A shining future: The road ahead for the jewellery industry in corona pandemic

Covid-19 has changed the way we look at things. Not only has the global pandemic affected our lives in unimaginable ways, but also impacted our habits - from work to shopping, every avenue possible has taken a blow. While the world is weathering an economic crisis, with nations building respective strategies to sail through, the jewellery industry has also slowed down. But, if there has been an industry that has remained fluidic for many decades, it has been the gem and jewellery industry. Famines, floods and other natural disasters haven’t really been able to affect it greatly, as the demand for jewellery has always existed and the artisans and jewellers have always pushed themselves harder to meet the demand. So, what lies ahead for the industry that has survived all odds and proved to be the phoenix rising from the ashes? We got in touch with the industry biggies to know what the future holds for the jewellery industry and here’s what they had to say.

According to Shilpa Mittal , the future of jewellery in India definitely looks promising as it has come a long way. “From considering gold as a mere investment to holding dignity in owning precious jewels, our country has evolved to a great extent. With changing times, we have witnessed different trends in the jewellery industry, only to desire for more, says Shilpa, who feels the trend will continue for eternity.

Like any other industry, business of the jewellery industry has also got affected by the unexpected pandemic but industry insiders feel this is a temporary phase which will end soon.

Shilpa says that the market is opening up like never before and it’s a positive sign. “We are witnessing a surge in sales, which can be attributed to a demand which has been repressed for some time and has resulted in revenge buying. The celebratory mind-set of our returning customers looking to celebrate personal milestones will also add to the demand,” claims Shilpa.

We believe the share of wallet for wedding jewellery purchases will remain largely unaffected despite the new normal with wedding ceremonies being a closed knit affair. While families will not resort to lavish weddings, they will certainly look at gold as an embodiment of an auspicious beginning,” adds Shilpa.

She is the Celebrity Jewellery Designer based in Pink City Jaipur. She began experimenting with jewellery design in college and now sells her jewellery through fashion retailers and boutique stores as well as through her own studio in the India. Talking about the trends Shilpa said, I am inspired by the abundance of traditions and art forms our country offers and is reflected very well in my designs. From pretty early on I had realized where my interest lies. Since by teen years I used to design and create a lot of things at home. So, I was pretty fixated on what I wanted as a career. I choose Jewellery over fashion designing for the pure love of detailed, intricate handwork involved in jewellery making.

Her award winning and infallible collections like, “AAKRITI“ and “TARAASH” created a lasting impression with her clients, and enabled her to bag many prestigious awards including the National Excellence Award for being the “Women Entrepreneur of the Year”.

She continued The skills required for Jewellery making has seen a major transformation, back in the past where everything was handmade while in today's time technology is used extensively. My work as a designer has made me more appreciative and understanding of the handcrafted skill.

Disclaimer: The views, suggestions and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Forbes India journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.