To the world it is known as the Pink City, most famous as a tourist destination and part of India’s foremost circuit known as the Golden Triangle, the other two points on it being Delhi and Agra.%% However, the cognoscenti the world over also know it as the foremost source for coloured gemstones and some of the most exquisite jewellery of styles spanning several centuries – from the ancient artworks in |*kundan meena*| to modern day diamond and coloured gemstone studded marvels.%% What is a lesser known fact however, even in India, is that Jaipur is the earliest “planned” city in the country in the modern era – the earlier known ones being created in 2nd century B.C. %% Jaipur was built in the 18th century by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II of Amber. It was designed after consulting several books and on the basis of the ancient Indian principles of Vastu Shastra and Shilpa Shastra, the science of architecture. The city, when completed was both advanced for its time, and meticulously planned. Qualities which seemed to be reflections of those of the founder himself. For, Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II did not only pay attention to the physical attributes of the city he was building – he also added a soul to it. This was in the form of the people from various streams that he invited to make their home in Jaipur and in the process to add to its business, cultural and artistic life.%% Amongst these were a number of jewellers and artisans adept at jewellery making that he brought to Jaipur, some from the Mughal Emperor’s domain as well. A great aficionado of jewellery himself, the jewellers were, no doubt, particularly close to the royal heart. %% The first movers from the jewellery field, set up shop and workshop in Jaipur’s Johari Bazaar (jewellers’ Market) which needless to say, derived its name from them.%% “Jaipur’s jewellery industry is amongst the oldest in the country and has existed since the city was built,” confirms Nawal Kishore Agrawal of Birdhichand Ghanshyamdas Jewellers, amongst the early retailers of the city. “The rulers of Jaipur got important jewellers not only from various parts of the country, but from different parts of the world. All the important jewellers of the city today, have been here from that time. The jewellery trade in Jaipur flourished in that time due to royal patronage.” %%

In the 20th century, Jaipur became renowned the world over for another facet of its gems and jewellery industry – the cutting and polishing of coloured gemstones. From the earliest times, there was a fledgling industry cutting and polishing precious gemstones of all kinds including diamonds. But the king of gems was soon appropriated by Mumbai on the on the one hand, and by different areas of Gujarat on the other. However, Jaipur continued to hold in its hands the manufacture and trade of an enchanting rainbow of coloured gemstones. %% However, in the early days, the emphasis was on emeralds. In those days there were very few sources for buying rough emeralds and these were dwindling, creating a shortage of rough available. %% “Around the pre-Independence times, some people from the coloured gemstone trade decided to go to Africa and South America in search of rough emeralds,” recalls Agrawal. “And so it was that Jaipur got access to the output of mines like Sandwana in Zimbabwe, mines in Zambia and Colombia. This resulted in the boom of the cutting and polishing, and trading of emeralds in Jaipur.” %% The tales from those days are legendary. For example, Khailshankar Durlabhji, one of the leading lights of the industry bought the entire production of the Sandwana mines for several years. He soon won the sobriquet “Emerald King”, as a result.%% In the latter part of the 20th century, several factors led to the emergence of a range of coloured gemstones, including those known as “semi-precious” gemstones, as significant to the trade. Difficulties in procuring rough of the precious stones – ruby emerald sapphire, rise of the Thailand cutting industry (it had its own source of ruby rough), the fact that “semi-precious” stones were more affordable, and more importantly the fact that stones of every type were a great favourite with designers who made them a fashion, greatly helped to popularise these stones. If there was a demand, there were entrepreneurs willing to work the stones. And Jaipur’s lapidaries quickly adapted to taking in gemstones of all types. Today its strength lies in that it is able to provide the world with the entire spectrum, unlike other centres which specialize predominantly in one or the other type of stones.%%

