act also calls for jewelr y below five grams to be hallmarked, though it will not have enough space to be stamped. Jewelers demanded exemption of such jewelry from the act. They believed “the onus of lower purity of hallmarked jewelry should lie on the hallmarking centres and not jewellers,” and are demanding this aspect be clearly stated in the amended act. Also, hallmarking done by manufacturers should be acceptable and need not be double-checked by the retailer.

Despite supporting the government’s stance on hallmarking, most jewellers want to see serious measures taken on the issues like certain kinds of jewellery, like meenakari, kundan and polki type handcrafted jewelry, being exempt from hallmarking. Speaking in favour of hallmarking, Tumal Jain, secretary, Delhi Jewellers Association said, “Hallmarking is always better for the trade. It is going to help to win consumer confidence.” But he also believed jewelry having less than five percent metal elements (which is worth Rs20 lakh, but comprises precious metals worth Rs5,000) should be exempted.”

Vivek Kala, president of Jaipur Jewellers Association agreed with Tumal Jain. “There should be a proper declaration of the clauses mentioned in the act. Jewelers like us who deal with colored stone or diamond-studded jewellery, need to certify the diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires. The government should also take into account special cases like customised designs. If a customer goes for his choice of designer ring, the already hallmarked pieces will remain unsold.”

“Jewelers should be allowed to keep both certified and non-certified jeweller y. The customer is well educated; he has a clear idea of what he is buying. If the customer himself starts demanding hallmarked jewelry, jewelers will have to stock it,” Atul Jain said.

Interestingly, a 2006 government survey of 16 cities found that of 162 samples, more than 90 percent failed in terms of purity. This means a customer who bought gold jewelry labelled 22k could have in reality been cheated by being sold 18k jewelry.

Commenting on errors in karat declaration, BIS’ Sengupta commented: “We have found many such cases, where the customer is fooled by the jeweler. The jewelry is actually 22k; but the jeweller sells it as 24k jewellery, which in today’s scenario could cost an additional Rs1,200- 1,300.”

In 1998-99, World Gold Council (WGC) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) together introduced hallmarking in India on the back of the RBI Precious Metal Committee’s report stating the need of quality control in jewelry to safeguard the consumers’ rights. After the inception of the first hallmarking centre in April 2000, the committee conducted surveys in 2001 and 2006, and both times the findings were uninspiring. Also, as per a recent BIS survey around 87 percent of the gold jewelery sold in India is below the stated karatage level. All these reports were more than enough to force the government to make it compulsory for the jewelry industry to hallmarking the jewelry, officials explained.

The government is now reforming the act, the bill for which is pending in parliament, considering the issues raised by the jewelers. Representing jewelers’ optimism, GJF chairman, Ashok Minawala, told JCK India, “We showed loopholes in the bill, which would have acted as big hurdles in activation otherwise. The government has promised us that it is going to make amendments considering our demands.” The government has also assured the industry of a sixty-day-preparatory period before the act is finally implemented.

“Among the recent developments in the Hallmarking Act was the inclusion of a new karat introduced in the industry, namely the 17 karat (with a fineness 708), so that the items rejected on 18 karat fineness can also be put up for sale with a marking of lower karatage,” Jose said, adding: “Marking to next lower fineness or karatage is possible in 22 karat and 18 karat too, and jewelry below two grams and nine karat is exempt from hallmarking. The hallmarking technology too has improved as the centres can now hallmark up to 99.9 against 99.5 earlier.”

Kala believed hallmarking will work as a catalyst for jewelry trade, but should be a voluntary process. “Jewelers who stock hallmarked jewelry can promote themselves through extensive media campaigns. It will create awareness among consumers, which in turn will further push the demand for hallmarked jewellery. Those who will deny hallmarking will suffer losses and will have to opt for hallmarking. Therefore consumers’ education is the best means to implement hallmarking.”

An interesting point was raised by Gaurav Anand, owner of Indore-based Punjab Jewellers, who said that hallmarking should be implemented at the manufacturing level, so damages can be cleaned up before the jewelry reaches the retailer. “There is only one hallmarking centre in Indore and it is sufficient to cater to the needs of Indore jewelers.”

Though India is home to various types of handcrafted jewelry, exports are limited only to cut and polished diamonds. According to industry experts, mandatory hallmarking along with the Vienna Convention will create new avenues for jewelry export. “It will make Indian jewelry acceptable anywhere in the world without any further quality checks,” Jose said.


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International Gemstone Trends

With the emerging popularity of gemstones, many consumers who are beginning to form a part of the market for gemstones are looking for answers to various questions with regards to color, cut, price and jewelry styles that are fashionable and trendy.

