Donna Masih turns on the sparkle with silver this Dhanteras

Silver jewellery replacing silver coins, artefacts and utensils

10-20% increase in the sale of silver jewellery this Dhanteras

Actresses sporting silver jewellery with traditional outfits have led to its popularity

Just a few days before Dhanteras , the narrow and ever-bustling lane leading to Dariba Kalan in Chandni Chowk was packed with shoppers jostling to buy jewellery and utensils. Dariba Kalan is famous for its gold and silver jewellery shops, and for Dhanteras, it wasn’t just the gold that interested buyers. A good number of shoppers were loading up on silver jewellery. “All silver jewellery that you can see on display a few days before Diwali will be sold out by Dhanteras,” a shopkeeper told us. Buying gold and silver is considered auspicious on the day of Dhanteras, which marks the beginning of festivities leading up to Diwali. While gold buying is still essential for most households, there are many who now prefer silver jewellery over gold.The reasons vary from an affordable price range to silver jewellery being trendier than gold jewellery. Sales of silver jewellery have also picked up for the purpose of gifting this year, say jewellers, because “youngsters think it is better to gift a piece of silver jewellery than a silver coin or a silver artefact , as it will be wearable and will be used instead of just being passed on as another Diwali gift.”Donna Masih turns on the sparkle with silver this DhanterasTraditionally, people buy silver utensils on Dhanteras, but not everyone uses them. Most young consumers now think it’s better to buy silver jewellery instead. “If we speak to our grandparents or parents, they’d say buy silver utensils or gold, but most young women think that rather than buying gold, which will occasionally be taken out from bank lockers, it is better to buy silver jewellery, which would be used more often. Those who want to invest money prefer buying gold on Dhanteras, but those who want to buy something as a Dhanteras tradition prefer silver jewellery over other things. Also, buying gold jewellery can be a time-consuming process as one needs to be careful and also consider the resale value of gold, but buying silver jewellery is a lot simpler for the younger lot who want to follow traditions,” says Akanksha Arora, CEO of Tribe Amrapali.Not just for personal use but even for the purpose of gifting, silver jewellery is fast replacing silver coins, artefacts and the traditional silver Lakshmi and Ganesha. “This Dhanteras, we have seen a jump of 25-30 % in the sale of our silver jewellery collection. We came up with a silver coin jewellery collection after seeing the demand for silver jewellery for Dhanteras. As per tradition, people usually bought silver coins for their home and also for gifting purposes, but now they are buying silver coin jewellery. Silver jewellery is popular in the age group of 25-45, among those who want to follow tradition but also consider the utility factor while spending money. Also, the trend and popularity of antique jewellery has made silver popular among young women. Another factor is the range of designs and price range,” says Rebekkah Kumar, founder of Fourseven, a jewellery store at Galleria Market in Gurgaon.From kundan jadau and polki in necklaces to antique silver hangings (large earrings), armlets and bangles, the sale of silver jewellery has gone up by 10-20% this Dhanteras, say jewellers. “While the sale of gold jewellery is bound to go up on Dhanteras, in the last few years, the sale of silver jewellery is taking over the sale of silver coins or utensils,” says jewellery designer Archana Aggarwal. Abhishek Kajaria, director of Avama Jewellers, adds, “We have witnessed around a 20% increase in the sale of silver jewellery just days before Dhanteras, and on the day of Dhanteras, we are expecting it to go up. This is one reason why most jewellery stores and brands have introduced an entire range of silver jewellery on Dhanteras this year.” Even online, the sale of silver jewellery has picked up ahead of Dhanteras. “There is a huge demand for silver earrings and bracelets, and even silver hair accessories are selling very well online. Almost 15 days before Dhanteras, we witnessed a sharp rise in the online demand for silver jewellery,” says Mimi Hrahsel, business head, Shaya by Caratlane.Jewellery designer Ambar Pariddi Sahay tells us, “Be it Sonam Kapoor or Sonakshi Sinha, the trend of wearing silver hangings and silver kundan and polki earrings has picked up on festive occasions. Also, silver goes very well with the contemporary Indian look, which is very much in these days. Therefore, more women are buying silver jewellery.” While gold might be ‘over the top’ for a few, silver is considered classier by many for Diwali parties. “While gold looks traditional, silver is a perfect choice for Diwali parties as there is a range of designs available in silver. Silver jewellery also goes very well with western outfits. There are many who are buying silver jewellery that can be worn with a western dress at a Diwali party and also with a traditional lehenga and choli for Diwali puja,” says Akanksha.Sonakshi Sinha