As change sweeps through the Indian jewellery industry, a lot of attention has been paid to the transformation taking place in terms of product and retail presentation. %% Much has been written about the makeovers to traditional outlets, the type of retail reinvention that saw traditional jewellers remerging in a modern avatar. The spotlight has also been turned on the new stocking patterns, with retailers vying with each other to offer their customers the ‘everything under one roof’ advantage. Similar attention has been focused on the growing importance of design and quality, the need for keeping pace with global trends, new lightweight and contemporary looking ornaments, and so on.%% There are other changes that have simultaneously occurred, though some of these have remained outside the spotlight. One of these is the much greater emphasis on direct interaction between manufacturer and retailer, and conversely on the need for retailers to be able to learn about and source from a wider circle of suppliers. %% With the distribution system becoming increasingly pan-India, a parallel development to this is that manufacturers are also specialising in certain product categories or developing their own niche line of unique offerings. %% Our new column INTERFACE will aim to focus on this new emerging need and provide a platform for manufacturers to showcase their products to the retailer, and for the retailer to be introduced to new sources. Over the next few issues it will profile companies, both big and small, from across the country, and their special and sometimes unique products. %% In this second part of the series we present Amore Jewels, a diamond manufacturer that offers a special cut, the La4ve, in invisible precision setting, Raia Jewels, a company that was one of the pioneers of the use of technology in jewellery manufacturing and is now a leading manufacturer of machine made bangles under the brand name Oro, and Union Chains and Jewels, whose innovative development of a fabric woven from gold and silver has led it to launch Divyavastra, a fabric to adorn religious idols and spiritual icons. %% We hope this new section will help strengthen the links between the manufacturers and retailers - Editor

{{Amore Jewels}}%% {{Perfect Precision}}%% |*Using a special process with technology developed specially by the Swiss watch industry, Amore Jewels has perfected the art of setting multiple small stones to appear like a single dazzling solitaire in its new La4ve cut diamonds.*| %% In a traditional gold market like India, technology has often played a role in helping manufacturers of gold jewellery develop products that are different from the standard designs and patterns that are available across most jewellery stores. Research and development has led to some product innovations in the segment, though most of this has happened in advanced manufacturing centres and hardly in India. %% In the case of diamond studded jewellery, however, where theme based design is usually the most common form of attempting to distinguish one brand from another, the use of technology to create unique products is rare indeed. %% Amore Jewels is one of those rare exceptions. Part of the Barmecha Group, which has a presence Europe, Asia, UAE, USA and Israel since 1987, it entered the world of high fashion jewellery with a special niche product based on the princess, baguette and trapezium cut diamonds that are its specialty. Explaining his vision, Shanti Barmecha, pioneering chairman of the company, says, “We aimed to change the focus of the consumer from the concept of designing and introduce them to the world of workmanship and precision diamond cutting and setting.” %% Building on the strengths of the group, which is one of the biggest manufacturers of high end princess and baguette cut diamonds in the world, Amore began working on the art of invisible setting of these shapes using precision technology. Over the last seven years, at its factory in Geneva, it has sharpened the skills of precision cutting and setting using technologies that are used by the watch industry there. %% It has now developed the use of precision technology in combination with the well known art of invisible setting of princess and baguette cuts to create a unique line of jewellery products using the La4ve Cut. %% This cut uses Ideal cut and polished diamonds that are re-cut to precision to achieve the desired shapes. These are then set in synchronisation to give a perfect single unit look to the assembly of multiple ideal cut diamonds. The brilliance is enhanced by the precision of the stone-by-stone cut, with customization as desired. %% Precision setting typically means the use of center stone surrounded by precisely re-cut small stones, where each facet of the stone is precisely cut and polished to give the overall piece the look of a single large solitaire stone. With its large inventory of loose stones, Amore is able to ensure that each piece of jewellery has the desired look. %% Amore Jewels also provides customised solutions to suit the needs of each customer, which includes specialised research and development studies at its in house labs.

