FOR DHANTERAS, DELHI IS BUYING FILM-INSPIRED BLING
Buyers looking to invest in gold on this auspicious day want custom-made Padmavati and Baahubali jewellery this year
Indians have a special corner in their heart (and shopping bags) for the yellow metal. Although we don’t really need an occasion to invest in gold, Dhanteras — a festival considered auspicious for buying gold and silver — offers the opportunity to get some of the best deals.
This year, the buyer trend is leaning towards Bollywood epics — customers want jewellery (customised, if need be) that looks like it’s straight out of a movie. The heavy jewellery that actor Deepika Padukone is seen wearing in the trailer and posters of the upcoming film, Padmavati, and Tamannaah Bhatia’s pieces in Baahubali, are the flavour of the season.
“Logon ko wohi pasand hai, jo latest hota hai (People fancy the latest designs),” says Ankit Gupta, owner of Roop Jewellers in Chandni Chowk. He adds, “The trend of polka jewellery started during Jodhaa Akbar (2008). These days, chand bala earrings (gold diamond polki) are in trend, as Deepika Padukone is wearing them in Padmavati. Customers bring photos of the pieces they want to get made. The price starts at `60,000, and can go up to `5 lakh depending on the make and craftwork. We customise jewellery according to the budget of the customers.”
Veepane Singhal, owner, Regalia Jewellery House, Chandni Chowk, too, is getting queries and orders for imitation pieces of film jewellery. “The pieces seen in Baahubali was praised a lot, so people want that. And the craze for the jewellery in Padmavati is picking up as the film is nearing its release.”
This quest for Bollywood-inspired designs is spreading wide. Manoj Aggarwal, who owns a jewellery shop in Faridabad, shares, “Eight out of 10 customers are asking for Padmavati jewellery. I tell them that such jewellery doesn’t have a long life. The designs are so intricate, they break easily. But people still want it.”
Guess that sums up Delhi-NCR’s love for all things bling!