“Till the 1990s, the emerald market was flourishing,” states Agrawal. “From around the 1980s a lot of semi-precious stones had also become important to the gemstone trade. Jaipur became the hub of the colouredstone business.”%% For long, Johari Bazaar remained the epicenter of the Jaipur gems and jewellery industry. Manufacturing, wholesale, retail, all took place from small offices and shops here. Over the past few years, however, the geograpgy of the industry has changed a great deal. Many jewellers moved retail operations to areas like M.I Road, one of the main arteries of the city. This has now developed into an upscale retail area and most top end jewellers have a presence there. People have also started moving their offices out of Johari Bazaar, and while some jewellers so remain in that area, other products like textiles, maslas and so on have begun to slowly seep into the pace. The rise of SEZs has meant that some manufacturing has moved there and factories have also come up in other parts of the city. Offices likewise are moving to newer areas. %% “Today, the Jaipur centre is the second most organized one where the gems and jewellery industry is concerned,” Agrawal tells us.%% Jaipur is a multifaceted centre. It cuts and polishes coloured gemstones, and is the leading exporter of these worldwide; it has a strong jewellery manufacturing base, both in traditional forms as well as of the more contemporary variety which it also exports; the city serves as a wholesale hub for the surrounding areas, and indeed to the rest of India; and finally it has a strong local market comprising of local consumers – both, those indigenous to the city, as well as those who come from nearby cities like Delhi – and it makes significant sales to tourists.%% Analysing the current scenario within the industry, Sanjay Kala of Kalajee Jewellery says, “The gemstone industry has plateaued. We are not developing too much in that area. There is the China factor, and then, most countries are banking on technology. Though, we do maintain our leadership in emeralds, tanzanite and a few other stones and we are keeping up the volumes.” %% Kala is of the opinion that present day growth is taking place in quite another direction. “In the period of the last 10 years or so, we are doing very well in jewellery,” he emphasises. “Both for the local market as well as for exports. We are doing approximately Rs. 1000 crore in exports and Rs. 1500 crore for the domestic market. That is quite a satisfactory figure.” In future years, Kala feels, that is the direction in which growth will take place for the Jaipur gem and jewellery industry. %% But the jewellery which Jaipur is most celebrated for is the traditional kundan meena style. “The art of enameling which was brought to India from Persia by the Mughals was brought to Jaipur by the Maharaja when the city was established and it was further refined here,” says Sanjay Kasliwal of Gem Palace. “Today Jaipur is the foremost centre for this art.”%% Kundan meena, a specialty of the Mughal kingdom, came to Jaipur and took firm root here. It is basically a form of jewellery where the gemstones are set directly into the gold, and the back is delicately and beautifully painted with enamel in a variety of designs. Presently, this city is at the forefront of producing this kind of jewellery. Today, there is even a move to take kundan meena jewellery forward by indroducing new designs, and new colours for the enameling.%%

Kailash Mosun of JKJ & Sons Jewellers casting light on another facet, the consumer. “Jaipur has a large population of people with having strong purchasing power,” he says. “The Marwari women are particularly fond of wearing heavy jewellery. As you know the typical Rajasthani dress includes a lot of jewellery. Generally, consumers prefer traditional gold jewellery, but they are also now turning to diamond and gemstone studded ornaments.” %% Anup Bohra of Jewels Emporium provides further insights into the outlook of contemporary consumers. “Nowadays, women are well-informed and educated about what they shop,” he says. “Fashion magazines, daily soaps and an increase in their buying power have made today’s women fashion conscious and up-to-date with prevailing trends. They emphasise quality, design and investment value over mere quantity. They are also aware about gold rates and what goes into the final selling price of a piece of jewellery.”%% Bohra says that before making purchases, women ask questions on what percentage of wastage is counted, diamond quality and quantity and other materials used. “When it comes to gold jewelle ry, women are well aware of hallmarking and certification and their importance,” Bohra informs us. “The jewellery industry in Jaipur has become quite transparent due to competition and to gain the trust of clients.” %% Mosun adds that about 99 per cent of consumers demand hallmarked jewellery. However he says, “Awareness about diamond certification is not as widespread.” %% For Mosun, the main challenge before the jewellery industry is the high price of gold. Kasliwal is in strong agreement. %% “There is a great impact of the rising prices of gold