Bespoke jewellery is the way to go

When it comes to the latest trends in the world of jewellery and fashion, large, eye-catching statement pieces have taken a bit of a backseat, experts at the 43rd edition of the Middle East Watch and Jewellery Show noted.

"People have scaled down a little," said Kanishka Bangera, marketing director of Stargems. "Small, delicate, intricate designs are in, and price is a huge factor currently. Arabic designs are less popular compared to more Western ones."

In addition, Bangera also noted that buyers are increasingly going for bespoke jewellery. "In our retail division, we do a lot of custom work. Many of our customers will come to us with designs that they have seen on the Internet, and we do our best to make it for them."

However, demand for custom pieces also has a lot to do with the occasion that they are created for. "Special occasions might lead women to commission a set that will be extremely exclusive."

Asked how interested buyers had been since the start of the exhibition, Bangera answered that the response from customers was "good" and that if something caught a visitor's eye, then they would go on to buy it. "Sharjah, and this exhibition particularly, have always been good to us in terms of sales and business opportunities. We have been here for 10 years now, and the response from customers and traders has always been great."

Speaking on market trends and preferences, he revealed that white gold was clearly the metal of choice. Another metal that was fast catching the public's attention, was rose gold. "It's a very unique colour, and that is exactly why many buyers like it," Bangera said.

As far as engagements and weddings were concerned, the mindset was still clearly pinned on 'bigger is better.'

"It depends on the budget, but single solitaires are always going to be the go to trend among consumers. Variations are present though, and many women like having a coloured stone, maybe surrounded by smaller diamonds," Bangera said.

Bangera's observations on market trends were echoed by Poonam Gupta, a designer at Diamond Constellation. She explained that minimalistic, and simple jewellery pieces were preferred by buyers, who often wore them for a night out. She also revealed that many young buyers were looking for unique contemporary designs that were extremely exclusive.

"Many women don't want to wear something that they know is being purchased by other buyers," she said. "They want something that is bespoke, and a reflection of their tastes. Right now, we are also looking at an increased interest in four-fingered rings, ear cuffs, and palm bracelets."

Gupta also revealed that the brand mainly focused on yellow gold that has been electroplated to resemble silver. "The advantage of this is that once you are bored of white jewellery, you can have it turned to rose gold. Our designs are very versatile."

She further revealed that many of the brand's pieces were made with exotic stones and elements, such as Azurites, Tanzanites, Aquamarines, Kunzite, corals, and mother of pearl. "We are always open to women coming to us with ideas, and exploring new designs that are different. We always put an effort into designing our own jewellery, and we don't repeat our pieces."

Michael Hakimian, CEO of Yoko London, another exhibitor at the event that specialised in high-end pearl jewellery, said that there is a timeless elegance to pearls.

"We specialise in finding rare, unusual colours, and sizes when it comes to pearls," he said. "It takes us a long time to find the right pearls, before we start designing a collection. So, our company is in a way unique, because time does not matter to us. We visit 13 different pearl farms around the world in search of the perfect pearls for our designs."

When it comes to designing a piece, Hakimian says that there is always a 'twist', and that twist is what has made the brand so successful. "What the classy, modern woman wants is to not look like her grandmother. Of course, that is not to say that clients don't want to look like the iconic Audrey Hepburn in the 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' film, but the majority of women want a trendy design that shows of the unique colours and lustre of the pearl."