Make a statement

There is something about the subtle glamour of the uncut diamond or ‘polki’, which outshines its polished, sparkling version to become the bridal jewellery of choice.

Brought to India by the Mughals, polki diamonds continue to get a royal treatment in bridal trends in 2016. “Showcased in historical Hindi movies and used for styling by bridal couture designers looking to create an impact, this style of jewellery has become very popular with brides for its voluminous look,” says Shreedevi Deshpande, creative head, Ganjam Jewellers.

While the love for polki may not be new for the millennial bride, the unpolished diamond’s use in bridal jewellery has become rather predictable and repetitive. There has not been any noteworthy distinction between polki jewellery designs that were produced in 2011 and 2015. However, this year, brides have been promised a refreshing array of polki designs.

Jewellery makers have recognised that the brides this season wants to look exceptional, wear formidable statement pieces that are markedly different from what their girlfriends wore last year!

Which is why Kerala-based Kalyan jewelers have introduced the ‘Tejasvi’ collection that is dedicated to the use of polki. “South Indian brides used to prefer wearing plain gold jewellery on their wedding day, but we have noticed a shift in preference. Many prefer to mix their Kanchipurams with the subtle elegance of polki diamond jewellery”, says TS Kalyanaraman, chairman and managing director, Kalyan Jewellers.

Delhi-based Hazoorilal Legacy, too, is reinventing its bridal compilation. Hazoorilal is offering jewellery with smaller kundan work, which allows more freedom for the designer to produce diverse pieces. Kundan looks very similar to polki jewellery. “The symmetry of traditional and contemporary design elements create a complete royal yet fresh look”, explains Rohan Narang, managing director of Hazoorilal Legacy.

The hasli, a collar-like necklace, recreates a piece of an ancient era as a statement piece for the modern bride. In the hasli (stiff torque), decorative pieces are made from stone beads strung together, along with the quintessential look of the Bikaner-Rajasthan period. Hints of kundan workmanship and engraved rubies mark the Mughal style of jewellery making.

To bring striking variation in a bride’s jewellery box, designers are experimenting with other precious stones that can transform a traditional jewellery piece into a statement maker.

“Brides are considering just a few statement pieces and seem to want to include wearable jewellery in their trousseau. This enables them to wear the jewellery more often for social evenings, small functions rather than leaving it in a bank locker,” Deshpande explains. “We have also created several pieces using exceptional quality and size of rare gemstones like Ethiopian opals, Panchshir emeralds, Columbian emeralds, among others,” she adds.

A white gold necklace or pair of earrings are a fascinating interpretation of the myth about opals and their magical powers. Hand-picked Ethiopian opals by Ganjam designers exhibit tones of blue and green flashes, and offer a vivid play of colour.

“These are designed as part of our contemporary-yet-classic collection, which is our signature house style for 18-carat gold. We believe in creating products that are relevant to today’s customers and their lifestyles and will evolve into classics over time,” says Deshpande.

While some are using rare precious stones to add variety to their bridal collection, other designers are creating uncommon jewellery pieces to appeal to the 2016 bride. “We have custom made many signature items like solitaire strings, bridal engagement rings, ear cuffs, belts, tiaras, hathphools (a bangle that adorns the bride’s hand with a string attached to a ring),” says Narang.

Exposure to a wider variety of Indian and international jewellery trends has helped the Indian bride define her individualistic style for the big day. With traditional jewellery designers in India resonating the same thought, contemporary brides can easily make their wedding jewellery a long-time investment.

S hilpa Dhamijais the editor of luxuryvolt.com

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