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about the new millennium, fashion forward these days can often mean
looking backwards, because retro is ‘in.’ Designs inspired by the
gamut of eras from the past are showing up in a dozen different
ways in most fashionable jewellery.
Victorian delicacy or 20s Art Deco, 1930s glamour photography or
the style of 1940s Hollywood studio stills, the irreverence of the
60s or the disco glitz of the 70s all make up the range of jewellery
on offer.
There is however, one common factor, a uniquely 2000 quality –
it’s big, and it’s glamorous. As fashion connoisseur and jewellery
designer Queenie Dhody points out that glamour is in, and bigger
is better.
Take the international fashion scene. In their Fall 2005/6 collection,
Dior in particular showed ornate jewellery, extensive long chandelier
earrings and massive dress rings almost like men’s signet rings. So,
for those who like to flaunt their jewels, happy days are here again!
 According
to jewellery designer Manali Vengsarkar, jewellery follows fashion
in apparel, and since retro is the latest buzz in couture; jewellery
too takes the retro look. In India, the retro look has caught on,
but mostly among the fashion conscious elite.
“The retro jewellery we make is mostly for the European markets,”
points out Vikram Singh from D’damas. Retro jewellery not only features
various styles but also a wholerange of materials – gold, silver,
even wooden beads and synthetics of the 60s.
 And
in stones, there is no end to variety to fuel both the designers’
and the wearers’ imagination – morganite, amethyst, tsarvorites,
tourquise and aquamarine, sometimes mixed together with diamonds
— all feature in jewellery designed by international haute couture
houses.
Of necklaces and more…
What you could wear around the neck to stay trendy and cool
never got any better! The advantage of retro is that you could pick
from a range of diverse styles and still be well within the bounds
of contemporary fashion. The vintage look is inspired by the Victorian
and Edwardian eras. The Victorian choker crafted in delicate and
intricate designs of silver or dull gold, with coloured stones like
amethyst and topaz is classy and feminine worn high on the throat.
More playful is the layered look, many chains of varying length
worn around the neck.
 “The
longest chain can go down to the waist,” claims Manali. Also, from
this era comes the revival of the pendant, the cameos worn on chunky
chains and ornate Victorian and Edwardian styled lavaliere pendants.
The teardrop has especially made a comeback with the revival of
the briolette cut in stones. Used since the time of the Romans and
very popular with the Victorians, this cut shapes the stones so
that they taper to a fuller bottom. The briolette cut is used for
not only important coloured gems like pink and yellow diamonds or
sapphires, but also aquamarine, amethyst and citrine. They twinkle
and glimmer and the rounded base allows for creative use in chandelier
style earrings as well as chokers and pendants, especially the antique
kinds.
 And
then of course there is the Art Deco look, inspired by the Edwardian
Art nouveau style and Hollywood of the 1930s and 40s. Says Quennie,
“Art Deco has always been in style with those who like it, because
it’s classic. However, it is now more popular in the mainstream
as well. The geometric patterns and clean lines are brushed with
the glamour and magic of the movies and showbiz.”
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