on the jewellery industry of Jaipur,” says Kaslowal. “Both, our export market, as well as domestic sales have been affected by this.” Kasliwal feels that the rise in prices is not due to growth of demand, but rather due to investment purchases. This, he feels is an undesirable trend. %% Bohra feels that the main challenge is on the design and innovation front. “There are a few jewellers who are moving towards innovation and creativity,” he says. “The challenge is to bring introduce creativity and make something original and out of the box!” He suggests that jewellers should not replicate designs of others, or from jewellery magazines. “They should move beyond what already exists and should look for inspiration around them, in this vast universe of natural and man-made surroundings. They should take the risk to develop something new and market it well. This will not only bring fame to the creator, but will bring a new era in the jewellery industry.” Bohra himself has developed a niche, creating enameled jewellery of both traditional and contemporary variety. What is notable that through R & D he has created an enamel palette rarely seen in India. He has also adopted specialised techniques. Thus Jewels Emporium boasts 350 different shades of enamel, in “Basse Taille”, “Champleve” and “Plique-a-jour” styles.%% Most jewellers are in agreement with this point of view, feeling the need to push back the frontiers of creativity and design, so that the Jaipur jewellery industry takes the next leap forward and reaches greater heights. Agrawal points out that the industry has set up several training institutes to ensure there is trained manpower flowing into the industry. %%

For Sanjay Kala, the lack of couriers who can handle precious products like jewellery is a major challenge. “There is a big problem of moving goods in and out of Jaipur as there are no proper courier services for high value goods,” he says. “This limits the possibility of selling on the net.”%% With a strong foundation, a long history and savvy entrepreneurs, the future of Jaipur’s gems and jewellery industry seems assured and bright. %% However, Mosun sounds a note of caution, saying that the rising prices have affected demand and that in turn has impacted production, which has in turn affected karigars. “Production has reduced by 35 per cent,” he estimates. %% Yet, on the whole jewellers are gung-ho about the coming years. Agrawal says that today, the jewellery industry is amongst the leading ones in the city, if not the most important one. %% “Jaipur will always remain a major centre for jewellery,” comments Kasliwal. %% “People from all over the world travel to Jaipur for its jwellery and coloured gemstones,” says Bohra. “Still, there are more areas to be explored and there is a great scope of growth in these sectors.” %% “The future of Jaipur is bright,” affirms Kala. “People in this industry have grown tremendously and are doing good business.” %% The Pink city is actually a rainbow city in more ways that one. It not only offers the widest spectrum of coloured gemstones to India and the rest of the world, it also has the widest offering of jewellery - from traditional art pieces in kundan meena, to modern marvels of diamond and gemstone studded creations. %%

To the world it is known as the Pink City, most famous as a tourist destination and part of India’s foremost circuit known as the Golden Triangle, the other two points on it being Delhi and Agra.%% However, the cognoscenti the world over also know it as the foremost source for coloured gemstones and some of the most exquisite jewellery of styles spanning several centuries – from the ancient artworks in |*kundan meena*| to modern day diamond and coloured gemstone studded marvels.%% What is a lesser known fact however, even in India, is that Jaipur is the earliest “planned” city in the country in the modern era – the earlier known ones being created in 2nd century B.C. %% Jaipur was built in the 18th century by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II of Amber. It was designed after consulting several books and on the basis of the ancient Indian principles of Vastu Shastra and Shilpa Shastra, the science of architecture. The city, when completed was both advanced for its time, and meticulously planned. Qualities which seemed to be reflections of those of the founder himself. For, Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II did not only pay attention to the physical attributes of the city he was building – he also added a soul to it. This was in the form of the people from various streams that he invited to make their home in Jaipur and in the process to add to its business, cultural and artistic life.