Jewelries are no more a feminine substance, both boys and girls indulge themselves into it to make a bold statement. [break]
The traditional elaborately crafted hand-made ornaments that our mother adorned are now finding its place in the jewelry box and being replaced by more chic and contemporary gold jewelry for daily wear.
The designs today are more modern, complimenting the overall look of the urban professionals. Chic styles and fashionable designs with supple elegance have become more popular these days. Elaborate earrings are being replaced by simple gold studs and sleek gold bracelets are being preferred over gold stackable bangles.
Not just have golden jewelries been changing formats, there has been a change in trend as well. “Youngsters today are going for a single heavy ornament be it a neckpiece or an earpiece,” said a staffer at Riddhi Siddhi Jewelers at New Road.
Talking about the shift in consumption trend among youngsters, most of the traders were of the view that youngsters go for golden jewelries that are modified into sleeker deigns , particularly that are made up of 22 to 18 carat gold.
“Golden jewelries are being replaced by studded jewelries,” said Tej Ratna Shakya, President of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers´ Association. “Youngsters today are switching to jewelries of lesser carat and prefer lighter jewelries studded with precious or semi-precious stones.”
Until five or six years ago, people preferred wearing heavy gold jewelries. But the trend is waning everyday.
“The skyrocketing gold prices is one of the major factors behind the shift in customers´ preference,” Shakya said, adding, “Golden jewelries have emerged as fashion item and not a commodity for investment. That is why people are preferring ornaments that are sleeker and lighter.”
Price of gold has increased by more than 400 times in the last 10 years. “Gold that was selling for about Rs 7,500 per 10 gram in 2000 has increased to more than Rs 31,035 per 10 gram in 2010,” Shakya said.
Gold chain and heavy gold bangles popularly known as Bala that was highly in used until five to 10 years ago has become a rare sight and being replaced by lighter ornaments.
“People going for traditional ornaments have gone down by almost 90 percent. More people are buying light ornaments with gems studded on them,” Shakya said, adding, “People wear traditional ornaments only for special ceremonies,” he added.
Apart from the growing price and changing fashion trend, increasing insecurity factors have added toward making gold ornaments even lighter, Shakya added. Though the use of some traditional ornaments is decreasing, there are some that are still in vogue.
“Finger rings are one such ornament that are highly in demand no matter what their size be. People still go for bigger finger rings,” Manish Bajracharya of Asri Jewelers in New Road said.
With the arrival of more funky and less valuable jewels and stones, gold really needs to keep itself abreast with the changing fashion trend to establish itself not just as a valuable metal but also an ultimate style mantra.
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