One book to help them all, one book to bind them

Piyush Soni, director of Kolkata’s Manikchand Jewellers and Sons tells us why he poured out his passion in his book, ‘Know Your Diamonds’.

Manoj Chakraborty

There are people who get confused between carat and karat. The ‘C’ and ‘K’ are defining factors. Many don’t understand the difference between 18k jewellery and 22k jewellery. They ask why diamond jewellery is made in 18K and not 22K. With technology advancing at the speed of a bullet train, now there is a lot of talk about natural versus synthetic diamonds. If all these questions had a ready guide, wouldn’t it be amazing? This is how I came up with my book. , the book has a dedicated chapter on natural diamonds, HPHT diamonds and CVD diamonds.

If we compare our industry with fashion, the latter has a lot of information available on styles and trends. This makes it easier for people to buy exactly what suits them. However, in the jewellery industry, no one talks about the different styles or what the customer should go for. The new generation is very conscious about how they dress up and pair their jewellery. They buy jewellery as a fashion need and not as an investment. Today, the customer knows a lot, but for all the little gaps they have in their information, the book will be the bible.

Let us take an example. People have heard of the terms ‘danglers’ and ‘drops’, but very few can tell the difference. A dangler moves with the body and a drop will move at the slightest turn. The book talks about the different styles of rings and earrings in detail. What are earcuffs? What is a huggy? There is an earring style called a ear jacket, which can be attached to the sides of the solitaire and help amplify the look of the jewellery. There is a section on settings, depending on the jewellery. The settings are different for delicate use and daily-wear pieces. The book also speaks about diamond shapes and the benefits of each. For example, oval-shaped diamonds look bigger than round and triangle-shaped ones.

Customers are now looking for unique styles. So, the retailers must have thorough knowledge about their products and categories. It becomes important for jewellers to be updated on the latest styles and help the customer with tips on what would suit them. The book will greatly benefit retailer to get updated about the latest styles in the market. .  This book is an honest effort to not only educate customers, but also jewellers with useful insights.

In this age of the internet and social gatherings, information spreads very fast. At parties and functions, when ladies meet, they inadvertently end up discussing jewellery. If one person reads the book and passes the knowledge, others will also become more aware. Even if a few people read my book, my mission is accomplished.

It has 15 chapters. Five hundred copies have been printed so far and are available at bookstores and across all popular e-commerce platforms.

I believe that more retailers should write books and pass on the knowledge. If my book can inspire them to do so, there is nothing better than that.

Courtesy: Retail Jeweller India News Service