{{Raia Jewels}}%% {{Mechanised Magic}}%% |*Among the early pioneers of technology-based jewellery manufacturing in India, its continuous focus on evolution and upgradation of systems has made Raia Jewels one of the largest machine-made bangle manufacturers in the country and its brand Oro one of the most exclusive as well.*| %% Their bangles, under the brand name Oro, grace womanhood with legacy and modernity, combining the values of the Tikamdas Motiram Group, established in 1885, and its more recent offspring, Raia Jewels which was one of the first companies to introduce technological solutions to the bangle manufacturing sector in India. %% Today the brand Oro, has evolved as a market leader in sophisticated 22k gold bangles with a wide network of distributors across the country. These bangles with spectacular designs are machine-made, enabling mass production of the product without any compromise on quality. %% While the design element certainly contributed to Oro’s success (there are some superb collections in Plain gold, Rhodium finish, Enamel, Engraved and Moving Stones), the use of advanced machinery, technology and meticulously planned plant setting has also played an equally crucial role. %% Situated in India’s financial hub Mumbai and spread over 12,000 sq. ft. in a dust-free controlled environment, the company’s manufacturing set up is completely automated and employs 100 highly skilled workers. The set-up is fully integrated across different aspects which are co-ordinated by a special designed and managed ‘Oro System’. This enables high volumes of production, constant innovation and continuous expansion and escalation. %% The company’s manufacturing facility produces around 2,000 bangles per day and every product is checked to ensure that it fulfils the rigorous quality criterion laid down by the company before it is issued with the "ORO 916" stamp of perfection. %% Realising that each product has its own intricacies of development, its unique manufacturing system and varying economies of scale with reference to quantities, the company has developed a further innovation -- a pricing chart that explains the percentages and working financials for each product type – which is compiled with the same care and eye for detail as every bangle. %% A well developed distributor network, where each distributor invests in the product and is responsible for its reach in certain allocated areas, backed by a clearly defined financial package along with various options depending on the commitment and drive exhibited, has enabled the brand to build its pan-India network. %% During the last year, Oro has produced over 5,000 new designs, enabling the brand to cater to diverse consumer tastes. Under the leadership of young entrepreneurs Avinash Pahuja and Ravish Pahuja, it aims to diversify into multi-facet jewellery activities including exports and venturing newer markets.

{{Union Chains and Jewellers}}%% {{The Fabric of Devotion}}%% |*Spiritual collections are a common enough feature in the tradition-driven Indian market, but the Divyavastra collection from Union Chains and Jewellers, is one with a difference, crafted as it is from a special fabric crafted out of gold and silver.*| %% In an increasingly competitive world, each company seeks to differentiate itself from the competition in a variety of ways. While retailers may opt for flagship stores, manufacturers strive to create unique niche products that epitomise the skill and craftsmanship inherent in their manufacturing capabilities. %% Union Chains and Jewellers Pvt. Ltd., one of India’s largest jewellery manufacturing companies established in 1991, which has developed a reputation as a trend setter in the industry, recently released such a ‘flagship’ product. %% The collection, known as Divyavastra, has been designed to enable worshipper’s to better express their devotion to God. Catering to different religions and cultures in the world, this product line that includes devotional apparel, accessories, jewellery for idols of deities, temple decoration material and other devotional and spiritual embellishments used in religious activities, is perhaps a one-of-its-kind in India. %% What is unique about Divyavastra? The collection is made from a special ‘precious fabric’ – actually woven out of gold and silver threads. The product line is fully handcrafted and uses 14k, 18k and 22k purity of gold and sterling silver at 92.5 % with rhodium plating and anti tarnish treatment. %% Variations are also possible – the material can be crafted in a range of colours like any other fabric. The company also offers various weaves and self textures which help to create diverse looks including zari and embroidery; or embellished with Swarovski crystals and / or semi precious stones. %% Given its unique nature, the company has not been able to share details of the systems and set up that go into its manufacturing; in fact, a spokesperson of Union Chains informs that a patent application for the technique of creating fabrics out of metal has filed and alongside, the company has also registered various fabric designs.

