Four Cs — carat, cut, colour, and clarity — have been the age-old criteria for choosing diamonds. Now, there’s another choice to make: natural diamonds, which are mined from the earth, or lab-grown diamonds, which are man-made but chemically identical.

Lab-grown diamonds made deep inroads into the Indian jewellery market riding on a shift in consumer preferences. And, five jewellers away in Kasamba, near Surat, refined their shared dream accordingly to create a brand that would be very ethnic yet utterly chic.

That’s when Kalamandir Jewellers was born in a 200 Sq Ft outlet. Nearly 40 years on, the rise of Kalamandir in the $93.56 Bn Indian jewellery market is aided by an evolving consumer preference and an industry growth rate of 5.97% per year through 2029.

The evolving taste of Indian consumers is led by a burgeoning middle class that is likely to reach 1 billion in strength by 2047, with an annual household disposable income in excess of INR 3.19 Lakh.

As addressing the shift in demand runs as its axis, Kalamandir has been more agile and flexible to adapt to the constantly evolving preference of buyers, compared to legacy brands harping on traditional fashion.

Kalamandir has introduced tailored design services, reflecting a broader industry shift towards co-created, occasion-specific jewellery. “There has also been a noticeable shift towards lightweight, everyday-wear pieces that combine elegance and practicality. We tried to introduce collections suitable for the modern-day lifestyle with a touch of tradition,” said Milan Shah, managing director, Kalamandir Jewellers.

Kalamandir rolled out Svaraa as an omnichannel D2C brand in 2019 with an eye on the booming $299.9 Mn lab-grown diamond market, on course to reach $1.2 Bn by 2033.

“Diamonds have become increasingly popular among Indian consumers, especially the younger generation. Additionally, Polki jewellery has carved its niche as a symbol of royal opulence,” Shah said. Kalamandir expanded its diamond and Polki collections by balancing craftsmanship and........

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