HYDERABAD: This festive season, traditional jewellery gets a boho makeover. CE speaks to jewellery makers and stores who exemplify jewellery to be more intricate, light, filigree and not-so-gaudy so that they gracefully merge in all the dynamic aesthetics of the festive season.
The gaudy, embellished, engraved jewellery pieces are out of fashion. It is the colourful, glistening filigree that has caught the fancy of every woman. Gemstones like opal that disappeared two decades ago and are back in style. Myriad shades of quartz and enamel are all afresh, anew. Jewellers in the city are ensuring contemporary jewellery is not just a piece of magic that rests in a locker but one that is designed for women to not shy away from expressing their thoughts and sensuality with grace.
"Jewellery is evolving like women are. Jewellery syncs with the lifestyle culture; both lifestyle and culture are growing modern, and so is jewellery," says Sridevi, the founder of city-based brand Shriyeras Jewels, which is known for designing fine jewellery in gold, diamonds, and other gemstones, in a playful mix of refined artistry and fundamental techniques. She adds, "The traditional jewellery today is not entirely modern. Most jewellers use the insignia of heritage jewellery and embody it in contemporary pieces. For instance, opal was not heard of in the last two decades but is back with a bash."
Heavy heirloom sets that spell richness, and elite status is not totally out of fashion either. "Women today prefer lighter jewellery, which is comfortable but has intricate filigree work to add to the touch of legacy and tradition. Modern festival jewellery is designed for women who love to accentuate their femininity with mesmerising effect," says another city-based designer Kavya Potluri whose forte is to design fusion and casual jewellery that goes well on all occasions.
"Lately, we have seen the use of enamelling technique jewellery. Enamel and quartz are more common than ever in traditional Indian jewellery. Besides, the ornaments these days are preferred to be lighter so that they can be worn not just on special occasions but often, and such is the design, with many colours. Quartz, however, is used to make translucent, muted yet glistening shades of turquoise, azure, hessonite, emerald and coral," says Amit Kumar, one of the store managers at Malabar Jewellery store at Begumpet.