As change sweeps through the Indian jewellery industry, a lot of attention has been paid to the transformation taking place in terms of product and retail presentation. %% Much has been written about the makeovers to traditional outlets, the type of retail reinvention that saw traditional jewellers remerging in a modern avatar. The spotlight has also been turned on the new stocking patterns, with retailers vying with each other to offer their customers the ‘everything under one roof’ advantage. Similar attention has been focused on the growing importance of design and quality, the need for keeping pace with global trends, new lightweight and contemporary looking ornaments, and so on.%% There are other changes that have simultaneously occurred, though some of these have remained outside the spotlight. One of these is the much greater emphasis on direct interaction between manufacturer and retailer, and conversely on the need for retailers to be able to learn about and source from a wider circle of suppliers. %% With the distribution system becoming increasingly pan-India, a parallel development to this is that manufacturers are also specialising in certain product categories or developing their own niche line of unique offerings. %% Our new column INTERFACE will aim to focus on this new emerging need and provide a platform for manufacturers to showcase their products to the retailer, and for the retailer to be introduced to new sources. Over the next few issues it will profile companies, both big and small, from across the country, and their special and sometimes unique products. %% In this second part of the series we present Amore Jewels, a diamond manufacturer that offers a special cut, the La4ve, in invisible precision setting, Raia Jewels, a company that was one of the pioneers of the use of technology in jewellery manufacturing and is now a leading manufacturer of machine made bangles under the brand name Oro, and Union Chains and Jewels, whose innovative development of a fabric woven from gold and silver has led it to launch Divyavastra, a fabric to adorn religious idols and spiritual icons. %% We hope this new section will help strengthen the links between the manufacturers and retailers - Editor

{{Amore Jewels}}%% {{Perfect Precision}}%% |*Using a special process with technology developed specially by the Swiss watch industry, Amore Jewels has perfected the art of setting multiple small stones to appear like a single dazzling solitaire in its new La4ve cut diamonds.*| %% In a traditional gold market like India, technology has often played a role in helping manufacturers of gold jewellery develop products that are different from the standard designs and patterns that are available across most jewellery stores. Research and development has led to some product innovations in the segment, though most of this has happened in advanced manufacturing centres and hardly in India. %% In the case of diamond studded jewellery, however, where theme based design is usually the most common form of attempting to distinguish one brand from another, the use of technology to create unique products is rare indeed. %% Amore Jewels is one of those rare exceptions. Part of the Barmecha Group, which has a presence Europe, Asia, UAE, USA and Israel since 1987, it entered the world of high fashion jewellery with a special niche product based on the princess, baguette and trapezium cut diamonds that are its specialty. Explaining his vision, Shanti Barmecha, pioneering chairman of the company, says, “We aimed to change the focus of the consumer from the concept of designing and introduce them to the world of workmanship and precision diamond cutting and setting.” %% Building on the strengths of the group, which is one of the biggest manufacturers of high end princess and baguette cut diamonds in the world, Amore began working on the art of invisible setting of these shapes using precision technology. Over the last seven years, at its factory in Geneva, it has sharpened the skills of precision cutting and setting using technologies that are used by the watch industry there. %% It has now developed the use of precision technology in combination with the well known art of invisible setting of princess and baguette cuts to create a unique line of jewellery products using the La4ve Cut. %% This cut uses Ideal cut and polished diamonds that are re-cut to precision to achieve the desired shapes. These are then set in synchronisation to give a perfect single unit look to the assembly of multiple ideal cut diamonds. The brilliance is enhanced by the precision of the stone-by-stone cut, with customization as desired. %% Precision setting typically means the use of center stone surrounded by precisely re-cut small stones, where each facet of the stone is precisely cut and polished to give the overall piece the look of a single large solitaire stone. With its large inventory of loose stones, Amore is able to ensure that each piece of jewellery has the desired look. %% Amore Jewels also provides customised solutions to suit the needs of each customer, which includes specialised research and development studies at its in house labs.

