Wedding and Jewellery

Friday, October 18, 2013

Ttraditional hese earrings Hyderabad

Ttraditional hese earrings Hyderabad are inspired style. They’re called chipka and are similar to the passa design, usually worn by brides. Crafted out of 18-carat gold, they feature diamonds, emeralds and pearls. While I usually make fun, contemporary jewellery, I think there’s nothing quite like traditional jewellery. I love such old-fashioned designs and styles like the chaandbali. I’m sure they will be passed to the next generation. Even the new collection that I’m working on has been inspired by a vintage sensibility. My aim is to make vintage jewellery for tomorrow—jewellery that’s also versatile and can be worn with traditional outfits as well as formal [western] gowns.

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS…

THEY’VE DAZZLED US WITH THEIR MANY CREATIONS, BUT THERE’S ALWAYS THAT SPECIAL ONE THAT DESIGNERS HOLD CLOSE TO THEM. WE SPEAK TO THEM ABOUT WHAT MAKES THESE PIECES THEIR MOST BELOVED BAUBLES

Tand his is rose a ruby -cut bracelet diamonds with . It’s full-cut something that can be worn with Indian and western outfits, as it has a few Mughal motifs but overall, bears a western look. This is a complete statement piece. The stones used in this were rubies from Burma (which were unheated) along with rose-cut and full-cut diamonds set in 18-carat white gold.

Mset y personal of concave favourite -convex jewellery diamond piece bangles is this from the VOW (Very Own Wish) collection. The modern woman is evolved to make informed choices. She would like to possess or invest in a jewellery piece that is versatile and has multiwear options. The concave-convex bangle does exactly that; this piece of jewellery comes with another bangle, which can be attached or removed to give it a new look, altogether. I find this absolutely unique, as it’s a classic piece with a twist—it can be transformed to complement both, casual daywear and eveningwear outfits. The design is timeless and I would love to pass it on to my daughter.

Often jewellery , when piece it comes , many to designers a stick to one style. I like to play with different elements and fuse techniques, even if it’s a single piece. You don’t need to be restricted to one style like polki, uncut, gold or diamond. This is a polki ring, which also features diamonds in a filigree setting. It’s actually a Rajwada design. I personally love big rings—I think big earrings and a big ring are just what you need to make a statement. Clients appreciate designs like this ring as it’s an amalgamation of various materials and designs. And I love it, because I believe that it suits every hand.

The Bharatiya 10:15 AM

A diamond is forever

One of the most sought-after gemstones in the world, a diamond is irresistible for many reasons. Besides the visible brilliance, a quality diamond also lends itself well to investment. We speak to industry experts to find out what you need to know when you buy this precious stone

‘A diamond is forever’—a slogan from a popular advertising campaign perhaps best encapsulates the fascination that this stone holds for everyone. Endowed with unique characteristics, diamonds have the power to make the wearer look and feel truly priceless!

