Akshaya Tritiya

An important day for Hindus. Especially womenJ Guess why?

Its another excuse to buy gold.

'Akshaya' means never depleting.There is a belief that if you start anything good on this day it will grow manifold. So this is the day where all new ventures are started.

This day generally falls at the end of April or early may.

But jewellers use this day to market their gold. You should see the shops filled with people wanting to buy gold. 15 years before I never knew such thing existed. There was no marketing of this day’s significance. But when jewellers used this to market their metals, it became popular.

On this day, women buy atleast a gram of gold. Some times there are advanced bookings! 

The shops open early morning and go on till late night. Usually here jewellery shops close by 7or 8 p.m.

People atleast buy silver if they cant afford gold.

And there is another interesting buying pattern in women(in our state atleast). One of the jeweller told me and I always think of it.

When the gold price increases people rush to the shops to buy it, for fear that it might increase more.But when the price is dropping they wait thinking that it will reduce moreJ Interesting logic is it not?

Imitation jewellery rules

I was writing about Imitation jewellery so thought of sharing some pictures of them.

Imitation is the name given to only jewellery that looks like gold jewellery.

These types of jewellery has taken the place by storm and everywhere in exhibitions you can see them displayed. Ofcourse there are laks of designs and in different price ranges and in qualities.

It all depends on the place that you display. Now it has also become a fashion to conduct exhibitions in shopping malls and marriage halls.

One particular group takes the atrium for a fee and in turn divides them and allocates stalls to people.
In big malls they ensure that there is no repetition of stalls. Meaning if one person has a stall of imitation jewellery then there cannot be another. One for clothes, one for terracota jewellery etc. So here the sales is good.

These type of exhibition models have become too much that everyone started conducting it, both in malls as well as in marriage halls.

The exhibition that I displayed was in a marriage hall where there was no restriction to display items.
So, many had the same items and hence the sale was not good.

The same jewellery that was displayed here was priced double in the mall exhibition. So where you display matters! The crowd that comes to the mall also is different.

If I had to buy something in gold like the images below, I have to spend around 800 to 1000 dollars.
While I can spend just around 10 dollars to get these.

I am not saying that people are not buying gold jewellery. But the imitation ones are so beautiful and you get such trendy ones too, that most of them are switching over to this.

Earlier it was a stigma to wear imitation now it has become a fashion. I have seen some wearing imitation, but when asked they say its gold. Such is the respect given to gold.

My first day experience as a jewellery exhibitor at a jewellery exhibition

Today was my first day as a jewellery exhibitor in an exhibition.

What do I say and where do I start?

The jewellery that everyone displayed was imitation and beaded jewellery and ofcourse terracota.

Though I am part of a company 'MYIDentity  for women" where we do all types of trainings for women, my love has always been jewellery. So I wanted to start exhibiting with the terracota jewellery we made.

What a disaster it was! I always believed that you let your pieces speak about you and all along I was thinking I can do marketing very well. Yeah, marketing may be but not definitely sales.

It was the truth that struck me. I have been reading the post in Ganoksin/Orchid for sometime on marketing and sales, and I read that some jewellers left the sales to the sales expert and they concentrated on creating.

I thought why one cant do both. May be many do. But for me today was a revelation.

My neighbouring stall owner was convincing the buyer to buy her bead jewellery. I simply looked:)

And not to forget something. Selling is very difficult. Especially the place I live, people expect quality, the cheapest price and not to forget an offer or discount on that!

And terracota will break when handled carelessly. They dont want jewellery that breaks. I am not generalising but mostly they prefer un-breakable jewellery:(

I get upset when they bargain to the cheapest price, not understanding the effort that goes into it.

When I quoted the least price to a visitor, without even thinking she asked why is terracota so expensive?

I was shocked. I quoted less than a dollar. We usually quote a very reasonable price. Lesser than the market in fact.

I asked her if she has made any jewellery? She said no. I said when you do you will know the pain in creating such jewellery. Was I wrong in telling that? I then realised maybe I was rude and explained the process to her. But I dont think she ever paid attention.

I have been sitting here weeks creating, baking and painting till late nights and they just throw comments on your face.

I was bugged, but there were lot of enquiries for terracota training! I know that I teach well, and there are students who can second that. So I think that I should just stick to training and educating.

The set that I made late last night and displayed in the exhibition.

Trendy earrings

Really busy making lots of sets for the upcoming Terracota exhibition.

The work never seems to end.

Preparing clay, forming designs, baking, painting. Every step is a long process.

I used to enjoy painting, but when you have 100s

of sets of terracota jewellery staring at your face to be painted, it becomes a daunting task.

And I always never think to paint few pieces in similar colors. I keep thinking of different color combinations for each. So that is really daunting.

I know its some time since I have written about jewellery. But very soon. One of my student is getting married this week and she has promised me to get photos of Kerala jewellery. (This is the neighbouring state to my state). The brides are decked with light weight jewellery from neck to waist. I am not kidding. There will not be any gap. That is their style of wearing jewellery especially weddings. Only the bride.

I will also be posting pictures of terracota jewellery. And the exhibition too.

Terracota jewellery and quilling

Been busy imparting training on terracota jewellery and quilling jewellery.

Some of the students' work. Will be posting more photos on Terracota jewellery.

Temple jewellery. Traditional studs with semi-precious stones.

These are the pictures of the traditional studs that were worn ages ago by women in Tamilnadu. Ofcourse earlier it was with a stud post, but this is with the ear wires. Old and new combined. Even now we can find old ladies wearing this in our villages.

A very traditional design, adds so much class when worn with silk sarees and salwars.

Mrinajewels - Facebook page : For all my jewellery photos

Hi,

I am posting some of my jewellery pics on facebook page: mrinajewels.

Please have a look.