{{Raia Jewels}}%% {{Mechanised Magic}}%% |*Among the early pioneers of technology-based jewellery manufacturing in India, its continuous focus on evolution and upgradation of systems has made Raia Jewels one of the largest machine-made bangle manufacturers in the country and its brand Oro one of the most exclusive as well.*| %% Their bangles, under the brand name Oro, grace womanhood with legacy and modernity, combining the values of the Tikamdas Motiram Group, established in 1885, and its more recent offspring, Raia Jewels which was one of the first companies to introduce technological solutions to the bangle manufacturing sector in India. %% Today the brand Oro, has evolved as a market leader in sophisticated 22k gold bangles with a wide network of distributors across the country. These bangles with spectacular designs are machine-made, enabling mass production of the product without any compromise on quality. %% While the design element certainly contributed to Oro’s success (there are some superb collections in Plain gold, Rhodium finish, Enamel, Engraved and Moving Stones), the use of advanced machinery, technology and meticulously planned plant setting has also played an equally crucial role. %% Situated in India’s financial hub Mumbai and spread over 12,000 sq. ft. in a dust-free controlled environment, the company’s manufacturing set up is completely automated and employs 100 highly skilled workers. The set-up is fully integrated across different aspects which are co-ordinated by a special designed and managed ‘Oro System’. This enables high volumes of production, constant innovation and continuous expansion and escalation. %% The company’s manufacturing facility produces around 2,000 bangles per day and every product is checked to ensure that it fulfils the rigorous quality criterion laid down by the company before it is issued with the "ORO 916" stamp of perfection. %% Realising that each product has its own intricacies of development, its unique manufacturing system and varying economies of scale with reference to quantities, the company has developed a further innovation -- a pricing chart that explains the percentages and working financials for each product type – which is compiled with the same care and eye for detail as every bangle. %% A well developed distributor network, where each distributor invests in the product and is responsible for its reach in certain allocated areas, backed by a clearly defined financial package along with various options depending on the commitment and drive exhibited, has enabled the brand to build its pan-India network. %% During the last year, Oro has produced over 5,000 new designs, enabling the brand to cater to diverse consumer tastes. Under the leadership of young entrepreneurs Avinash Pahuja and Ravish Pahuja, it aims to diversify into multi-facet jewellery activities including exports and venturing newer markets.

{{Union Chains and Jewellers}}%% {{The Fabric of Devotion}}%% |*Spiritual collections are a common enough feature in the tradition-driven Indian market, but the Divyavastra collection from Union Chains and Jewellers, is one with a difference, crafted as it is from a special fabric crafted out of gold and silver.*| %% In an increasingly competitive world, each company seeks to differentiate itself from the competition in a variety of ways. While retailers may opt for flagship stores, manufacturers strive to create unique niche products that epitomise the skill and craftsmanship inherent in their manufacturing capabilities. %% Union Chains and Jewellers Pvt. Ltd., one of India’s largest jewellery manufacturing companies established in 1991, which has developed a reputation as a trend setter in the industry, recently released such a ‘flagship’ product. %% The collection, known as Divyavastra, has been designed to enable worshipper’s to better express their devotion to God. Catering to different religions and cultures in the world, this product line that includes devotional apparel, accessories, jewellery for idols of deities, temple decoration material and other devotional and spiritual embellishments used in religious activities, is perhaps a one-of-its-kind in India. %% What is unique about Divyavastra? The collection is made from a special ‘precious fabric’ – actually woven out of gold and silver threads. The product line is fully handcrafted and uses 14k, 18k and 22k purity of gold and sterling silver at 92.5 % with rhodium plating and anti tarnish treatment. %% Variations are also possible – the material can be crafted in a range of colours like any other fabric. The company also offers various weaves and self textures which help to create diverse looks including zari and embroidery; or embellished with Swarovski crystals and / or semi precious stones. %% Given its unique nature, the company has not been able to share details of the systems and set up that go into its manufacturing; in fact, a spokesperson of Union Chains informs that a patent application for the technique of creating fabrics out of metal has filed and alongside, the company has also registered various fabric designs.

