New York Times (May 18, 2012)
HT SPECIAL REPORT: JEWELRY
In India, Jewelers and Stars Align
By GAYATRI RANGACHARI SHAH
Published: May 16, 2012
MUMBAI — In movie-mad India, a number of jewelry companies are using
the allure of film stars to attract customers.
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Anmol Jewellers
The Bollywood actress Lara Dutta displays her wedding jewelry.
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Whether it’s providing pieces for ad appearances, lending for movies,
supplying jewelry to stars for their personal collections or red-carpet
events, brands like Anmol Jewelers, Farah Khan Fine Jewelry, Gitanjali,
Mahesh Notandass, and Notandas & Sons have carved out a lucrative niche
for themselves. With headquarters in Mumbai, many have expanded by
opening outlets in other Indian cities.
“These jewelers are popular with the fraternity because we have
personal equations with them,” said Farah Khan, the director and
choreographer, who is no relation to the jewelry designer Farah Khan.
Built over a number of years, these relationships have proved mutually
beneficial to stars and jewelry brands alike. As the emphasis on
styling has increased in film, stylists now prefer to work with real,
rather than costume jewelry, said Niharika Bhasin Khan, an
award-winning film stylist.
Movie audiences can tell the difference between real and fake jewelry,
Ms. Khan said, so stylists increasingly are turning to jewelry brands
when they need pieces. Stylists are also employed to provide stars with
jewelry for public appearances at award functions and galas. Most
jewelers are happy to oblige.
“Movies are an integral part of marketing because they are an
across-the-class phenomenon in India,” said Rajeshree Naik, head of
marketing for Forevermark Diamonds in India, part of the De Beers
group, which supplies stones to some of these jewelers.
Ms. Naik cited a scene from the 2011 Eros International release “Desi
Boyz,” in which the hero, played by John Abraham, passes a De Beers
storefront in London and is captivated by a Forevermark solitaire ring.
He proposes to his girlfriend, played by Deepika Padukone, using the
line, “I’ve heard this ring is very rare and unique: But not more than
you.”
Corny, maybe: But, according to Ms. Naik, the ring sold well after the
movie’s release, especially with Indians living outside India.
Among the best-known jewelers to the stars is Anmol Jewelers, a
25-year-old brand that offers both classic and contemporary designs.
“I was at the right place at the right time,” said Ishu Datwani, the
founder. Mr. Datwani attributes his success to an emphasis on design,
finish, competitive pricing and a well-chosen store location, in the
heart of Mumbai’s Bandra suburb, where many film stars reside.
“When I opened the store, there were hardly any jewelry stores in
Bandra,” he said. “Word got out, and gradually people from the film
fraternity started coming.”
Anmol Jeweler’s earliest patrons included Malaika Arora Khan, a
sister-in-law of the actor Salman Khan, and the actress Shilpa Shetty,
famous for winning the British TV show “Celebrity Big Brother” in 2007.
The brand produces a few thousand pieces a year, most of which are
manufactured in Mumbai at 17 Anmol-affiliated workshops. Prices start
at $300 for a small ring or a pair of earrings but can exceed $100,000
for a necklace.
Movie stars like Ms. Shetty and Lara Dutta turned to Anmol Jewelers for
their wedding jewelry, an important part of an Indian bride’s trousseau.
“I wanted my wedding jewels to be traditional, so Ishu created pieces
made of polki,” or uncut diamonds, “and uncut rubies with a matching
cummerbund, which is what we south Indians wear,” Ms. Shetty said via
e-mail.
Also included was a maang tikka, a forehead ornament, made of rice
pearls, she added. “My favorite piece was the peacock amulet, which was
Ishu’s design and idea. The reception jewelry was vintage, made of
diamonds and rubies.
“I felt like a princess. A lot of thought went into everything. And I
told him it can’t be replicated for anyone, which he agreed to,” Ms.
Shetty said
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