The Renaissance of Silver Jewellery in India

Silver’s space in independent jewellery design is gaining a strong foothold in India.
Divyani Rattanpal
Lifestyle
Updated:
Sonam Kapoor (L) and Kareena Kapoor (R) in silver jewellery. (Photos: Yogen Shah)


Sonam Kapoor (L) and Kareena Kapoor (R) in silver jewellery. (Photos: Yogen Shah)
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Metals have always held the greatest seduction for women, followed closely, perhaps by power. But while gold to them remains the most alluring, silver has been a tad underrated.

The metal – considered sacred according to Hindu belief – is symbolic of the moon and is a powerful aesthetic decision in all matters of jewellery. The metal’s space in independent jewellery design is gaining a strong foothold in India – and the results are dramatic, to say the least.

Sonam Kapoor in an Amrapali Design. (Photo: Yogen Shah)

Sonam Kapoor wore an oxidised Tribe by Amrapali silver choker to Bipasha Basu’s wedding. Chokers, a 90s throwback, are back in the sartorial space and ones in silver look stunning.

Kareena Kapoor too wore a design by the same brand, teaming it up with her Indian attire.

Kareena Kapoor in Amrapali jewellery. (Photo: Yogen Shah)
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Silver jewellery in India, generally speaking, has mostly been a loyal accompaniment to Indian wear – think cotton saris and khadi kurtas.

And over time, it has acquired a little bit of quirk too. Quirksmith, a jewellery brand started by sisters Divya and Pragya Batra, has been exhibiting some unusual designs crafted in 92.5 silver.

A Quirksmith brooch. (Photo: Quirksmith)
A Quirksmith nose ring. (Photo: Quirksmith)
A Quirksmith ear cuff. (Photo: Quirksmith)
A Quirksmith ear cuff. (Photo: Quirksmith)

Inspired by Japanese minimalism, Misho Designs, a laboratory of silver wear has been creating interesting pieces from an amalgamation of silver and other metals.

(Photo: Misho Designs)
(Photo: Misho Designs)

Mediated Matter, the brand’s collection of silver wear has succeeded in crafting a different narrative of silver: one which doesn’t solely restrict it to an ethnic poster child, but makes it modern and minimalist, apt for both board meetings and casual outings.

As evident from the visuals above, a different story of silver is being constructed in India right now, and all we can say is that we are ready to speak its contemporary design language.

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Published: 05 May 2016,07:01 PM IST

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