As change sweeps through the Indian jewellery industry, a lot of attention has been paid to the transformation taking place in terms of product and retail presentation. %% Much has been written about the makeovers to traditional outlets, the type of retail reinvention that saw traditional jewellers remerging in a modern avatar. The spotlight has also been turned on the new stocking patterns, with retailers vying with each other to offer their customers the ‘everything under one roof’ advantage. Similar attention has been focused on the growing importance of design and quality, the need for keeping pace with global trends, new lightweight and contemporary looking ornaments, and so on.%% There are other changes that have simultaneously occurred, though some of these have remained outside the spotlight. One of these is the much greater emphasis on direct interaction between manufacturer and retailer, and conversely on the need for retailers to be able to learn about and source from a wider circle of suppliers. %% With the distribution system becoming increasingly pan-India, a parallel development to this is that manufacturers are also specialising in certain product categories or developing their own niche line of unique offerings. %% Our new column INTERFACE will aim to focus on this new emerging need and provide a platform for manufacturers to showcase their products to the retailer, and for the retailer to be introduced to new sources. Over the next few issues it will profile companies, both big and small, from across the country, and their special and sometimes unique products. %% In this second part of the series we present Amore Jewels, a diamond manufacturer that offers a special cut, the La4ve, in invisible precision setting, Raia Jewels, a company that was one of the pioneers of the use of technology in jewellery manufacturing and is now a leading manufacturer of machine made bangles under the brand name Oro, and Union Chains and Jewels, whose innovative development of a fabric woven from gold and silver has led it to launch Divyavastra, a fabric to adorn religious idols and spiritual icons. %% We hope this new section will help strengthen the links between the manufacturers and retailers - Editor

{{Amore Jewels}}%% {{Perfect Precision}}%% |*Using a special process with technology developed specially by the Swiss watch industry, Amore Jewels has perfected the art of setting multiple small stones to appear like a single dazzling solitaire in its new La4ve cut diamonds.*| %% In a traditional gold market like India, technology has often played a role in helping manufacturers of gold jewellery develop products that are different from the standard designs and patterns that are available across most jewellery stores. Research and development has led to some product innovations in the segment, though most of this has happened in advanced manufacturing centres and hardly in India. %% In the case of diamond studded jewellery, however, where theme based design is usually the most common form of attempting to distinguish one brand from another, the use of technology to create unique products is rare indeed. %% Amore Jewels is one of those rare exceptions. Part of the Barmecha Group, which has a presence Europe, Asia, UAE, USA and Israel since 1987, it entered the world of high fashion jewellery with a special niche product based on the princess, baguette and trapezium cut diamonds that are its specialty. Explaining his vision, Shanti Barmecha, pioneering chairman of the company, says, “We aimed to change the focus of the consumer from the concept of designing and introduce them to the world of workmanship and precision diamond cutting and setting.” %% Building on the strengths of the group, which is one of the biggest manufacturers of high end princess and baguette cut diamonds in the world, Amore began working on the art of invisible setting of these shapes using precision technology. Over the last seven years, at its factory in Geneva, it has sharpened the skills of precision cutting and setting using technologies that are used by the watch industry there. %% It has now developed the use of precision technology in combination with the well known art of invisible setting of princess and baguette cuts to create a unique line of jewellery products using the La4ve Cut. %% This cut uses Ideal cut and polished diamonds that are re-cut to precision to achieve the desired shapes. These are then set in synchronisation to give a perfect single unit look to the assembly of multiple ideal cut diamonds. The brilliance is enhanced by the precision of the stone-by-stone cut, with customization as desired. %% Precision setting typically means the use of center stone surrounded by precisely re-cut small stones, where each facet of the stone is precisely cut and polished to give the overall piece the look of a single large solitaire stone. With its large inventory of loose stones, Amore is able to ensure that each piece of jewellery has the desired look. %% Amore Jewels also provides customised solutions to suit the needs of each customer, which includes specialised research and development studies at its in house labs.