%% Amongst these were a number of jewellers and artisans adept at jewellery making that he brought to Jaipur, some from the Mughal Emperor’s domain as well. A great aficionado of jewellery himself, the jewellers were, no doubt, particularly close to the royal heart. %% The first movers from the jewellery field, set up shop and workshop in Jaipur’s Johari Bazaar (jewellers’ Market) which needless to say, derived its name from them.%% “Jaipur’s jewellery industry is amongst the oldest in the country and has existed since the city was built,” confirms Nawal Kishore Agrawal of Birdhichand Ghanshyamdas Jewellers, amongst the early retailers of the city. “The rulers of Jaipur got important jewellers not only from various parts of the country, but from different parts of the world. All the important jewellers of the city today, have been here from that time. The jewellery trade in Jaipur flourished in that time due to royal patronage.” %%

In the 20th century, Jaipur became renowned the world over for another facet of its gems and jewellery industry – the cutting and polishing of coloured gemstones. From the earliest times, there was a fledgling industry cutting and polishing precious gemstones of all kinds including diamonds. But the king of gems was soon appropriated by Mumbai on the on the one hand, and by different areas of Gujarat on the other. However, Jaipur continued to hold in its hands the manufacture and trade of an enchanting rainbow of coloured gemstones. %% However, in the early days, the emphasis was on emeralds. In those days there were very few sources for buying rough emeralds and these were dwindling, creating a shortage of rough available. %% “Around the pre-Independence times, some people from the coloured gemstone trade decided to go to Africa and South America in search of rough emeralds,” recalls Agrawal. “And so it was that Jaipur got access to the output of mines like Sandwana in Zimbabwe, mines in Zambia and Colombia. This resulted in the boom of the cutting and polishing, and trading of emeralds in Jaipur.” %% The tales from those days are legendary. For example, Khailshankar Durlabhji, one of the leading lights of the industry bought the entire production of the Sandwana mines for several years. He soon won the sobriquet “Emerald King”, as a result.%% In the latter part of the 20th century, several factors led to the emergence of a range of coloured gemstones, including those known as “semi-precious” gemstones, as significant to the trade. Difficulties in procuring rough of the precious stones – ruby emerald sapphire, rise of the Thailand cutting industry (it had its own source of ruby rough), the fact that “semi-precious” stones were more affordable, and more importantly the fact that stones of every type were a great favourite with designers who made them a fashion, greatly helped to popularise these stones. If there was a demand, there were entrepreneurs willing to work the stones. And Jaipur’s lapidaries quickly adapted to taking in gemstones of all types. Today its strength lies in that it is able to provide the world with the entire spectrum, unlike other centres which specialize predominantly in one or the other type of stones.%%

“Till the 1990s, the emerald market was flourishing,” states Agrawal. “From around the 1980s a lot of semi-precious stones had also become important to the gemstone trade. Jaipur became the hub of the colouredstone business.”%% For long, Johari Bazaar remained the epicenter of the Jaipur gems and jewellery industry. Manufacturing, wholesale, retail, all took place from small offices and shops here. Over the past few years, however, the geograpgy of the industry has changed a great deal. Many jewellers moved retail operations to areas like M.I Road, one of the main arteries of the city. This has now developed into an upscale retail area and most top end jewellers have a presence there. People have also started moving their offices out of Johari Bazaar, and while some jewellers so remain in that area, other products like textiles, maslas and so on have begun to slowly seep into the pace. The rise of SEZs has meant that some manufacturing has moved there and factories have also come up in other parts of the city. Offices likewise are moving to newer areas. %% “Today, the Jaipur centre is the second most organized one where the gems and jewellery industry is concerned,” Agrawal tells us.%% Jaipur is a multifaceted centre. It cuts and polishes coloured gemstones, and is the leading exporter of these worldwide; it has a strong jewellery manufacturing base, both in traditional forms as well as of the more contemporary variety which it also exports; the city serves as a wholesale hub for the surrounding areas, and indeed to the rest of India; and finally it has a strong local market comprising of local consumers – both, those indigenous to the city, as well as those who come from nearby cities like Delhi – and it makes significant sales to tourists.