Vijay Chordia, owner of Valentine Jewellery and one of the organisers of the Jaipur Jewellery Show, takes Marwar on a recce of the changing nature of the jewellery business in India.

Text: Rachna Shetty

As a member of the Organising Committee of one of India’s largest jewellery shows, Vijay Chordia has his hands full till the end of the year. Chordia, along with a group of 12 other prominent jewellers of Jaipur, will put up an annual, grand show called the Jaipur Jewellery Show (December 19-22) showcasing the best of the industry from the business and consumer point of view.

The event is also a prime example of the city’s conversion into India’s jewellery capital. Jaipur is also increasingly being looked at as one of the major cities in the world with regards to gemstone jewellery. The last decade or so has also seen the transformation of the city from a centre of the delicate meenakari jewellery to a place where the modern and classic forms of jewellery share mind space comfortably.

“Jaipur was traditionally known only as a centre for meena jewellery. People never thought or knew of any other kind of jewellery being manufactured or sold in Jaipur. Over the last decade, Jaipur has started catering to the biggest names in the world be it the chain stores, the TV shopping networks in Europe and America. If someone wants jewellery in India which is a mix of diamonds and colour stones, Jaipur is the place. The city has a knack for making attractive jewellery with gemstones. The people here are more trained and have an eye for things like this.”

One complementary offshoot of this was the increase in the jewellery business. Chordia, who rode the initial wave and set up Valentine Jewellery in collaboration with his friends, says the change has come about due to a younger, fresher mindset.

“Previously in India, consumers felt that if they have to buy jewellery it has to be gold. They did not opt for diamonds or gemstones. That fashion changed. A lot of shows happened, and the stones began to be advertised, starting with the diamond promotions. People also started travelling and saw how popular gem stone jewellery was abroad. Where previously, the ratios would 70:30 for gold to diamonds, now it is 60:40. People talk about the young India, and it is only now that the youngsters are buying jewellery on their own and buying gemstone jewellery. Earlier, their parents would buy their jewellery.”