Hatke jewellery

Ornaments made from materials such as thread, leather and wood are a part of a Jewellery Summit in Delhi.

Gold prices are soaring high and it’s a grave concern for many. So, why not try some out-of-the-box jewellery. Beautiful jewellery pieces made out of materials such as cloth, thread, terracotta, wood and leather are the next big thing. The World Crafts Council (WCC) in association with UNESCO is organising an international jewellery summit ‘Abhushan: Design Dialouges in Jewellery’ that will be held in the Capital from February 4 to 6 at Hotel Ashok.

HT Image

“The summit is intended to capture the diversity and artistic style from all over the world. The focus in on innovative and experimental designs,” says Nina Kothari, Chairperson, Abhushan.

The exhibit will explore how everyday materials like grass, bone, other recyclable materials can be converted into exquisite jewellery. And the price starts at R100. One of the highlights of the summit is a curated exhibition, where craft persons from North America, Europe, Africa and India will be exhibiting their innovative jewellery. “The pieces are some of the exclusive pieces from India and abroad,” says Purnima Rai of Delhi Crafts Council. “One major draw under the Indian section is folk and tribal jewellery.”

Other attractions include a crafts bazaar, where you can buy jewellery ranging from traditional, tribal and contemporary make. Some jewellery brands from India too, are a part of it. “We have motifs from Harappan, Mughal and Gupta period. These are a blend of modern and traditional,” says Tarang Arora of Amrapali.

As part of the summit, there is also a workshop by skilled persons from abroad, where craftsmen and students from India will be taught different kinds of techniques for jewellery making. “It’s a good chance for us to learn what methods and styles are used abroad,” says Usha Krishna, president WCC.