%% Analysing the current scenario within the industry, Sanjay Kala of Kalajee Jewellery says, “The gemstone industry has plateaued. We are not developing too much in that area. There is the China factor, and then, most countries are banking on technology. Though, we do maintain our leadership in emeralds, tanzanite and a few other stones and we are keeping up the volumes.” %% Kala is of the opinion that present day growth is taking place in quite another direction. “In the period of the last 10 years or so, we are doing very well in jewellery,” he emphasises. “Both for the local market as well as for exports. We are doing approximately Rs. 1000 crore in exports and Rs. 1500 crore for the domestic market. That is quite a satisfactory figure.” In future years, Kala feels, that is the direction in which growth will take place for the Jaipur gem and jewellery industry. %% But the jewellery which Jaipur is most celebrated for is the traditional kundan meena style. “The art of enameling which was brought to India from Persia by the Mughals was brought to Jaipur by the Maharaja when the city was established and it was further refined here,” says Sanjay Kasliwal of Gem Palace. “Today Jaipur is the foremost centre for this art.”%% Kundan meena, a specialty of the Mughal kingdom, came to Jaipur and took firm root here. It is basically a form of jewellery where the gemstones are set directly into the gold, and the back is delicately and beautifully painted with enamel in a variety of designs. Presently, this city is at the forefront of producing this kind of jewellery. Today, there is even a move to take kundan meena jewellery forward by indroducing new designs, and new colours for the enameling.%%

Kailash Mosun of JKJ & Sons Jewellers casting light on another facet, the consumer. “Jaipur has a large population of people with having strong purchasing power,” he says. “The Marwari women are particularly fond of wearing heavy jewellery. As you know the typical Rajasthani dress includes a lot of jewellery. Generally, consumers prefer traditional gold jewellery, but they are also now turning to diamond and gemstone studded ornaments.” %% Anup Bohra of Jewels Emporium provides further insights into the outlook of contemporary consumers. “Nowadays, women are well-informed and educated about what they shop,” he says. “Fashion magazines, daily soaps and an increase in their buying power have made today’s women fashion conscious and up-to-date with prevailing trends. They emphasise quality, design and investment value over mere quantity. They are also aware about gold rates and what goes into the final selling price of a piece of jewellery.”%% Bohra says that before making purchases, women ask questions on what percentage of wastage is counted, diamond quality and quantity and other materials used. “When it comes to gold jewelle ry, women are well aware of hallmarking and certification and their importance,” Bohra informs us. “The jewellery industry in Jaipur has become quite transparent due to competition and to gain the trust of clients.” %% Mosun adds that about 99 per cent of consumers demand hallmarked jewellery. However he says, “Awareness about diamond certification is not as widespread.” %% For Mosun, the main challenge before the jewellery industry is the high price of gold. Kasliwal is in strong agreement. %% “There is a great impact of the rising prices of gold on the jewellery industry of Jaipur,” says Kaslowal. “Both, our export market, as well as domestic sales have been affected by this.” Kasliwal feels that the rise in prices is not due to growth of demand, but rather due to investment purchases. This, he feels is an undesirable trend. %% Bohra feels that the main challenge is on the design and innovation front. “There are a few jewellers who are moving towards innovation and creativity,” he says. “The challenge is to bring introduce creativity and make something original and out of the box!” He suggests that jewellers should not replicate designs of others, or from jewellery magazines. “They should move beyond what already exists and should look for inspiration around them, in this vast universe of natural and man-made surroundings. They should take the risk to develop something new and market it well. This will not only bring fame to the creator, but will bring a new era in the jewellery industry.” Bohra himself has developed a niche, creating enameled jewellery of both traditional and contemporary variety. What is notable that through R & D he has created an enamel palette rarely seen in India. He has also adopted specialised techniques. Thus Jewels Emporium boasts 350 different shades of enamel, in “Basse Taille”, “Champleve” and “Plique-a-jour” styles.%% Most jewellers are in agreement with this point of view, feeling the need to push back the frontiers of creativity and design, so that the Jaipur jewellery industry takes the next leap forward and reaches greater heights. Agrawal points out that the industry has set up several training institutes to ensure there is trained manpower flowing into the industry. %%