The fact of the matter is that the gemstone industry is so large and varied that there are various international trends running in at the same time. Additionally, there are many people who tend to have different reasons for purchasing gemstones other than just fashion trends. Some buy gemstones due to superstitious beliefs and the mystical powers that some of the gemstones are believed to possess. The alexandrite, for example, is known to increase the intuitive powers of the wearer and is believed to help during times of crisis. The aquamarine brings forth youth and joy, the coral is effective during financial troubles, jade has healing powers, iolite opens the inner eye and increases wisdom, the garnet brings prosperity, cat’s eye helps in warding away bad fortune and much more. The popularity of certain gemstones is impacted significantly due to these beliefs. The blue sapphire is one such example where people believed that it can either be extremely positive for the wearer or extremely negative, causing accidents and threats to life in some cases. Since the preference for specific gemstones is based more on individual requirements as against a fashion trend, many of these gems have their own niche customers who require it for various purposes.

There are also people who prefer to choose their gemstones on the basis of the colors that they fancy. Given that the awareness of gemstones is increasing there is knowledge about the fact that there are various kinds of gemstones. Till a few years back, women thought and talked only about the diamond when gemstones were discussed. While the diamond has carved (no pun intended) an elite niche of itself, other precious gemstones like the ruby, emerald, garnets and more have moved in. With additional knowledge also came an understanding of the fact that each gemstone could be available in various colors and that each color has its own uniqueness. People therefore chose their gemstones based on their favorite colors and the dress for the occasion (especially for the not-so-expensive gemstones). From saturated shades of green to vibrant red, blue sapphires, dazzling yellow and even mauve, each one can have their pick from rubies, emeralds, sapphires, garnets, tourmalines, amethyst, tanzanite, corals and more.

In spite of the increasing popularity of gemstones, they are not readily available in all markets. And therefore the more adventurous and innovative gemstone wearers tend to buy what is available in the market. But the connoisseurs, experts and those who have been buying gemstones for some time tend to collect gemstones based on their uniqueness and rarity.
But internationally, gemstone trends and fashions tend to follow haute couture. When the release of fall winter collections brings forth dark earthy shades of brown as the trend for the season, experts offer expert advice to match these with designer gemstones like the ‘champagne’ diamond, tiger’s eye, fire opal or the yellow brown topaz. Summer time brings about lighter and more pastel hues that can be accentuated by bright transparent pink tourmalines or sapphires to light blue sapphires and mauve amethysts.

When it comes to the cut, standard cuts and classic styles have made way for fancy cuts like the briolette teardrop and checkerboard facets. These are being used in necklaces and other jewellery items like earrings and even bracelets and rings. Arguably, the standard round, oval and more recent rectangular cuts may never die, fancy cuts are preferred these days since they are uncommon and stylish. The brilliance of these cuts is unmatched and far superior to the classic cuts that were popular in the yesteryears.

Even though availability of the product locally may be an issue, those who are mesmerized by the beauty of gemstones and their variety can source these from the Internet if they are not available locally. Even manufacturers and marketers who are involved with the industry and want to source roughs need to just access the Internet to find various providers across the world be it in South Africa, Tanzania, Europe, Sri Lanka or the Indian subcontinent.

A Report On What Brides Want

“Weddings are not just about two people getting married; it is about two families uniting.” This adage is tailor made to fit the Indian weddings. Above everything else, it is an occasion for everyone to go shopping. And when we talk weddings, one of the first shopping destinations has to be a jewelry store.

Jewelry is one of the most important items on a bride’s shopping list. But the trends and the demands may differ from one year to the other. So what is the trend this year? “Traditional but with a twist,” answers Koshy Cherian, regional business executive of Tanishq. “The last few years saw an upsurge in the demand for contemporary designs. But people are now demanding a healthy mix of the contemporary and the traditional with a bend towards the latter.”

This is the reason that Tanishq is launching three new ranges for this bridal season based on the themes of the temple jewelry and the Rajputana style with a touch of kundan. Other jewelry designers and manufacturers are making similar attempts who believe that kundan can never go out of fashion, especially when talking of wedding jewelry.

People are supporting the fuller look. For the various wedding related ceremonies like the mehendi, sangeet or haldi, girls favor a minimalist look. Yet for the big day, they prefer an elegant set that gives a full look. The metal of the jewelry and the stones used to enhance the look play an important role here. Gold remains the ruler, whether yellow or white. “People usually go for yellow gold studded with diamonds.

But those who are ready to experiment prefer white gold. The white look is in this season,” claims jewelry designer, Roopa Vohra. Along with white gold, other preferred metals for this wedding season are silver, pewter (Malaysian silver) and matt gold for classic jewelry, informs fashion designer Lina Tipnis, who is witnessing many brides matching their wedding trousseaus with these metals.

Colors of Tradition

Diamonds can never go out of fashion as will be evident in this bridal season too. Alongside diamonds, a number of precious and semi-precious colored stones are ruling the market. “Emeralds and rubies are attracting a huge number of brides this season,” points out Shalin Vora, jewelry designer and proprietor of Dia Amour.