Quality check So, what is it about diamonds that renders most people speechless? Maybe it is to do with the fact that they are precious and rare. Or perhaps, it is their innate quality to radiate with fiery brilliance. According to experts, it is a combination of these qualities that make a diamond desirable and compels you to possess one.
    Bhavin Rupani, president and spokesperson for Jasani - The Jewellery Lounge, mentions that one of the first things most people learn about diamonds is that not all diamonds are created equal. In fact, every diamond is unique. They come in many sizes, shapes, colours, and with various internal characteristics, which affect their price. “Jewellery professionals use a systematic way to evaluate and discuss these factors. They are called the Five Cs: cut, colour, clarity, carat and certification. In reference to colour, diamonds range from colourless to light yellow and brown, with colourless diamonds being the rarest and the most valuable. The colours are referred to the D-Z scale with D coloured diamonds commanding the highest price. There are also rare pink, yellow and blue colours, which are popular. Regarding clarity, diamonds have internal features called inclusions, and surface
irregularities called blemishes. Together, these are called clarity characteristics. Clarity is the relative absence of inclusions and blemishes. Accordingly, diamonds are graded as IF (Internally Flawless) to SI (Slighly Included). Commercially, VVS (Very Very Slightly Included) and VS (Very Slightly Included) grades are popular,” explains Rupani.
    While the terms and their explanations are intriguing, there is much more to it. Rupani states, “The cut stands for the skillful way in which a diamond has been cut so as to give the best shine and brilliance. It can also refer to the different shapes like marquise, princess, pear, oval, heart, asscher, cushion and emerald. Carat stands for the unit of weight of the diamond; 100 cents make up a carat.”
    Nowadays, a lot of attention is given to certification, which is a recent addition to the vital C factors of diamonds. The jewellery grading institutes grade diamonds on the basis of the aforementioned factors. This benefits the consumer by serving as a guarantee of what he has paid for. It is much like a third-party assurance between the seller and the customer.
    World over, the diamond business depends on the mining of rough diamonds. “South Africa is a major centre for rough diamonds because of the mines located there. It is indeed a hub for procuring rough diamonds and several manufacturers have their
factories located here. Belgium is also a large centre. Here, we have rough diamond producers and dealers, manufacturers and polished diamond wholesalers,” explains Sahil Shah, partner at Mumbai-based Diamines Gems. Thus, from the time it is mined, procured, traded, and then ultimately set into the design, a diamond has travelled across continents!

On the Indian front While the allure of the stone remains unchanged and people covet it as much now as they did in the past, there is definitely a change in preferences when it comes to design or types of diamonds. According to Ishu Datwani, founder of Anmol Jewellers, “Round brilliant-cut diamonds are the most conventional, though now people have become more experimental [in terms of preferences]. They prefer fancy-cut diamonds like princess, marquise and pear combined with round brilliantcuts. Even a combination of yellow and white diamonds has picked up in a big way, internationally.”
    “Round white diamonds were used in traditional jewellery as they have resale value. However, fancy shapes are in demand by women who want something other than round-shaped diamonds. The use of coloured diamonds like pink and yellow has also picked up recently. Rose-cut and polki diamonds are becoming popular. Fancy shapes and colours combine to create a great piece of jewellery for contemporary women,” adds Rupani.
    Jewellery designer Vidhi Turakhia-Shah observes that women are veering towards classy designs with timeless quality. She also states that people want elaborate designs with an interesting mix of precious stones and diamonds.
    Given the current economic scenario, we wonder, will there be any changes in the demand for diamond jewellery? “Diamonds have always featured as a part of Indian tradition and this will never change. People may prefer a mix of costume jewellery and real diamonds while assembling trousseaus and jewellery collections, but there will always be a demand for bespoke diamonds,” concludes Turakhia-Shah. As they say, diamonds are indeed forever!

    FYI

The word ‘diamond’ comes from the Greek word adámas, meaning ‘unbreakable’
To produce a single onecarat diamond, 250 tonnes of earth is mined
Most diamonds found in nature are between one to three billion years old
About 80 per cent of the world’s diamonds are not suitable for jewellery

Sunday, October 13, 2013

The Bharatiya 11:20 PM

Indian weddings get high on the fun quotient this season

THE FUN INDIAN WEDDING

Stand-up comedians at mehendi, the bride riding a horse, stunning aerial performers and fire dancers ushering in the baraat, Buckingham Palace and Vegas-themed sets – Indian weddings get high on the fun quotient this season.

    Gone are the days when the bride and groom would watch guests having fun as they settled their heavy wedding ensembles and worried about the khatirdari, menus, make-up and jewellery. Weddings, these days, are not just big and fat. They are fun and trippy, where the bride and groom are equal participants. In fact, they are the centrestage of merrymaking and lead from the front – matching steps with belly dancers, doing cabaret, riding horses, acting in skits, quizzing each other about the times when they’d met, dated... For trendy youngsters, a great wedding is an unforgettable experience they are part of. Here’s what else is new this wedding season...