For Sanjay Kala, the lack of couriers who can handle precious products like jewellery is a major challenge. “There is a big problem of moving goods in and out of Jaipur as there are no proper courier services for high value goods,” he says. “This limits the possibility of selling on the net.”%% With a strong foundation, a long history and savvy entrepreneurs, the future of Jaipur’s gems and jewellery industry seems assured and bright. %% However, Mosun sounds a note of caution, saying that the rising prices have affected demand and that in turn has impacted production, which has in turn affected karigars. “Production has reduced by 35 per cent,” he estimates. %% Yet, on the whole jewellers are gung-ho about the coming years. Agrawal says that today, the jewellery industry is amongst the leading ones in the city, if not the most important one. %% “Jaipur will always remain a major centre for jewellery,” comments Kasliwal. %% “People from all over the world travel to Jaipur for its jwellery and coloured gemstones,” says Bohra. “Still, there are more areas to be explored and there is a great scope of growth in these sectors.” %% “The future of Jaipur is bright,” affirms Kala. “People in this industry have grown tremendously and are doing good business.” %% The Pink city is actually a rainbow city in more ways that one. It not only offers the widest spectrum of coloured gemstones to India and the rest of the world, it also has the widest offering of jewellery - from traditional art pieces in kundan meena, to modern marvels of diamond and gemstone studded creations. %%

To the world it is known as the Pink City, most famous as a tourist destination and part of India’s foremost circuit known as the Golden Triangle, the other two points on it being Delhi and Agra.%% However, the cognoscenti the world over also know it as the foremost source for coloured gemstones and some of the most exquisite jewellery of styles spanning several centuries – from the ancient artworks in |*kundan meena*| to modern day diamond and coloured gemstone studded marvels.%% What is a lesser known fact however, even in India, is that Jaipur is the earliest “planned” city in the country in the modern era – the earlier known ones being created in 2nd century B.C. %% Jaipur was built in the 18th century by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II of Amber. It was designed after consulting several books and on the basis of the ancient Indian principles of Vastu Shastra and Shilpa Shastra, the science of architecture. The city, when completed was both advanced for its time, and meticulously planned. Qualities which seemed to be reflections of those of the founder himself. For, Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II did not only pay attention to the physical attributes of the city he was building – he also added a soul to it. This was in the form of the people from various streams that he invited to make their home in Jaipur and in the process to add to its business, cultural and artistic life.%% Amongst these were a number of jewellers and artisans adept at jewellery making that he brought to Jaipur, some from the Mughal Emperor’s domain as well. A great aficionado of jewellery himself, the jewellers were, no doubt, particularly close to the royal heart. %% The first movers from the jewellery field, set up shop and workshop in Jaipur’s Johari Bazaar (jewellers’ Market) which needless to say, derived its name from them.%% “Jaipur’s jewellery industry is amongst the oldest in the country and has existed since the city was built,” confirms Nawal Kishore Agrawal of Birdhichand Ghanshyamdas Jewellers, amongst the early retailers of the city. “The rulers of Jaipur got important jewellers not only from various parts of the country, but from different parts of the world. All the important jewellers of the city today, have been here from that time. The jewellery trade in Jaipur flourished in that time due to royal patronage.” %%

In the 20th century, Jaipur became renowned the world over for another facet of its gems and jewellery industry – the cutting and polishing of coloured gemstones. From the earliest times, there was a fledgling industry cutting and polishing precious gemstones of all kinds including diamonds. But the king of gems was soon appropriated by Mumbai on the on the one hand, and by different areas of Gujarat on the other. However, Jaipur continued to hold in its hands the manufacture and trade of an enchanting rainbow of coloured gemstones. %% However, in the early days, the emphasis was on emeralds. In those days there were very few sources for buying rough emeralds and these were dwindling, creating a shortage of rough available. %% “Around the pre-Independence times, some people from the coloured gemstone trade decided to go to Africa and South America in search of rough emeralds,” recalls Agrawal. “And so it was that Jaipur got access to the output of mines like Sandwana in Zimbabwe, mines in Zambia and Colombia. This resulted in the boom of the cutting and polishing, and trading of emeralds in Jaipur.” %% The tales from those days are legendary. For example, Khailshankar Durlabhji, one of the leading lights of the industry bought the entire production of the Sandwana mines for several years. He soon won the sobriquet “Emerald King”, as a result.