Jewels from the past

Manpriya Singh

Just an accessory, piece of décor, an artistic expression, celebration of beauty or simply a way of being, what jewellery means speaks volumes about historical times.

Roopa Vohra would forever have things transported to the golden era. “The idea is to take us back to the Mughal era when jewellery was considered the highest form of artistic expression,” she shares of the exhibition she is all set to bring to Chandigarh.

“I want to restore jewellery to its original status. Over the years high-end jewellery has become synonymous with Cartier and Bvlgari, whereas it originated from here.”

Comprising as many as 350 to 400 pieces, the collection boasts of colourful versatile pieces. “There are lots of different combinations like blue and green in one piece and used in a way that it can be worn not just with either blue or a green outfit but also an all black, silver or brown outfit.” She adds, “You’ll find pieces in blues and greens, all shades of pink right from the bright ruby pink to lighter shades of coral.”

Trend alert

Young brides want to experiment with a lot of colour in their jewellery rather than the standard gold and diamonds. The regal royal polki look is here to stay. Hand-carved stones and uncut gems are all the rage. They can be set in a multiple ways.

Mind your jewellery

Howsoever overstated it may sound but be comfortable in your own skin. It’s also very important to try on any piece of jewelry before you can decide whether it suits you or not. When it’s sitting on a mannequin, it’s different but on you it takes a life of its own. So, shed all preconceived notions because there are no ground rules in jewellery like most women think if they have a round face, round earrings will not look good on them. A certain kind and shape of round will complement your looks, which you will find out about once you start trying.

The must-have list

I would say every woman should have a few key pieces, which are forever so that they don’t go out of fashion and which are versatile to carry you from formal dos to festive occasions.

• A large pair of uncut earrings, which immediately lend elegance to any ordinary outfit.
• A good pair of Chaand Baali Jhumkas.
• A single string of pearls, which by the way younger girls can also go for. They look classic at any age. A single string of uncut diamonds.
• The usual solitaire ring which is any girl’s dream.

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The exhibition is on till September 5, at Capitol Hall, Taj—17, Chandigarh.