Nothing spells D-Day like diamonds!

Classic and wearable diamond jewellery is in demand. People prefer new shapes, there is a lot of inclination towards new fancy shapes and colours: marquise, princess, hearts and colour diamonds are in demand. For bridal jewellery, people go in for jadau and uncut diamond sets. Brides these days prefer more of classic designs; they want the subtle look. Diamonds with emeralds are in demand. Nakshatra Mehta, Rare Heritage, MumbaiIndian brides have become more demanding when it comes to their wedding day look --films, fashion magazines, internet and celebrities influence their preferences, and so do world famous jewellery brands. A wedding in the family is also an occasion for the bride’s mother and sister to indulge in diamond jewellery. From ticket sizes to shapes, cuts and styles, here’s what brides and their families prefer when it comes to diamonds, finds out R Sugandha

The pandemic has forced many families to postpone their weddings, but from this Navratra, the wedding season will finally begin. From the look of it, it is going to be an extended one, which may go on till March next year. This augurs well for the G &J industry, as demand for bridal jewellery will shoot up. Says Dhruv Talwar, Talwarsons Jewellers, Chandigarh, “We are very positive about this season. We cannot compare it to the pre-pandemic days, but, surely, we see some positive demand in the near future. Demand for diamond jewellery depends on the season – at present, more bread and butter kind of stuff is in demand – pendant sets, rings, bracelets, bangles --basically, everyday-wear stuff is moving fast.”

((of status in North))
In the North, people like to showcase their wealth – and so, elaborate jewellery is in demand. But nowadays, people are going for lesser gold weight and smaller diamonds and designs, which appear big. They want large sets at a lower cost. The overall preference in the entire North region -- Delhi, NCR, Punjab and Haryana – is for heavy-looking jewellery.

Every client has a different mindset – the salaried class goes for classy stuff that can be worn on multiple occasions. In engagement rings – round can never go out fashion, most of the demand is for round diamonds. Emerald shapes are also doing well, informs Talwar. There is no average ticket size when it comes to buying diamond jewellery for the bride -- from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 50 lakh, people will spend anything. “For their wedding day, brides prefer uncut diamonds, and for the reception and other rituals, they go in cut and polished diamond sets. The bride will wear a heavy jadau set, and the bride’s mother will wear long chains with diamonds or jadau. The sister may go in for slimmer sets, which may look similar to what the bride is wearing, but are much smaller in appearance,” adds Talwar.

Rs 10-30 lakh ticket size is the sweet spot in South

In South India, people prefer temple jewellery and jadau, and some may go in for traditional cut and polished diamond jewellery sets. Says Jithendra Vummidi, Vummidi Bangaru Jewellers (VBJ), “Demand for bridal jewellery is very good. All varieties need to be stocked up. Engagement rings are fastmoving – people prefer mostly round diamonds. For the wedding day, some families prefer jadau and some go in for cut and polished diamond sets. As celebrations are smaller, families have more funds available for buying jewellery.”

Based upon a family’s budget for bridal jewellery, people spend anywhere from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 80 lakh on diamond jewellery. In South India, engagement rings in round diamonds, like solitaires, or those band rings, are fast-moving. Diamond sets are selling well – and many buyers are going in for jadau, while some prefer polished and cut diamonds.

Salaried customers prefer jewellery which can be worn on multiple occasions, while the higher income groups are seen to prefer exclusive wedding jewellery. Vummidi says, “The majority of buyers go in for bridal jewellery worth Rs 10 lakh to Rs 30 lakh. The number of buyers who buy jewellery worth crores of rupees is small.”