London, New York in India: The big theme this season is creating cities at wedding venues. Says wedding planner Sonali Thakore, “We’re creating London in Jaipur for a wedding this year. We have symbolic guards that you see around Buckingham Palace. The food court will have European-style restaurants and the cuisine will be British. We also did a New York wedding, where we recreated Times Square!”

Inspired by Hollywood: From Avatar to The Great Gatsby, Hollywood is inspiring events at Indian weddings. Says wedding planner Vandana Mohan, “We did an Avatar-inspired sangeet. We created a forest and a wishing tree. The Great Gatsby-theme parties have been a huge hit, with guests wearing clothes inspired from the 1920s. The non-movie themes that are popular are: fairytale, enchanted forest, Alice in Wonderland, nautanki and Raas Leela.”

Authentic temple food to Greek fare: “This season is about pizza from Napoli, authentic food from Maharashtra, Rampur and Patiala,” says Mohan. There’s a rise in concept foods – like North West Frontier foods, with a variety of kebabs like Peshawari murg, Sikandari raan, Dakhani murgh. “A lot of people serve temple foods of India, which comprises puri- aloo from Benaras, appam and stew from South Indian temples. We are even flying in Nobu and Michelin-star chefs at grand weddings,” adds Thakore.

The evolution of the invitation card: Says Kapil Khurana, owner of a design company, specialising in wedding cards and gifts, “For destination weddings, we design cards in the shape of trunks to get guests in the mood for travel. There’s an itinerary, a list of dos and don’ts and gifts – tea, healing herbs and spices.”

The baraat procession:The baraat is getting bigger and fancier. The groom’s family apart, the bride’s side gets celebrity singers to usher in the groom. Says wedding planner Gita Samuel, “The groom’s entry is planned with a lot of fanfare and drama. People with deep pockets are getting singers like Akon or fire dancers and aerial performers from abroad. Stand-up comedians are becoming a hit with the guests at wedding functions too. Adds Samuel, “We are inviting singers, dancers, DJs and bands from the international market this season.”

Trendy tablescapes: Wedding tables have lush, sophisticated displays. Says Samuel, “We are using flower-garden themed centrepieces, candelabras with ornate dinnerware, delicate linen and more finery.”

Create your wedding website: If a couple is tech-savvy, wedding management software, helps them plan and talk about their wedding online. Bharat Kanodia, who sells software to create personalised
    wedding websites says, “Most couples     have their wedding websites describing how they met, introducing their     families, talking about their wedding functions, and inviting interactions from guests. It’s a fun way     of doing things.”

WHAT’S NEW THIS SEASON?

Hot wedding set decor: Vienna, Greece, Morocco and Turkey.

Hot food trends: Pizza from Napoli, authentic food from Maharashtra, Rampur, Patiala, food from the temples of India. Brazilian, Spanish, Greek cuisine are in demand too. If it is Oriental, it has to be Schezwan, Cantonese, Fujian or Hunan dishes.

Hot destinations: Macau, Mauritius.

Hot tech trend: Brides are blogging. From experiences to emotions, beauty, fashion tips to practical posts, brides are getting serious about blogging. These blogs are visual, fun to read and have tips for would-be brides.

FROM LEFT: Ayesha Dalvi is a happy bride; Deepti Jakhar and her would-be hubby, Rohit Verma, display their moves on the dance floor; Anjhula Singh Bais enjoys the sangeet night with fiancé Satish Selvanathan; Amrita and Sharik Currimbhoy are lost in the moment

Sunday, April 14, 2013

The Bharatiya 7:39 PM

WHAT’S DEEPIKA PADUKONE EYEING THIS SEASON

There’s no denying that Deepika Padukone is a stylish woman and that’s why it comes as no surprise that international eyewear brand Vogue has chosen the Bollywood actress as their first Indian face to represent them. With the association, Deepika joins the likes of Kate Moss and Jude Law, who are international ambassadors of the brand. At the announcement of this tieup, Deepika chatted with us about her style quotient, her choice of sunglasses and more:

You’re the new face of the brand. Tell us a little more about it. I am someone who has always believed that a pair of sunglasses helps you complete a look and I am glad that I have one such brand in my kitty. The kind of range that they have, you can clearly see that there’s something for every look, every mood and every season.