{{Raia Jewels}}%% {{Mechanised Magic}}%% |*Among the early pioneers of technology-based jewellery manufacturing in India, its continuous focus on evolution and upgradation of systems has made Raia Jewels one of the largest machine-made bangle manufacturers in the country and its brand Oro one of the most exclusive as well.*| %% Their bangles, under the brand name Oro, grace womanhood with legacy and modernity, combining the values of the Tikamdas Motiram Group, established in 1885, and its more recent offspring, Raia Jewels which was one of the first companies to introduce technological solutions to the bangle manufacturing sector in India. %% Today the brand Oro, has evolved as a market leader in sophisticated 22k gold bangles with a wide network of distributors across the country. These bangles with spectacular designs are machine-made, enabling mass production of the product without any compromise on quality. %% While the design element certainly contributed to Oro’s success (there are some superb collections in Plain gold, Rhodium finish, Enamel, Engraved and Moving Stones), the use of advanced machinery, technology and meticulously planned plant setting has also played an equally crucial role. %% Situated in India’s financial hub Mumbai and spread over 12,000 sq. ft. in a dust-free controlled environment, the company’s manufacturing set up is completely automated and employs 100 highly skilled workers. The set-up is fully integrated across different aspects which are co-ordinated by a special designed and managed ‘Oro System’. This enables high volumes of production, constant innovation and continuous expansion and escalation. %% The company’s manufacturing facility produces around 2,000 bangles per day and every product is checked to ensure that it fulfils the rigorous quality criterion laid down by the company before it is issued with the "ORO 916" stamp of perfection. %% Realising that each product has its own intricacies of development, its unique manufacturing system and varying economies of scale with reference to quantities, the company has developed a further innovation -- a pricing chart that explains the percentages and working financials for each product type – which is compiled with the same care and eye for detail as every bangle. %% A well developed distributor network, where each distributor invests in the product and is responsible for its reach in certain allocated areas, backed by a clearly defined financial package along with various options depending on the commitment and drive exhibited, has enabled the brand to build its pan-India network. %% During the last year, Oro has produced over 5,000 new designs, enabling the brand to cater to diverse consumer tastes. Under the leadership of young entrepreneurs Avinash Pahuja and Ravish Pahuja, it aims to diversify into multi-facet jewellery activities including exports and venturing newer markets.

{{Union Chains and Jewellers}}%% {{The Fabric of Devotion}}%% |*Spiritual collections are a common enough feature in the tradition-driven Indian market, but the Divyavastra collection from Union Chains and Jewellers, is one with a difference, crafted as it is from a special fabric crafted out of gold and silver.*| %% In an increasingly competitive world, each company seeks to differentiate itself from the competition in a variety of ways. While retailers may opt for flagship stores, manufacturers strive to create unique niche products that epitomise the skill and craftsmanship inherent in their manufacturing capabilities. %% Union Chains and Jewellers Pvt. Ltd., one of India’s largest jewellery manufacturing companies established in 1991, which has developed a reputation as a trend setter in the industry, recently released such a ‘flagship’ product. %% The collection, known as Divyavastra, has been designed to enable worshipper’s to better express their devotion to God. Catering to different religions and cultures in the world, this product line that includes devotional apparel, accessories, jewellery for idols of deities, temple decoration material and other devotional and spiritual embellishments used in religious activities, is perhaps a one-of-its-kind in India. %% What is unique about Divyavastra? The collection is made from a special ‘precious fabric’ – actually woven out of gold and silver threads. The product line is fully handcrafted and uses 14k, 18k and 22k purity of gold and sterling silver at 92.5 % with rhodium plating and anti tarnish treatment. %% Variations are also possible – the material can be crafted in a range of colours like any other fabric. The company also offers various weaves and self textures which help to create diverse looks including zari and embroidery; or embellished with Swarovski crystals and / or semi precious stones. %% Given its unique nature, the company has not been able to share details of the systems and set up that go into its manufacturing; in fact, a spokesperson of Union Chains informs that a patent application for the technique of creating fabrics out of metal has filed and alongside, the company has also registered various fabric designs.