Indian Jewellery Business

The Indian jewelry business for years has been family owned with Tribhuvandas Bhimji Zaveri, Popley, L. Sunderdas and many other favorites.

In India it was always the trusted family goldsmith to whom all jewelry designing and making was entrusted. Besides, in India, jewelry has always been an investment first and an ornament second. A label for a jewelry piece was unheard of decades ago. It was the family run jewelry stores who dictated the designs or the karigar (designer) who was willing to make a copy from a photograph in a magazine.

In the nineties a new change was perceived as the large industrial giant Tata eyed the jewelry market with newfound interest. They produced Tanishq jewelry with western designs and an affordable price tag, along with the Tata stamp of reliability. The launch of Tanishq spawned a trail of branded jewelry that blitzed the Indian market both from abroad and within the country.

There is a shift in jewelry buying from investment to ornament. From 14, 18 carat ready-to-wear jewelry collections, they have moved to 22 and even 24. Today branded jewelry is available in the price ranges and designs to suit various buyers. Branded jewelry sends a new message to the women of India — you don’t have to be rich to wear gold and diamonds.