Bridal Jewellery: Out with the old and in with the new

KARACHI: Gone are the days of saat lara necklaces and chokers, which were a favourite with Pakistani brides-to-be. Today’s modern bride does not wear her great grandmother’s heirlooms but chooses to be adorned with diamonds.

Jewellers located on Zaibun-nisa Street, which is a must-visit destination for women buying gems, jewellers said that despite the skyrocketing prices, “people are still buying gold”. Ruby Jewellers’ senior shop assistant, Wasim Jaffery said, “The price of flour increased as well, but did people stop buying that?”

When asked what the trend for this season is, “Necklace sets called guluband are now in fashion and people are buying gold matte jewellery set with stones. They tend not to buy white gold as it is perceived to have zero resale value. The Hyderabadi set is a traditional set which is still in fashion,” said Jaffrey but “Saat lara necklaces are now out of fashion,” said Afroz Javeri, wife of jeweller Ali Javeri.

According to Haroon Gilani of Chhotani Jewellers, “Pazaibs (anklets) are no longer worn by brides but jhoomars and teekas are still being bought. Gulubands are very popular for the wedding ceremony with the jewels in the guluband complimenting the colour of the bride’s colour. At the valima reception brides prefer a more modern look and diamonds set in white gold are very popular.”

A guluband set is priced at around Rs0.5 million at Chhotani Jewellers.  Rashid Ali, a shop assistant at UK Chhotani says, “There are three types of bridal sets which are being popular this season. One of the most sought after is the antique guluband set, the other is a plain gold set and the third category is the stone guluband set.”

Previously brides used to wear eight to 10 bangles as part of their wedding jewellery but now Gilani and Jaffery say that this has changed and usually one or two bangles set with diamonds or one thick bangle is bought.   Jaffery adds, “Four 10-gram bangles would be priced at Rs 150,000.” Tariq Jamal at Gold and Gems Jewellers said, “Bangles in polki style are very popular, as are bangles designed with laser cut work.”

Accessories are also making their way to the bridal trousseau. “Big earrings and diamond strings are in fashion and leather cuffs engraved with gold and zircons have just hit the market,” said Jamal.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 1^st, 2010.