This view is supported by Vohra who explains that green is the color this season not only for India but also on the global scale, making emerald a major choice for people. This makes green and red the colors of this season, a view that is being endorsed by both jewelry designers and fashion designers. Blue, especially turquoise, comes in second after green and red. It is, however, being reserved for smaller sets that are worn on other marriage ceremonies.

Industry experts firmly believe that even if the metals and the stones are all put together at the right time as per the market demand, what sells are the designs. Whether modern or traditional jewelry, the floral pattern remains truly evergreen. But that too has evolved over the years. They are no longer complicated, intricate designs.More of geometric designs work for the modern consumers.

They are looking for a healthy mix between the modern and the traditional. For example, a ring or a necklace set in prong setting, with straight lines, studded with diamonds and rubies would attract more customers than a chunky round piece with an intricate design and that is heavy to carry. This proves that they want simple, straight, uncomplicated designs.

India Speaks

Industry insiders are quick to point out that choices differ according to the bride’s cultural background. A bride from North India will have a different taste from that of a South Indian bride. Similarly, East Indian girls would demand different jewelry from West Indian girls. This observation is true to some extent but the lines are blurring out with each passing generation.

North India proves to be the best place for experimentation. Delhi is fast becoming the fashion hub because of it being a major jewelry retail market. People in North India are very conscious about the look of the product, making craftsmanship of immense value to them. Simple, geometric designs grab the major market but with a touch of traditionalism. According to Vijay Khanna of Khanna Jewelers, “diamonds, especially uncut diamonds, provide huge business along with rhodium plating.”

The formula for North is exclusivity. They want to own designs that will not be worn by anyone else. Jewelers are ready with their stocks by the beginning of August. Eye catching designs teamed with precious and semi-precious stones like emeralds, rubies, onyxes and turquoise are hot sellers for this wedding season. This makes red and green the color for North India with a touch of blue to enhance the look of the jewelry pieces.

“In the South, bulky jewelry is totally out for this bridal season,” declares K. Srinavasan, managing director, Emerald Jewel (Coimbatore). Modern, light weight jewelry studded with diamonds is in demand. South India is moving towards the sleek and elegant look. “Earlier, the brides preferred jewelry of around 150-300 gm but now the weight has come down to just 50-60 gm,” says Srinivasan.

Modern-day brides prefer around two to three jewelry sets that would match their clothes and accessories. The demand for yellow gold exists but has considerably gone down. Diamonds studded jewelry provides maximum business. Floral continues to weave its magic supported by bird-inspired motifs like the peacock and geometric designs.

The popularity of enameled jewelry in green and red is proving that these two colors are going to rule this bridal season. A touch of purple is making South India stand out on the wedding circuit.

South India witnesses maximum movement in the bridal market during September to December and February to May in terms of stocking, manufacturing and selling bridal jewelry. August is considered an inauspicious month and January too provides little business.

Majority of heavy bridal jewelry comes to South India from Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi and Rajkot. Coimbatore and Trichur form the hub for lightweight jewelry. Some of the major retailers for bridal jewelry in South India are GRT and Sarwanas Jewellers from Chennai, Thangamayal from Madurai, Allukas from Coimbatore and AVR and ANS Jewellers from Salem.

In East India, according to MP Jewellers (Kolkata), bridal jewelry sales mostly take place in the first and the last quarter of the year, making it a seasonal business. But contrary to popular belief, East Indian brides prefer wearable, affordable and light weight jewelry. They are looking out for ethno-contemporary jewelry with a lot of filigree and wirework.

The designs are mostly geometric patterns with a lot of hexagons, triangles, rounds and octagons. With the rise in the number of educated women, the tastes of East Indian women are changing faster than women in other metros. They are favoring big diamonds, both uncut and full cut, and platinum jewelry as opposed to the traditional yellow gold jewelry.

This trend is supported by a recent DTC survey that claimed a 19 percent increase in the diamond jewelry sector. Brides are moving towards modern trends keeping their traditions in place. This can be seen in jewelry shops where red, green and blue are the colors in vogue but ivory white and maroon are two colors that are witnessing an equivalent demand.

In the West, Mumbai is a trendsetter but not a hasty buyer, explains jewelry designer and proprietor of Dia Amour, Shalin Vora. Being the hub of glamour and fashion, it generally is ready for experimentation and adopting new ideas. But they want value for money. They do not purchase products simply because it suits their fancy, which is usually seen in Delhi and Kolkata.

“A ring that looks expensive and beautiful, irrespective of the stones and the metals, will immediately sell in Delhi. But Mumbai people will also ensure themselves regarding the quality of the stones and the metal used. They will make sure that they are paying exactly for what they are buying,” elucidates jewelry designer, Varuna D Jani.

This is because they want to be sure of both the quality and the look of the product. Pune comes second after Mumbai as the trends usually seep through to the city that is slowly becoming fashion conscious.