%% In the latter part of the 20th century, several factors led to the emergence of a range of coloured gemstones, including those known as “semi-precious” gemstones, as significant to the trade. Difficulties in procuring rough of the precious stones – ruby emerald sapphire, rise of the Thailand cutting industry (it had its own source of ruby rough), the fact that “semi-precious” stones were more affordable, and more importantly the fact that stones of every type were a great favourite with designers who made them a fashion, greatly helped to popularise these stones. If there was a demand, there were entrepreneurs willing to work the stones. And Jaipur’s lapidaries quickly adapted to taking in gemstones of all types. Today its strength lies in that it is able to provide the world with the entire spectrum, unlike other centres which specialize predominantly in one or the other type of stones.%%

“Till the 1990s, the emerald market was flourishing,” states Agrawal. “From around the 1980s a lot of semi-precious stones had also become important to the gemstone trade. Jaipur became the hub of the colouredstone business.”%% For long, Johari Bazaar remained the epicenter of the Jaipur gems and jewellery industry. Manufacturing, wholesale, retail, all took place from small offices and shops here. Over the past few years, however, the geograpgy of the industry has changed a great deal. Many jewellers moved retail operations to areas like M.I Road, one of the main arteries of the city. This has now developed into an upscale retail area and most top end jewellers have a presence there. People have also started moving their offices out of Johari Bazaar, and while some jewellers so remain in that area, other products like textiles, maslas and so on have begun to slowly seep into the pace. The rise of SEZs has meant that some manufacturing has moved there and factories have also come up in other parts of the city. Offices likewise are moving to newer areas. %% “Today, the Jaipur centre is the second most organized one where the gems and jewellery industry is concerned,” Agrawal tells us.%% Jaipur is a multifaceted centre. It cuts and polishes coloured gemstones, and is the leading exporter of these worldwide; it has a strong jewellery manufacturing base, both in traditional forms as well as of the more contemporary variety which it also exports; the city serves as a wholesale hub for the surrounding areas, and indeed to the rest of India; and finally it has a strong local market comprising of local consumers – both, those indigenous to the city, as well as those who come from nearby cities like Delhi – and it makes significant sales to tourists.%% Analysing the current scenario within the industry, Sanjay Kala of Kalajee Jewellery says, “The gemstone industry has plateaued. We are not developing too much in that area. There is the China factor, and then, most countries are banking on technology. Though, we do maintain our leadership in emeralds, tanzanite and a few other stones and we are keeping up the volumes.” %% Kala is of the opinion that present day growth is taking place in quite another direction. “In the period of the last 10 years or so, we are doing very well in jewellery,” he emphasises. “Both for the local market as well as for exports. We are doing approximately Rs. 1000 crore in exports and Rs. 1500 crore for the domestic market. That is quite a satisfactory figure.” In future years, Kala feels, that is the direction in which growth will take place for the Jaipur gem and jewellery industry. %% But the jewellery which Jaipur is most celebrated for is the traditional kundan meena style. “The art of enameling which was brought to India from Persia by the Mughals was brought to Jaipur by the Maharaja when the city was established and it was further refined here,” says Sanjay Kasliwal of Gem Palace. “Today Jaipur is the foremost centre for this art.”%% Kundan meena, a specialty of the Mughal kingdom, came to Jaipur and took firm root here. It is basically a form of jewellery where the gemstones are set directly into the gold, and the back is delicately and beautifully painted with enamel in a variety of designs. Presently, this city is at the forefront of producing this kind of jewellery. Today, there is even a move to take kundan meena jewellery forward by indroducing new designs, and new colours for the enameling.%%

