‘Silver will never replace gold jewellery in Tamil weddings’

The survey also shows that silver jewellery has become the new-age choice not only for donning every day or on special occasions, but also for investment purposes. We speak to a few Chennaiites to find out their opinion on the survey.

Chennai-based designer Divya N agrees that there is a growing preference for buying silver. “Be it designer-made one-of-a-kind pieces, or artisan-made traditional crafts like filigree or even mass-produced brands, there is more variety in silver at an affordable price. Most gold jewellery today rehashes designs from costume jewellery and hence is unpopular. However, weddings are a different story. In India, we may wear silver or base metal jewellery for weddings but it has a gold polish. Silver will never takeover gold/golden jewellery in Tamil weddings. As a sign, gold has absolute value and ritual purity that silver cannot match up to. Affordable gold jewellery is too simple and many want grander jewellery. Hence, the need for other metals. Very few can afford the grand gold pieces shown in jewellery store commercials. I would wear a mix of metals and materials depending on the outfit,” says Divya N.

Yashasvini Kaushik, a student at Christ University shares her thoughts, “I have always been more drawn to investing in silver and constantly scouting for old traditional pieces of jewellery during my travels. While gold emanates royalty and antiquity, I feel silver offers a classic look with a touch of contemporary. I know I look elegant in silver and don’t have to worry about appearing gaudy, which suits my fashion sense better. I’m not implying that gold can’t look chic, but it’s just not for me. I’d rather reserve it for rare extravagant occasions like weddings, but not as part of my everyday fits, even if it’s minimalistic,” remarks Yashasvini.

When architecture research student Mithuna Maran read about the survey, she was surprised to see that 64 per cent of Indian women would choose to wear silver jewellery at their wedding. “We come from a place/society where we give more importance to social status. I am very much influenced by that type of conditioning. I would prefer gold for my wedding because my parents give importance to their status and I don’t want to hurt their sentiments. There is nothing wrong with selecting one’s preferred jewellery,” opens up Mithuna.

She also doesn’t prefer investing in any type of precious metals. “I would invest my savings in a house or a good vehicle. After marriage, I will be settling in the UK. Unlike India, there we don’t have many occasions to flaunt our jewellery. So, be it gold or silver, whatever we buy, it is of less importance if are living in any foreign country. There, locker prices are even more when compared to India. So, gold or silver is only significant in India as daily wear,” she smiles.