New norms in jewellery
You have heard the saying that all that glitters is not gold. When it comes to your wedding, it is important to put thought and planning into your jewellery. This is the advice that experts in the jewellery industry have for young couples. Latoya Newman
DALIP Rajcomar is a second-generation jeweller and the owner of Golden Jewellers. They manufacture 9 carat, 18ct and 22ct gold and diamond designer jewellery and brand watches.
Rajcomar said that over recent years, a number of factors had contributed to how people bought jewellery.
Cost of living
“We have found that affordability became questionable. This was even prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Since the pandemic, we have seen increases in unemployment and cuts in salaries, and people can barely survive, particularly the working and middle class. We have also found that those in the upper earning brackets have become selective in how they spend. So post Covid-19, the jewellery industry was going downhill slightly, but this was the trend with most luxury items."
These, he said, were some of the aspects that played out in the background in terms of shaping how people are buying their jewellery today.
Different factors at play
Whereas in the past, traditional wedding sets were more eastern in design, and there were bigger pieces of jewellery, Rajcomar said the younger generations have moved towards smaller pieces.
“This, of course, is dependent on a number of factors, like affordability. For example, during Covid, we have seen the wedding industry take a knock where ceremonies and expenses have largely downsized.
“Crime has also become a factor in discouraging people from buying the more traditional, heavier pieces of jewellery. In the past, the traditional heavier wedding neck pieces, especially where the older folks used to buy Kruger coins and have them set in neck pieces, were a norm. Today, families are afraid to invest in such because of the increase in robberies and house break-ins that we have seen in the country.
“Traditionally in the Indian community, in particular the older folk worked hard to build up their assets, and one of those prime assets has always been gold. Post Covid-19, we can see this with the many pawn shops popping up. They are buying gold from the older generations who are selling off their valuable pieces to try and help with all of the economic difficulties that have come with the pandemic.”
Change in cultural trends
But there is also the preference of the modern bridal couple taken into consideration, he said.
“Today, the older Kruger sets, the heavier yellow gold bangles, jumkas and neck piece are almost a complete no-no for the younger brides who hardly wear these.
“When you look at the more modern Indian bride – and this was even outside of pre and post Covid-19 – the brides of today don't really want to invest in the traditional chunky wedding sets.
“The modern bride tends to buy costume jewellery and silver jewellery to wear on her wedding day, and more functional jewellery for everyday use. In many of the more traditional homes, particularly among the parents, they want their kids to have some gold, so many of the parents buy gold and diamond pieces for their sons or for their daughters-in-law, which the couples use for special occasions.
“The tennis bracelet, for example, has taken over from the traditional huge yellow gold kangans (bangles) that we used to see a lot of among the older generation brides.”
He said what had contributed to this largely, had been the rise in the cost of living and the change in modern bridal preferences and trends.
“Today’s brides are leaning more towards finer pieces of jewellery that are functional. White gold has also become more popular than yellow over the years.
“And of course, today, we have increased interest in rose gold.
“Modern couples have also realised that unless you are a trained jewellery expert, the layman can't really tell the difference between white gold and silver, for example, or if a piece is 9 carat or 18-carat white gold.
“On the other hand, your modern brides are also working women who are working with their partners, where both her and her future husband are earning well.
“So, where couples can afford it, they are buying the higher carat gold and diamonds. Today we see brides opting for a half-carat and above for their rings."
All these developments aside, Rajcomar said there were some traditions that would never change when it comes to wedding jewellery.
“One of the things that will never
change among the Hindi brides is that they must have a Mangalsutra or Thaali. You can never do without that because this is a traditional religious part of the ceremony.
“Amongst the Tamil and Telugu-speaking community, they must have the Thaali. But what the more modern bride is doing, is she is changing the accessories for her Thaali.
“These days they are cutting down and mainly putting the gundu balls on either side of the Thaali.
“The other contributing factor to the changing trends in traditional jewellery is that we are seeing a lot more inter-cultural marriages – across Indian cultures and across racial demographics. But regardless, the Thaali and the Mangalsutra will never go away.”
Jewellery trends
From women proposing to men, to couples buying their jewellery together, to colour stones becoming more popular, Rajkumar said there had been many changes in trends at the counter.
“Nowadays, when they propose, we are seeing a greater demand for tanzanite and diamond settings in white gold.
“We are also seeing a lot of demand for morganite and diamond settings in rose gold, but the favourite is white gold.
“One of the popular settings is what we call the Diana setting – tanzanite and diamond setting in white gold, similar to Princess Diana’s famous ring.
“For the engagement, more and more brides are opting for solitaire rings.”