Voices Anand Neelakantan Ravi Shankar Neha Sinha Shampa Dhar-Kamath Deepali Bhardwaj Swami Sukhabodhananda THE new sunday express MAGAZINE Buffet People Wellness Books Food Art & Culture Entertainment october 19 2025 SUNDAY PAGES 12 Top of the Pops Making a Statement Jewellery doesn’t have to follow specific rules. Why not pair a traditional set with a fun, contemporary outfit? Whether you’re wearing your grandmother’s polkis or rocking the latest semi-precious jewel encrusted choker design, make sure your jewellery can be spotted miles away Rocking It Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo’s proposal ring put big rocks on the map. Don’t shy away from flaunting your own monster—whether natural or lab-grown Rah Jewels Gender Bender What works for a woman, should work for a man and vice versa. Jewellery has no gender. If it’s beautiful, wear it, flaunt it Breath of Fresh Pearls Heirloom Edge Seen everywhere from jewellery to sari blouses, minaudieres and embellished phone covers, one can’t get enough of pearls Pick the best of new-age modern heirlooms with unique designs and muted colours Layer Player Tech That Since bigger is better, layer all your delicate pieces on top of one another, instead of rushing to buy new statement jewellery Rings that double as fitness trackers or necklaces that preserve digital memories are the most coveted jewels. Jewellery is no longer confined to being merely ornamental—it now also serves a purpose Bling in the New There’s a different kind of shimmer in the air. This Diwali, Gen Z is going in for jewellery that is ethical, modern, and not exactly investment-driven G By Noor Anand Chawla old in India has never just been metal. It is legacy pride, and investment. But in , 2025, the alloy of aspiration looks different. The new gold glows softly bends , easily and doesn’t weigh down wrists or lives. The Midas touch this Diwali time , is different. Where once 24K gold reigned as the standard of virtue and value, jewellers across Surat, Coimbatore, and Jaipur are now turning to more wearable mixes: 14K (about 58.5 per cent gold), 12K (50 per cent), and, increasingly even 9K alloys. These , lower-carat compositions, strengthened with copper, silver, and other metals, make jewellery more durable, less prone to scratches, and infinitely better suited to everyday use. The Bureau of Indian Standards’ recent move to allow hallmarking for 9K jewellery has legitimised this shift; fine jewellery once the preserve of the affluent, has become more demo, cratic, opening a shimmering middle ground between luxury and accessibility . Gen Z now prefers 12K and 14K gold adornments: while not exactly bijouterie, they don’t see gold as investment like Millennials and Boomers, but as style statements. Meanwhile what is gold without diamonds even if they aren’t mined by DeBeers? Lab-grown diamonds, once considered a compromise, are now a conscious choice. Semi-precious stones, vibrant and versatile, are taking centre stage. Arshi Nagpal, a young makeup artist working at a beauty store in Delhi’s upscale Khan Market, flaunts a ring with a labgrown two carat cushion-cut solitaire surrounded by a string of smaller diamonds—a Harry Winston-inspired design. It was a surprise from her engineer husband on their first anniversary “I know it’s lab-grown . but I love the look on my customer’s faces when they see my rock is bigger than theirs!” she smiles. GOLDEN HOUR The hows and whys How did India—the world’s second largest purchaser of gold according to the World Gold Council—go from revering their traditional jewels to shunning them in favour of less valuable pieces? On the morning of October 8, 2025, the price of gold surpassed every record previously held. Reaching a high of `1,26,600 per 10 grams in the national capital, this unprecedented rate was merely a reflection of global trends. What is a fashionista to do? Aayush Soni, managing director, The House of MBj, a legacy jewellery brand founded in 1897 in Ratangarh, Churu, Rajasthan, explains, “Today’s clients are seeking jewellery that is accessible, versatile and meaningful.” Vinnie Ghatiwala belongs to the family of Ghatiwala jewellers of Jaipur, known for creating fine jadau jewellery for three generations. She decided to branch out this year with Mèroh, a brand that creates ‘modern heirlooms’ at an accessible price range. Reason? She explains. “The first is a rise in Prêt Jewellery— the idea that luxury is becoming more accessible. The second is a ‘No Locker’ mentality towards jewellery Pieces are . now seen as fashion accessories to be worn and enjoyed daily People are .” even opting for trade-ins by returning their jewellery to brands and buying new designs in their stead. Jewellery saving schemes in the market providing returns as high as 25-30 per cent are designed to help younger consumers develop a habit of saving, while experiencing the joy and satisfaction of rewarding themselves with something meaningful. AS GOOD AS GOLD Mixing shine with sense If diamonds are a girl’s best friend, their lab-grown variant is a soul mate for unfulfilled diamond dreamers. Market giants like Titan and Malabar Gold have launched sub-brands Mia and Starlet, respectively aimed at , attracting young, working women. Says Abhay Mehta, the senior partner at Mehta Jewellery “Ultimately any , , form of art—be it jewellery a sari, a , watch, or even a car—is at its best when it is seen, used, and enjoyed.” The market has largely changed. Titan and Kalyan Jewellers have noted the impact of higher prices and are adjusting their price points and bottom lines accordingly P Chandra . .C. Jewellers’ ‘ mazea’ collection, brings A 14K gold jewellery into the mainstream. On the digital front, Jewelbox is redefining the diamond market with lab-grown, ethically sourced diamonds. The new language of gold is softer, subtler. Its tone shifts delicately with the light: rose gold glows like dusk on skin, white gold shimmers like morning frost. The low-K revolution is causing design shifts too. Shifting to affordably priced raw materials allows for greater creativity in designs. Nikita Prasad, co-founder and creative head at Bengaluru-based demi-fine jewellery brand GIVA, recounts the stories of two customers. A 31-year-old Mumbaikar discovered them through Instagram while searching for daily wear pieces in gold which weren’t prohibitively priced. “She loved that she could get certified 14K gold and lab-grown diamonds in designs that felt modern and wearable.” Another client from Bengaluru, aged 26, walked into their store looking for a gift for herself to celebrate a promotion. She chose a delicate lab-grown diamond pendant, calling it her “everyday reminder of how far I’ve come.” Each lab-grown diamond is born of precision and science. They possess a crystalline brilliance that plays with light in endless prisms. Against this radiance, there’s the tranquil haze of aquamarine; the soft rose of morganite; Turn to page 2