Kailash Mosun of JKJ & Sons Jewellers casting light on another facet, the consumer. “Jaipur has a large population of people with having strong purchasing power,” he says. “The Marwari women are particularly fond of wearing heavy jewellery. As you know the typical Rajasthani dress includes a lot of jewellery. Generally, consumers prefer traditional gold jewellery, but they are also now turning to diamond and gemstone studded ornaments.” %% Anup Bohra of Jewels Emporium provides further insights into the outlook of contemporary consumers. “Nowadays, women are well-informed and educated about what they shop,” he says. “Fashion magazines, daily soaps and an increase in their buying power have made today’s women fashion conscious and up-to-date with prevailing trends. They emphasise quality, design and investment value over mere quantity. They are also aware about gold rates and what goes into the final selling price of a piece of jewellery.”%% Bohra says that before making purchases, women ask questions on what percentage of wastage is counted, diamond quality and quantity and other materials used. “When it comes to gold jewelle ry, women are well aware of hallmarking and certification and their importance,” Bohra informs us. “The jewellery industry in Jaipur has become quite transparent due to competition and to gain the trust of clients.” %% Mosun adds that about 99 per cent of consumers demand hallmarked jewellery. However he says, “Awareness about diamond certification is not as widespread.” %% For Mosun, the main challenge before the jewellery industry is the high price of gold. Kasliwal is in strong agreement. %% “There is a great impact of the rising prices of gold on the jewellery industry of Jaipur,” says Kaslowal. “Both, our export market, as well as domestic sales have been affected by this.” Kasliwal feels that the rise in prices is not due to growth of demand, but rather due to investment purchases. This, he feels is an undesirable trend. %% Bohra feels that the main challenge is on the design and innovation front. “There are a few jewellers who are moving towards innovation and creativity,” he says. “The challenge is to bring introduce creativity and make something original and out of the box!” He suggests that jewellers should not replicate designs of others, or from jewellery magazines. “They should move beyond what already exists and should look for inspiration around them, in this vast universe of natural and man-made surroundings. They should take the risk to develop something new and market it well. This will not only bring fame to the creator, but will bring a new era in the jewellery industry.” Bohra himself has developed a niche, creating enameled jewellery of both traditional and contemporary variety. What is notable that through R & D he has created an enamel palette rarely seen in India. He has also adopted specialised techniques. Thus Jewels Emporium boasts 350 different shades of enamel, in “Basse Taille”, “Champleve” and “Plique-a-jour” styles.%% Most jewellers are in agreement with this point of view, feeling the need to push back the frontiers of creativity and design, so that the Jaipur jewellery industry takes the next leap forward and reaches greater heights. Agrawal points out that the industry has set up several training institutes to ensure there is trained manpower flowing into the industry. %%

For Sanjay Kala, the lack of couriers who can handle precious products like jewellery is a major challenge. “There is a big problem of moving goods in and out of Jaipur as there are no proper courier services for high value goods,” he says. “This limits the possibility of selling on the net.”%% With a strong foundation, a long history and savvy entrepreneurs, the future of Jaipur’s gems and jewellery industry seems assured and bright. %% However, Mosun sounds a note of caution, saying that the rising prices have affected demand and that in turn has impacted production, which has in turn affected karigars. “Production has reduced by 35 per cent,” he estimates. %% Yet, on the whole jewellers are gung-ho about the coming years. Agrawal says that today, the jewellery industry is amongst the leading ones in the city, if not the most important one. %% “Jaipur will always remain a major centre for jewellery,” comments Kasliwal. %% “People from all over the world travel to Jaipur for its jwellery and coloured gemstones,” says Bohra. “Still, there are more areas to be explored and there is a great scope of growth in these sectors.” %% “The future of Jaipur is bright,” affirms Kala. “People in this industry have grown tremendously and are doing good business.” %% The Pink city is actually a rainbow city in more ways that one. It not only offers the widest spectrum of coloured gemstones to India and the rest of the world, it also has the widest offering of jewellery - from traditional art pieces in kundan meena, to modern marvels of diamond and gemstone studded creations. %%