Except these two cities, others cities in Maharashtra and Gujarat prefer to stay with their traditional roots. Yellow gold with diamonds or an occasional colored stone forms an important part of their wedding trousseau. Yet over a period, a considerable amount of change has been noticed in the tastes of these cities. Although still traditionally inclined, the youth of these cities are fast adapting to the changing trends of fusion jewelry.

A comparison of the four corners of India proves that unity in diversity rules. Whether from North, South, East or West none of the brides wants to look like a decked up jewelry stores on their big day. This is the reason that they demand jewelry that would compliment their entire wedding trousseau and are ready to experiment for that purpose. Jewelry has to adorn the bride and not burden her.

This desire is giving way to the trend for detachable jewelry. “Brides today do not want jewelry that they can only wear on their wedding day and then never bring it out of their bank lockers till their children’s wedding day. They want pieces that can be worn on various occasions. That is why detachable jewelry is a good option. This gives them the alternative of wearing the various components of a particular jewelry as different jewelry pieces on diverse occasions,” says jewelry designer, Varuna D Jani.

The Big Bucks

Weddings form an important business opportunity for any jeweler. But how big is this market in India? “800 billion,” says Rohit Moona, business coordinator of the Celebrating Vivah Exposition, a wedding exhibition hosted by the Celebrated Vivah magazine. “And it is growing by at least 25 percent per annum,” he adds.

Supporting this view is Shehzad Jhaveri, managing director of Minawala Jewellers who believes that about 70 percent of the total jewelry market belongs to bridal jewelry. According to a recent World Gold Council report, jewelry demand saw a 89 percent rise in the second quarter of the year, largely due to the onset of the wedding season and a lot more muhurats (auspicious days for weddings) being declared this quarter than the previous quarter.

In India, the wedding cycle begins around the months of April and May. These are the months when production begins for the wedding season. By September, jewelers are ready with their products. The wedding season begins around October and continues up to February.

Considering the fact that, contrary to popular belief, wedding is a round the year process, why is it that the returns are not equivalent to the investment for jewelers? Claims jewelry designer Shalin Vora, “Our investment is around a crore for any particular bridal line but the returns are only 8 percent of the investment.” He explains the growing competitive market to be a reason behind this phenomenon.

“With the huge number of big and small players entering the market, the level of competition is going up everyday. This is making it difficult for one particular player to rule the market,” he exclaims. But this return on investment ratio is only limited to the stocked products. The profits made on customized products are much higher. He agrees that it is a positive trend because there is no monopoly but it reduces individual returns.

The future of the bridal jewelry market lies in fusion and colors. Choices are fast changing. This is being supported by factors like growing ways of income, the booming economy and the rising real estate prices, leading to the high purchasing power of the people.

This growth in money can be cashed in on by the jewelry industry, especially during the wedding season. People are no longer rigid about their preferences and are ready to pay for the best. The coming wedding season is expected to witness a positive growth in the bridal jewelry sector because this season all that glitters can be anything from gold to diamond to emeralds and rubies.


The Magic of Detachable Jewelry

India has been accustomed to jewelry since times immemorial. And when it comes to bridal jewelry, it has always been traditional to wear heavy sets that provide a full look. This ‘tradition’ led to a phase where wedding jewelry was only worn on the day of the marriage and then kept in lockers. They would only come out of the lockers when the next member of the family was ready for marriage. Till then it was simply a piece of investment.
But times are changing. Although bridal jewelry is still considered investment to some extent, women are demanding jewelry that will not end up in their bank lockers. This demand has given birth to detachable jewelry. By definition detachable jewelry is any piece whose components can be separated and worn as individual pieces of jewelry. The concept of detachable jewelry is fast gaining popularity as it gives women the option of buying jewelry once and teaming it up with different attires.

Special Page: NRI Love

When 25 year old, UK based, Sruti Khanna decided to marry her long time beau, Shayan Khatri, she chose India as her wedding shopping destination. “I wanted my wedding to be a family affair. So I decided to go back to my family in India for my wedding. Along side this gave me the opportunity to go shopping for authentic Indian jewelry,” reveals Sruti.

Sruti’s is not a one of case. According to the Hindu calendar, the Indian sub-continent has 12 seasons. But for Indians, whether in the sub-continent or abroad, there exists a thirteenth season—the wedding season. This season witnesses a lot of home coming of non-resident Indians (NRIs).

NRIs provide the majority of business to the bridal jewelry market. A huge amount of jewelry is exported to foreign lands but a higher amount is sold within the sub-continent. Majority of people come back during marriages and do all their shopping with their families.

Jewelers and jewelry designers give a similar reason as Sruti for this phenomenon. “It gives them a sense of home coming,” says Rohit Moona, the business coordinator of the Celebrating Vivaha exposition and jewelry designer, Shalin Vora. “It is also an opportunity to choose from a large variety of products at a lower cost,” adds Koshy Cherian, regional business executive of Tanishq.

