Indians are responding to the appeal and enigma of exclusive pieces and are not hesitating to pay a premium for that unique appearance

In an exclusive conversation with The Retail Jeweller, Nisha Choksey, Chief jewellery designer, Shobha Shringar Jewellers speaks about the current market scenario in the industry

Thanks to social media, consumers of all ages are being exposed to current fashion. So consumers have become aesthetics and design aware. It presents an opportunity for jewellers’, who want to build a truly distinct brand identity, to choose exclusivity over mass production.

With limited availability of exquisite designs comes a better brand recall for those who take this route to market as consumers across all age-groups want stand-out jewellery designs.

Our brand took the long and arduous path to customer loyalty by building a unique design language. This practice started about 23 years ago when I joined the family business as a designer. Putting my background in fashion design to use, thorough research went into Indian regional craft, the Christie’s and Sotheby’s bodies of work and even Egyptian gold jewellery to shape up an outlook on how we wanted our gold jewellery to be. 

We did earn a reputation for consistently churning out statement designs in gold. However, the consumer is exposed to tried-and-tested designs at chain stores. The challenge, in such a scenario, arises as to how a boutique brand can appeal to the general mass with its exclusive inventory.

The key to solve such problems is design awareness which customers are bringing in these days. It’s the gradual process of interaction and inquiry about that awareness which helps a brand exhibit the right pieces to the right person quickly and build on its design intelligence for product development in the future.

With a wide customer age bracket of 18 to 50 years, each of our customers has a different take on the same piece of jewellery. Lovers of heirloom pieces would want to grow fond of their jewellery as they age. Again, the same composition of the jewellery needs to be tweaked for a simpler, edgier and trendier look for a bold youngster.

Today, we are widely known for our unique designs in antique gold jewellery. Our clientele has expanded strongly through social media and personal references.

As we further strengthen our brand identity by enriching design value and exclusivity, current trends help me infer that although there will always be a steady market for investment-centric gold jewellery, there is a burgeoning consumer segment seeking gold designs that appeal to their evolving sense of fashion and style.

As told to Shubham Dasgupta