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And now, platinum for men

An exclusive platinum range for men was launched in the city

"It takes 30 minutes to find a platinum store
15 minutes to find a design
that suits you
Five seconds to wear it
And an entire lifetime to
recover from the experience."

The advertisement, issued by the Platinum Guild International when the metal entered the Indian market and minds (in the year 2000), said it all — about the appeal, availability and asset value of platinum. And as models catwalked wearing unfussy platinum accessories on a makeshift ramp at the Vummidi Bangaru Jewellers recently, you realised the world of jewellery is no longer tinted yellow.

The store recently showcased its exclusive platinum collection for men, which also included handcrafted pieces. "The line is unique as nobody else in the country has tried handcrafting platinum. Some of the pieces are plain while others are studded with diamonds, blending the delicate aura of precious stones with the sturdy look of platinum. There are chains with small pendants, bracelets, clip-on earrings and rings," said Jithendra Vummidi of the store.

How different is the men's range from that of women's? "It is simple, straight and bold. Today's man loves being flamboyant. So, be it clothes or jewellery, he does not mind being loud," he said.

But isn't platinum now an old story with new entrants such as titanium and steel becoming the current flavours of the glitzy world. "It's not easy to push aside platinum. Its pure white lustre lends it an exotic look unlike the rustic appeal of steel. And you need to have the charisma and confidence to carry it off. You have to tell yourself you are worth it."

Talking about the general misconception, Vaishali Banerjee, Manager, Platinum Guild India, said, "If you thought only gold is rare, platinum is 30 times rarer. The amount of the metal available in the world can just fill up this room (pointing to Jithendra's medium-sized cabin). So the scarcer the commodity, the precious it is. Anyway, it's not here to compete with the traditional appeal of gold. All metals can co-exist and there is enough scope to experiment too."

The price of pure platinum is generally high, but the recent demand during Akshaya Tritiya seems to have sent it soaring, with a rise of almost Rs. 500 to Rs. 600 per gram. "This means it also offers immense investment opportunities," added Jithendra.

Being extremely ductile (a small ring can be stretched to eight times its size) platinum is difficult to work on and has to be handled carefully. It also has to be melted at a high temperature before giving it a shape. So, the cost of manufacturing is quite high. There are only a few craftsmen in the country who are trained in the field. The Platinum Guild India offers training and education as far as designing and processing are concerned. "There are about five to six manufacturers of these jewellery in the country. We constantly update them on international styling and standards. Many of the designs are basically western and have been beautifully blended with Indian aesthetics to cater to the local market," said Vaishali.

What about quality assurance? Look for the PT 950 mark.

So, the next time you step into a jewellery store, think white.

CHITRA SWAMINATHAN

CHITRA SWAMINATHAN

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