But are their demands the same as those of the girls from the Indian sub-continent? “Yes,” says Vijay Khanna of Khanna Jewellers. “If they wanted products that are available in their respective countries they would never come to India. The very fact that they are coming to India proves that they want the products that are made in India,” he explains.

A similar trend is observed by other industry professionals too. There is not much difference in the products that an Indian bride and a NRI bride would purchase. A major reason for this is that marriages are family affairs. Even if a bride would like to go for a minimal look for her big day, she ends up buying a heavy set because that is the ‘Indian tradition.’

Majority of the NRI brides are opting for the ‘white look.’ Diamonds set in white gold or white gold studded with colored stones is in high demand. Their love for colored stones is not limited to only emeralds and rubies. They are open to experimentation with other precious and semi precious stones too.

A noteworthy factor is that NRI brides are breaking the grounds of superstition and opting for stones like the blue sapphire which is otherwise avoided in the Indian mainland, unless astrologically advised.

Besides that the brides also want to own a piece of tradition. This is leading to the high sales of light weight jewelry with traditional designs. They do not want complicates pieces or designs, making the geometric and nature inspired designs a hit.

A significant influence of the west is visible in the sale of rings among NRIs. Fashion designer, Lina Tipnis informs that 8 out of 10 women purchase rings. This is a trend that has been on a rise in the recent years. The fascination of the west with the engagement ring has made it a rage amongst the NRI brides, especially the ones with sweet nothings engraved on them. This is increasing the market for big solitaires set in white gold or, occasionally, platinum rings.
It is evident from these trends that whether a girl stays in the Indian sub-continent or abroad, their jewelry choice for the final day is not very different. Traditional bridal sets continue to be the main attraction along with a touch of the west. Her jewelry speaks volumes about her personality, expressing the fact that she maybe living in any part of the world but she will always be rooted to her motherland.

Meet The New Consumer

The changing face of the Indian customer means business opportunities for jewelers. But how to identify these consumers and their demands? JCK India tries to figure it out. Not so long ago people earned and saved enough for seven generations to live happily ever after. People lived frugally and bought land and gold so that their progeny was secure. All this is changing. Forget seven generations, people now don’t even want to think of tomorrow.

Live life king size here and now, that’s the motto. They still buy land and gold but the motives are different. No longer are girls adorning themselves because of religious dictates or societal pressures of the suhagan with the mangalsutra and a wrist laden with bangles. Slowly but surely winds of change are wafting in from distant lands.

The shrinking of the world has widened the choices in fashion accessories of which jewelry is an integral part not just for women but for men too. Concepts of muted, chic, everyday jewelry can be seen in work places, like banks and corporate offices, which now have a fair sprinkling of the fairer sex. Also, sheer or solid gold, with its 24k value tag, is giving way to stones, precious and semi-precious, with little concern for its resale value.

Geeta Ram, mother of Ashwati who works for Infosys in Chennai said, “What stridhan can I give my daughter when she herself is earning a fat salary? She is her own stridhan.” Ashwati is getting married in December this year. Her trousseau shopping included couture jewelry of diamonds and colored stones. Geeta bowed down to her daughter’s wishes and traditional jewelry shopping just did not happen.

While the love for gold in India is as old as the Gods themselves, the reasons for buying ornaments are changing. The traditional reasons remain a marriage in the family or festive buying like Diwali and Dussehra. But newer urges and impulses are emerging as winners. There is a large appetite for adventure and willingness to experiment. It is more about wearing jewelry for its non-tangible value of innate satisfaction rather than the calculating financial implications.


New Interest in Jewelry

So why and how is the new Indian shopping for jewelry? The galloping wealth among urbanites and more so among people around 25, has spawned homogeneity in lifestyles. Therefore the struggle to make a statement or stand out in a crowd is even more intense, discrete and strategic. This was the consistent and imperative message one got from consumers of all shades. There are vestiges of a hangover from the past only with the older generation.

These can be seen in their unbroken links with the family jeweler (sunar) and their buying gold on religious occasions, be it bits or in chunks. But these residues from the past may soon be wiped out with the new trends of buying to satisfy the deep rooted sense of individual aesthetics and having something that is unique, rare and exclusive.

The only way to stand out is to flaunt an exclusive brand name or a design so rare that it takes your breath away. No one is merely impressed with just a lot of gold or diamonds to flaunt wealth. The search is on for that exclusive piece and the longing for that beyond the reach nametag.

And so Vijaya Aney one day bundled all her gold jewelry, which was lying in the bank and took it to the jewelers to melt. She sold it to acquire one and a half karat super deluxe diamond solitaire earrings, another pair of earrings with a circle of rubies and a single diamond at the centre and a diamond pendant. She has never regretted her decision. “I know in my lifetime I would never need to sell my gold for any financial crisis,” says Vijaya who teaches law at K. C. College and is the wife of a successful senior lawyer, Srihari Aney.