Brides want diamond jewellery in jadau and polki, whereas the mother and sister of the bride and those of the groom may go in for smaller sets. Band rings are fast moving. Marquise and fancy cuts are in demand and pure white diamonds are preferred. Vikram Mehta, Mehta Gold and Diamond Jewellery, BengaluruColoured diamonds in fancy shapes & cuts in demand
of diamond jewellery is robust. This year, brides prefer the understated, classic and chic look, as against heavy jewellery, explains Nakshatra Mehta of Rare Heritage Jewellers, Mumbai. “We have seen brides going in for jadau and uncut diamonds in a combination of white diamonds with emeralds. Many people are spending well on jewellery, because the size of weddings has come down, and, therefore, families have bigger budgets. Many clients are going in for coloured diamonds in fancy shapes and cuts.” Rare Heritage Jewellery has launched a special diamond jewellery collection, taking into account the upcoming wedding season. “We have named it ‘Timeless Rever’. It is a combination of classic simple pieces and some bold statement pieces. Every piece is unique and has its own charm,” informs Mehta. According to Princeson Jose, Chairman and Managing Director of Prince Jewellery, Chennai, “In South India, for weddings too, families prefer classic polished and cut diamond jewellery for the bride. Smaller design sets for the bride’s mother and sisters are preferred. In case of diamond engagement rings, round-shaped white diamonds are in great demand.”

In Tamil Nadu and surrounding areas, jadau and heavy uncut diamond jewellery has lesser demand, with the bright shine of the diamond being important for many buyers. The common price range for diamond jewellery for weddings begins at around Rs 5 lakh and may go up to Rs 50 lakh.

Diamond jhumkas a rage in South
Another trend that is catching on in the diamond jewellery segment is lightweight, fancy chokers.When the number of people attending weddings is more, the family of the bride and the groom loves to flaunt high-end diamond jewellery.

“People like to buy cocktail, round, marquise and baguette sets in diamond rings. In South of India, the typical seven diamond earring studs are preferred. For weddings, however, brides prefer heavy looking earrings – chandbaalis, jhumkis of higher carat size. Those in three- to seven-carat diamonds are in great demand,” explains Shrenik Nahar, J J Diamond Mart, Chennai. When it comes to wedding rings, solitaires, cocktail rings, and wedding bands with studded diamonds are in great demand.

Price points depend on the family’s budget. As we cater to the high-end clientele, the budget is never a big question. Clients want exclusive pieces. High-end jewellery brands, such as Harry Winston, Van Cleef, etc, inspire Indian brides to buy jewellery with big diamonds. Siddharth K Sethia, KK Jewels Diamond Boutique, AhmedabadWith an extended wedding season, people are buying quality diamond jewellery. Today, the trend is to spend approximately Rs 25 lakh on diamond jewellery. The bride’s mother usually spends 30 per cent of the family’s jewellery budget on herself. The bride’s sister also buys new diamond jewellery, and so do the groom’s mother and sister. According to Vikram Mehta, Mehta Gold, Bengaluru, “For the wedding day, brides want jadau or polki jewellery, chokers and lavish looking sets. The bride’s mother usually prefers a long chain model in jadau, while the sister may go in for a smaller set. In earrings, jadau jhumkas are in demand. Brides want a royal look for their wedding. They love to buy white pure diamonds, rather than coloured stones or colour diamonds.

The Hollywood influence
Interestingly, Hollywood has had an influence on the kind of diamond jewellery brides want nowadays. They no longer prefer round shapes. Rather, they go for Asscher, emerald cut, heart shape,and so forth. Since these shapes are cheaper than rounds, brides opt for these and go for bigger sizes.

According to Siddharth Kabra of K K Jewels, “Price points depend on the family’s budget. As we cater to the high-end clientele, the budget is never a big question. Clients want exclusive pieces. But post pandemic, as other expenses related to weddings have come down, parents are sparing more on jewellery.

Brides prefer chokers with big diamonds, or lines with a variety of fancy shapes of diamonds. Highend jewellery brands, such as Harry Winston, Van Cleef, etc, inspire Indian brides to buy jewellery with big diamonds for their bridal trousseau. So desi brides are emulating Western trends for their wedding day look. On their part, retailers are sprucing up their inventory to match the demand of high-end jewellery buyers. Exclusivity, design and tradition amalgamate at most trendy Indian weddings these days.