You’re the first Indian face to be associated with them. It feels great and I know that they have ambassadors like Kate Moss and Jude Law among many others. It feels great to be the Indian face for the brand.

For people in show business, a pair of sunglass seems like a must. Why’s that? A sunglass can jazz up what you’re wearing. You can be wearing something really simple, but the right pair of glasses can spruce it up instantly. Even if you’re having a bad hair day or if you are not really fond of the clothes you’re wearing, a nice pair of sunglasses can lift your mood. I cannot step without a pair of sunglasses.

What is your style mantra? My style is very simple and classic. I do not enjoy accessorising too much. I normally try to keep it to just one statement piece. This, most probably, would either be either glasses or a funky watch.

Deepika Padukone

The Bharatiya 7:38 PM

STAR TREKS IN VANCOUVER

Bollywood celebs in attendance at TOIFA utilised every opportunity they could manage to explore the enchanting province of British Columbia. Neha Dhupia and Aditi Rao Hydari visited the beautiful Stanley Park and the must-see Capilano Suspension Bridge

Aditi Rao at Stanley Park’s Rose Garden, which was replete with Cherry Blossom trees in full bloom. In fact, Vancover is celerating the month of Cherry Blossoms, with 40,000 trees in bloom

Neha at Stanley Park’s Indian Totem Poles

Aditi at Stanley Park’s souvenir shop

Not without my mommy and daddy

This one is for the album

Neha’s adventurous streak was amply evident during this trip. She jumped across fences, pranced around in the rain and walked confidently across the Capilano bridge

The Bharatiya 7:38 PM

Professional boxing coaches for Priyanka

The makers of the Mary Kom biopic are going to great lengths to make their film as authentic as possible, sources say. Priyanka Chopra, who plays the boxing champion in the Omung Kumar-directed movie, is believed to have already started fitness training. The producers are keen on roping in either a professional boxing coach or one who has worked with the best films in the genre (like Rocky and Million Dollar Baby). They are even considering working with someone who has trained national boxing champions.
Meanwhile, Sameer Johal, Farhan Akhtar’s trainer for Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, is said to have started working with Priyanka. In addition, Rob Miller, sports action director of Chak De! India, has also been brought on board for the ring sequences. Says our source, “Boxing requires high levels of stamina, so Sameer seemed an apt choice. Rob’s expertise in sports direction will contribute immensely.”

Priyanka Chopra

The Bharatiya 6:27 PM

Ankita Shorey and Shriya Saran showcase beautiful gold and diamond creations from Shuddhi Jewels

Ankita Shorey and Shriya Saran showcase beautiful gold and diamond creations from Shuddhi Jewels’ new wedding collection with designs inspired by antique and temple jewellery in BIShallmarked pure gold and laboratory-certified diamonds. The Gitanjali Group opened the IIJW with a show dedicated to women’s empowerment and motherhood.

THE CAUSE THAT SPARKLED

The opening day of Delhi’s first edition of the India International Jewellery Week (IIJW) saw a spectacular show presented by Shuddhi Jewels, a JV between Gitanjali Group and MMTC Ltd, combining the glamour of the fashion and jewellery world with a meaningful message for society. The show supported the cause of women’s empowerment and celebrated motherhood, with models displaying the jewellery and garments by Mumbai-based designer Archana Kochchar, appearing in five dramatic dance sequences.
The first four sequences focused on the elements of Nature — Earth, Air, Water and Fire — that are crucial to human existence. The grand finale was dedicated to the surprise fifth element, one that is the fountain of life — Maa, or mother. Models displayed creations in plain gold, antique gold and temple jewellery designs. Actress Shriya Saran and Miss India International 2011 Ankita Shorey added glam to the ramp. Said Mehul Choksi, CMD, Gitanjali Group, “We dedicated the show to women’s empowerment. This is one of the many social initiatives that Gitanjali Group has taken up under its CSR programmes.”