In fact, that one act has freed her from the psychological burden of hoarding jewelry as investment or security. She now indulges in adventurous jewelry shopping. She bought a blue beryl dangling earring which was basically stones in their natural state swinging from a gold hook and one earring of a different shape from the one on the other ear.

A pick from Nalini Designs of Chennai, Vijaya said she was astounded to see the kind of daredevil designs with new age stones that Nalini Panday, the designer and the proprietor, was creating in the supposedly conservative gold market of Chennai. She said although she bought the blue beryl earrings with trepidation, it is a piece which never fails to get the wows, in spite of the mad concept of each ear having a different shape.

She was thrilled to see a hundred year old kundan maang tikka, which Nalini Panday had strung in red silicon based Japanese wire with a sprinkling of gold beads and pearls, a bold marriage between the ancient and the avant garde. “The piece looked both classy and contemporary,” Vijaya said.


Fearless Experimentation

Another symbol of this fearless experimentation visible among women is 80-year-old Mukta Deshpande of Nagpur. Always perfectly groomed even at her age, clothes and accessory have always been a passion with her. Fond of wearing jhumkas and dangling earrings she could not indulge in this passion because her husband never approved of it. After her husband passed away a couple of years back, she dived headlong into buying jhumkas.

Not only that, during her recent visit to Mumbai she bought eight pairs of artificial earrings, bold and fancy in their look. She recalled with a chuckle how two decades back she had scolded her daughter-in-law for restyling gold jewelry but today she herself did not bat an eyelid while buying junk jewelry for Rs 4,000.

Sejal Parekh, Interior Decorator, in her own right and wife of Oncologist Dr Deepak Parekh, has all the resources to buy solitaires and the high-end jewelry which money can buy. But, her heart is in junk jewelry. For years now she has bought ‘rubbish’ and ‘junk,’ as she calls it, from Jamini Alhuwalia on Carmichael road.

Although junk, she says, she pays as much as Rs 2,000 plus for Jamini’s innovative ideas. She loves Jamini’s penchant for mixing material like leather, glass, etc. What about the trousseau for her two daughters? There is enough of heirloom family jewels which she has allocated for them. But, even her daughters value her ‘junk’ and very often fight over allocation of this jewelry more than the real stuff.

Neena Gupta, actor, likes to shop for a mix of junk and the real stuff. In the real stuff she would rather go for kundan or sheer gold, which she buys from her source in Delhi. The only showroom she trusts implicitly is Tanishq because of the Tata name attached to it. This is an often-expressed sentiment among many buyers. She buys most of her semi-precious stuff from Amrapali in the Oberoi’s.


Cherished Possessions

Nothing is more satisfying than getting that silent, sly glance of a jealous admirer. So when Savitri, 22, went with her mother to Dubai ten years ago, gold was also on their shopping list like so many Indians who visit Dubai. There were, of course, all those shops in the souk, which sold the regular chunky gold stuff for the prudent Indian buyer. But, Savitri, chanced upon a D’damas store.

She couldn’t take her eyes off the jewelry with its gauze and intricate work done with gold. She bought a necklace of Japanese workmanship. It was a filigreed chain in yellow and white gold in which the white shone like diamonds. She paid for the workmanship and the design as much as she did for the gold in it which made her mother wince. This pain, her mother now admits, has turned into pleasure because the chain invariably gets admiring inquiries. “Resale value, nil, but satisfaction of possession immense,” she says.

Sathya Saran, Editor “Me”, who was associated with the Miss India Beauty Pageant during its best years, is an epitome of the hugely successful workingwoman with her femininity, grace and eloquence not ravaged by the vagaries of a demanding profession. Whether in a sari, slacks or salwar kameez, chic and sometimes chunky pieces of jewelry complete her ensemble to work every day. She loves buying colored stones be it precious or semi-precious.

She finds experimenting with precious stones through high heat and chemicals exciting. Now one has multicolored sapphires, diamonds, pearls. Speaking from not just personal preferences but also from the information that she has access to as a journalist, she is amazed to see the kind of work Indian designers like Farah Khan, Neelam Kothari and Neeta Bhosale are achieving with unlettered goldsmiths.


Changing Trends

Keeping up with the times and what’s in is an integral part of fashion and therefore uniformity in the market is a natural fallout of this phenomenon. It is not surprising to see the new trends in all the major metros and in smaller but upcoming towns. Therefore it is not only orthodox Chennai which is patronizing contemporary jewelry but Marxist Calcutta too is not far behind. So, Meeta Banerjee is completing her daughter’s trousseau shopping in Fort Knox, the new landmark for the ultimate in jewelry.

Nowhere are jewelry and new trends more visible than in Delhi. A city most acutely conscious of social status and keeping up with the Joneses, the whole range from chunky kundans to trinkets in diamonds are pursued. But the younger lot pit jewelry last on their priority list of owning a car, house, gadgets and traveling. Sure, jewelry is chased but if cash is low then anything cheap would do to adorn oneself.

