Jewellery makers search the past and present for themes
With changing preferences of the average buyer, jewellery designers are also breaking away from the routine and are coming up with trendy designs that appeal to lovers of both contemporary and traditional jewellery.
Traditional pieces in uncut diamonds, kundan, filigree, enamel and engraved gold are high in demand. Themed jewellery designs, be it contemporary or conventional, have also created a big market.
What follows is a curated list of trendy themed jewellery designs that will instantly take your style quotient up another notch.
Delhi-based jewellery designer Musskan Agarwaal is a renowned name in the industry and is best known for creating unique pieces and trends. She has a label named, “Kiwi by Musskan”. Agarwaal’s emphasis on design, and her ideas pertaining to youth, glamour and sophistication, are clearly apparent in her collections. Recently she came up with a Tanjore collection, which has an Indian earthiness to it and portrays the connection between culture and religion. This collection gives you a feel of Tanjore painting that emerged from South India.
Talking to Guardian 20 about her recent collection, the designer says, “The one feature that sets my designs apart is the miniatures of the Tanjore paintings that are incorporated in my neck pieces. Tanjore paintings have always been very contemporary. The kind of colours and stringing I am doing can be worn both with Indian and Westerns outfits. Painting on a small piece of stone is slightly tough since the workshop has to be very neat and integrated and the features of the God motives have to give a sharp look. Proper detailing of a particular motif requires a lot of skill and hard work as they are totally hand painted.”
Agarwaal can also engrave names in the pendant, rings, bracelets and neckpieces, and has launched a new line, which is all about customising jewellery with names engraved.
Another jewellery designer, Shalini Bisht has recently launched her Autumn/Winter collection 2017, “The Samba Collection”, at the India Runway Week at DLF Place, Saket. The collection is all about vibrant colours and enduring stones. Each piece of the collection evokes wearable art while combining it with intricate craftsmanship. The collection is meticulously handcrafted for today’s women, who are constantly trying to strike a balance between professional commitments, personal life and social presence.
Speaking about the collec- tion, Bisht said, “To express oneself, some write books, others take pictures and we design jewellery. I have a great fondness for the samba dance form. Even the word ‘samba’ evokes a sense of fun and vibrancy, which is why we’re so excited to incorporate the fabulous shade into our ‘Samba Collection’.”
One more thembased collection seems a perfect concoction of art. The House of Ganjam has successfully risen to the challenge of adorning women with works of art that delight and satisfy. The jewellery crafted by Ganjam has been desired and worn by many Maharajas and Maharanis of yesteryears and continues to appeal to the men and women of modern India, and countries beyond. A collection in 18kt pink, white and yellow gold, pastel shades of pink sapphires, yellow sapphires and rich shades of rubelites have been combined with rubelite and tourmaline beads to put together the stunning “Sakura” collection.
The collection is inspired by the Buddhist themes of mortality, mindfulness and living in the present. Inspired by cherry blossom (a metaphor for human existence), Sakura reflects nature, calm, innocence and fragility.
In this collection, a flower’s journey of transformation from a bud to a full blossom has been translated through the designs. Its very nature has been stylised into unique, contemporary yet classic designs of jewellery. These elements have been used to create volume and organic arrangements that reflect the true essence of the Sakura. Following the same trend, P.C. Jeweller came up with their all-new collection “Holyspin” for this festive and wedding season.It is inspired by Tibetan praying wheels. It is designed in such a way that it creates a link between tradition and the modern. She i b a Anand, President-Retail Operations, P.C. Jeweller talked about the collection and changing trends. She said, “We have come up with our second collection, Holyspin, inspired by Tibetan praying wheels. These designs are contemporised in a way that reconciles tradition with the latest trends.” Anand added, “There was a time when jewellery was limited for specific occasions, for festivals and for weddings. But with time the whole scene has changed. Now for each occasion no matter how small is a particular piece of jewellery— be it light or heavy, ancient or contemporary. Now we design jewellery keeping in mind the latest trends and requirements. Before curating the jewellery, we create the concept, idea or the theme, and then the design. So that every piece we create tells a story.”
The “Shvet Kamal Collection”, by Vishal Jewels, inspired by the White Lotus, is an exquisite accord of beauty and prosperity. The meenakari work adorns the earrings while the elite polki encircles it. These designs are a fine blend of the aesthetic beauty of lotus and the splendour of cultural heritage that speaks to the modern Indian woman. The collection is about celebrating womanhood.
Saurabh Maheshwari, coowner of Vishal Jewels, says “In the ‘Shvet Kamal Collection’, nature meets tradition and makes it a perfect mix of tranquillity and peace, which is what the White Lotus is all about. The polki earrings with floral motif in meenakari work, portrays delicacy and strength, elegance and perfection, at the same time.”
Rahul Maheshwari of Vishal Jewels says “The ‘Shvet Kamal Collection’ has different types of polki diamond earrings with emerald beads, south sea pearls studded in 18kt gold and the beautiful meenakari work. The collection is inspired by the White Lotus, which envisages an aura of the pristine nature of the white lotus.”
The richly engraved and embossed temple jewellery is another trend that is now wildly popular. Besides, fusion jewellery using elements of temple designs is in high demand especially for wedding and engagements.
Designer Rashma Sud has engraved temple art in her designs and brings life to the jewellery pieces she creates. Her collection takes inspiration from the myriad facets of life. While exploring the brightness of temples in India she came up with her collection known as “Aurum”, which means gold in Latin. With this collection, Sud attempts to revisit the history of India and give it all a modern spin. Thec collection is mainly focused on a traditional South Indian look. Aurum will bring out the rebel in you while keeping the traditional you intact.