PROFILE
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Nitin Goenka is passionate about jewellery. Jewellery designing seems to course through his veins. That’s not surprising considering that he belongs to the well-known family of jewellers of Mumbai who are behind Goenka Diamond & Jewels. The brand was set up in 1969 by Goenka’s father, Nandlal.
“Even as a child, I loved jewellery and I knew that one day I would join the family business,” he says. Nevertheless, Goenka decided to fine-tune his business skills first, acquiring a BBA degree from Pace University, New York, in 1998. He felt that it was equally important to study jewellery designing, so in 2001 he enrolled in the Gemological Institute of America, New York. He moved back to India the following year to join the family business and took charge of designing.
Goenka has just launched CERES, a high-end diamond jewellery store in Mumbai’s upmarket Bandra area. Named after a Roman goddess, CERES is part of the parent company, Goenka Diamond & Jewels. Nitin plans to lead the design teams of both the brands.
Spread over 3,000sq ft and done in simple, clean lines, CERES also offers a private lounge, where customers can look at Goenka’s line of jewellery in a relaxed ambience.
Goenka plans to open CERES stores in Delhi, Calcutta and Bangalore by the end of the year. Isn’t that a big risk in these difficult times? Says he: “My jewellery is targeted at India’s super-rich, who consider buying ornaments a necessity. They’re not bothered by recession. If they like a piece, they simply buy it.”
His clients are indeed as glitzy as his jewellery and include Bollywood actresses and socialites. He’s known for creating contemporary designs, which are a blend of Indian and international sensibilities.
“I get inspired by a particular shape or motif and then work around it. Apart from diamonds, I love to use rubies and emeralds to make the pieces more interesting,” he says.
One of his favourite pieces is a necklace made with 65 diamonds and a seven-carat solitaire blazing in the centre. “Designing it was a challenge because it took me two months just to match the form of the piece with the shape of the diamonds,” he says.
He is involved with the designing at every step — from the sketches of the pieces to the crafting.
Trends
Chunky pieces that make a statement are in vogue and Goenka offers plenty in the CERES repertoire. There are elaborate necklaces and earrings, and jaw-dropping bracelets and rings. His pieces fit many occasions well — from a big fat Indian wedding to a sophisticated red-carpet event. “I’ve created my signature look with a compact line of statement-making diamond jewellery,” he says.
According to Goenka, apart from white diamonds, which are perennial favourites, coloured diamonds such as pink, green and yellow are also hot favourites.
He believes that people who buy diamonds must also understand the different cuts. Round diamonds — known as brilliant-cut because they scatter light all around — are the most saleable. But people are also keen on pear-cut (in a tear-drop shape) and emerald-cut diamonds (rectangular ones with corners truncated in steps).
PROducts
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To be sure, Goenka’s jewellery isn’t for those with slim wallets. His pieces start at Rs 10 lakh and race up the price stratosphere. He justifies his pricing by saying that he uses the best — and a large number of — stones in a single piece.
His vintage art deco line in white gold, which includes bracelets, chandelier earrings and rings, is quite the showstopper. A bracelet crafted with 271 round and baguette diamonds (octagonal-cut diamonds which accentuate the stone’s lustre) is one of his favourites. It’s tagged at Rs 19 lakh. Then, there’s a pair of earrings set with 158 round, baguette and emerald-cut diamonds (Rs 14 lakh).
Or you can opt for a choker set with blue sapphires and some 204 round diamonds (Rs 34 lakh). Then, there’s one studded with 193 round diamonds and rubies, priced at a massive Rs 50 lakh.
Check out his line of rings that are tempting and just as steeply priced. A chunky one with a six-carat brilliant-cut solitaire in the centre surrounded by 81 smaller round diamonds, costs a whopping Rs 86 lakh. Looking for something cheaper? How about the one studded with rubies and diamonds priced at Rs 40 lakh?
Goenka has also designed a collection of diamond earrings inspired by floral motifs. These stand-alone pieces can be paired with other pieces of jewellery. The earrings are encrusted with round, baguette and emerald-cut diamonds and prices range between Rs 12 lakh and Rs 80 lakh.
At the cheapest, CERES offers bracelets that begin at Rs 10 lakh. A piece that stands out has a brilliant-cut diamond in the centre and 17 trillion-cut diamonds (these diamonds have pointed corners as in a triangle) interspersed with 738 smaller round diamonds (Rs 12 lakh).
For Goenka, designing jewellery is all about making an in-your-face fashion statement.