Sanjaya Khanilkar, who hails from Delhi, is an avid shopper and surveyor of the market. She too is enamored of the new stones visible in the market. She, however, feels that some kind of certification and evaluation of these stones would greatly enhance confidence among buyers who are fence sitters like her. She has had a bad experience with stone buying.

Advised by her astrologer, she bought a topaz for Rs 30,000. Now, she says, she has found other gemologists assessing its value from Rs 3,000 to 20,000. This is disheartening, she says. If only this business of evaluating stones is systematized, women who buy for both aspiration and investment, will not hesitate to buy diamonds or even other stones.

Thus, it can be said that the new Indian buyer is “stoned”! Whatever be the base metal, gold, platinum, silver or even the newcomer, titanium, stones are the aspiration and fascination of the new buyer.

Green bench practices reduces environmental impact

As recently as 2004, the environmental impact from making jewelry was rarely mentioned. But awareness has grown quickly, and today a Google search for the term eco jewelry provides millions of results.
The green movement is exploding as the media focus attention on the environment and global warming, spurred by Al Gore’s film, An Inconvenient Truth, released in 2006. But the words green and sustainable are overused and have largely become marketing hype. So let’s define them: The green movement interweaves environmental goals with a sense of personal and social responsibility. Sustainable practices use resources without depleting them or permanently damaging the environment that yields them.

For jewelers, sustainable business practices begin with analyzing their supply chain. When placing orders, ask questions about suppliers’ products and practices before purchasing. Where do they come from? Is the metal recycled? Are the gemstones responsibly sourced and processed without using child or sweatshop labor? How have they lessened the environmental impact of their packing materials and shipping procedures?

Ask to see copies of their fair-trade, social, and environmental policies and ask which of their products are produced accordingly. If no policies exist, encourage them to develop responsible practices and abide by them in their sourcing. “Be sure you bring up your concerns, and if they don’t give you the answer you’re looking for, seek alternative [sources],” says Eric Alulis, vice president of product development for Superfit Inc.

“Buy from companies that are earnestly trying to make a difference,” advises Gabriel Craig, green consultant for the Society of North American Goldsmiths. “Request that they carry eco-friendly products, or inform them that you would be interested in purchasing eco-friendly products if they were to be carried.”

When possible, choose local suppliers to minimize shipping costs and carbon footprint.

Metal refining is also potentially damaging to the environment, says Alulis. “When choosing a refiner to partner with, be sure to understand how their operations are run,” he advises.

Refiner Hoover & Strong is working to minimize its environmental impact and improve the efficiency of its operations. “Our new refining process uses 80 percent fewer chemicals and saves two days of refining time,” says company president Torry Hoover.

More suppliers are shifting to recycled metals. All precious metals purchased from Hoover & Strong are 100 percent recycled. At Rio Grande, sterling casting grain and sterling jewelry products cast in-house are 100 percent recycled.
Using recycled precious metals reduces the need for mining, lessening its environmental impact.

Tracing the supply chain of gemstones is more difficult. Considerations include the treatment of miners, stonecutters, and polishers in addition to the environmental impact of gem mining and manufacturing. The Madison Dialogue was established in 2006 to promote communication among groups that want to encourage the development of responsible sources of gemstones and precious metals.

Some retail jewelers are partnering with small-scale miners who can assure them of ethical practices. Others are partnering with wholesalers who oversee each step of the supply chain.
More information on this can be found in the April 2008 issue of JCK (The Green Issue).

Capture and reclaim all precious metals. You can download tips for improving your returns from the Hoover & Strong Web site. These include separating metal scrap, installing a sink trap, capturing dust in floor mats or carpets, and vacuuming frequently with a dedicated vacuum. Collect anything used in precious-metal manufacturing in a special bin to be turned in for refining. Aprons, rags, buffs, brushes, emery paper, and polishing dust also may be refined.
Jewelers can use a wet paper towel (made from recycled paper) to clean their hands before washing at the sink. Workers should reuse their own paper towel throughout the day to reduce waste. Collect the towels in the bin to be refined in order to capture particles usually washed away. The refiner assures us this practice is worth the effort, expense, and resources, stating,
“You would be surprised at how many small particles go into the sewer otherwise.” Hang a cloth towel by the sink to dry hands after washing.

James Binnion Metal Arts recommends using a fully enclosed polishing hood like the Quatro Clearview. “It makes a significant difference in how much dust you capture, which is a sustainable environmental health practice and saves you money,” says James Binnion. He also recommends using cartridge or bag-type dust collectors instead of benchtop units, which allow much of the dust, including precious metals, to be blown out of the back of the unit. Clean the unit and change the bag or cartridge regularly to keep the system running at optimum efficiency, and send dust and collector to the refiner.

Encourage customers to recycle their precious metals. America’s jewelry boxes contain an incredible supply of precious metals. Everyone has broken, outdated, or rarely worn jewelry that could be brought back into the supply chain, significantly reducing the need for mining. Encourage people to trade their old jewelry for store credit, and educate those who do about the environmental and monetary benefits. Hoover & Strong offers a formula and estimation chart to help jewelers calculate how much to offer for old jewelry. As more people seek environmentally sustainable products, this will help ensure the future of your business.
Conserve energy, water, and fuels. Use compact fluorescent and standard fluorescent light bulbs. Fix drafts to reduce heating and cooling bills. Turn things off when not in use.
Marc Choyt, president of Reflective Images and author of The Ethical Jewelry Handbook, recommends working with organizations that can help you compensate for the carbon you generate. He explains, “You can do this through a number of ways, from tree planting to purchasing carbon offsets.”

Designer Toby Pomeroy, Corvallis, Ore., who pioneered the idea of using precious metals from reclaimed sources, has the option to purchase sustainably generated electricity from Pacific Power. He and Choyt encourage their employees to bike to work, and Pomeroy offers a $25 per month bike-shop credit. Similar incentives could encourage employees to take public transportation.

Control water usage. Never let water run when not in use. Consider keeping a wash bucket in the sink or near your bench instead of running water down the drain to wash each item. If you replace the solution in your ultrasonic cleaner frequently, implement a system with two units. Use the first for pieces straight from the buffer and the second for final cleaning. When the dirty water needs to be changed, replace it with the cleaner water from the second machine. Starting only one new bath will save water and use fewer cleaning agents, said manufacturer Aron Suna to the MJSA Journal.

Reduce toxics and chemical use. Many jewelers have switched to cadmium-free solders and fluoride-free fluxes and are seeking other less toxic alternatives to traditional studio practices. Citric pickle solution, for example, is healthier for the jeweler and the environment than standard pickle solution, although most jewelers report that it works more slowly. “We have been selling quite a bit of citric acid pickle lately,” says Steve Frei of Otto Frei.

Jeweler, author, and educator Charles Lewton-Brain says the simplest thing jewelers can do to lessen their environmental impact is “change practices to reduce chemical loads.” His book, The Jewelry Workshop Safety Report, includes sample chemical inventory and chemical profile sheets as well as a procedure evaluation form and a substitution checklist.

Lewton-Brain recommends analyzing all studio practices, implementing health and safety precautions, and substituting alternatives to reduce risks. He says jewelers should “avoid bombing, reduce cyanide use, and reduce or eliminate solvents.” If solvents are necessary, he recommends ethyl, benzyl, and isopropyl alcohols, as well as acetone, as the safest. “There is no such thing as nontoxic,” Lewton-Brain says. “Toxicity is often dose dependent.”

With all less toxic alternatives, be sure to read the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) and use proper ventilation, safety, and disposal procedures. Hazardous waste disposal procedures vary by region. Check with local government and sanitation agencies for information. Reducing chemical use not only saves the environment but also can offer cost savings. Experts suggest jewelers look to other industries to find innovative environmental solutions regarding chemical use and substitution.
Alulis says his company has achieved significant savings by using a cleaner manufacturing process with its newest high speed CNC machines. “We are able to run all of our CNC operations using 100 percent ethanol as a coolant/lubricant,” he explains. Substituting ethanol for the commonly used petroleum lubricants reduces the disposal and refining costs associated with petroleum-based lubricants, plus it evaporates cleanly, eliminating a secondary degreasing step. This less toxic substitution saves the company approximately $10,000 annually.

Reduce and recycle packaging. Reduce the Reduce and recycle packaging. Reduce the size of your packaging, choose recycled packaging products, and ask your suppliers to do the same. Hoover & Strong encourages customers to recycle their boxes by using them for shipping back scrap for refining. Choyt says his company saves money by reusing boxes, including FedEx boxes, and shredding paper for packing. “At first, we had some concern because we imagined that customers might not like to receive jewelry in a used box, so we had a stamp made that says in green ink ‘All Shipping Products Are Recycled.’” Reuse plastic peanuts and other non recyclable packing materials or take them to a retail mailing service such as Mailboxes Etc.

Make it easy for employees to recycle by having the recycling bins easily accessible. For example, put aluminum and plastic bins in the lunchroom and a paper bin by the copier. Many companies purchase recycled paper and reuse the second side of paper for interoffice copies.

Educate yourself and others. Do everything you can to educate yourself on environmental and ethical issues associated with the jewelry industry, as well as the impact of your studio procedures. Use what you learn to educate your customers about ethical and sustainable values and practices.

“The eco movement in the jewelry industry is in its infancy but is growing at an astonishing rate,” says Toby Pomeroy. He estimates that awareness of and interest in eco jewelry at the 2008 JCK Show in Las Vegas was approximately 50 times greater than it was last year. That should be a wake-up call. And it’s very likely that consumers are out in front of the industry on environmental and humanitarian issues. As consumer awareness increases, your efforts to help the planet will also help your business.