Appeal of jewellery growing among Indian men

Mumbai: The desire to wear jewellery is not limited to women any more as more and more men, especially in the metro cities, are buying and wearing jewellery as daily accessory, according to a report by the Platinum Guild. "High involvement in jewellery purchases, research on designs, trends, prove that today`s man is at ease when indulging in jewellery," Platinum Guild International Country Manager, India, Vaishali Banerjee said.

According to the survey, investment purchase by men in precious metals is prevalent across all age groups. Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai ranked at the top as the consumers in these cities buy more jewellery. However, in Gujarat, men are more inclined to buy coins, biscuits and then jewellery with more frequency. Platinum Guild International conducted this survey in Chennai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Delhi to understand the men`s jewellery market and their lifestyle and mindset, the attitude towards jewellery, along with the triggers and habits of purchasing and wearing jewellery. The desire to wear jewellery among men is growing in the markets and is being accepted as a natural progression of life, the survey revealed. Consumer initiation to jewellery occurred at different stages. Chennai followed by Bangalore are markets where the influence in childhood is dominant, while across centres young men wearing jewellery is identified as a symbol of declaring adulthood, it revealed. In the north, the report said, the consumer characteristic towards jewellery showed a strong desire to project independent purchase power. The key markets for men`s jewellery are Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Baroda, Pune, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Cochin, it said adding categories like rings, chains, bracelets in platinum and gold are most popular. "Through the ages, most men preferred platinum when it came to their jewellery. Young men today are not only looking at bands in platinum, but are also taking to platinum chains, and bracelets. Platinum appeals to the man`s sense of practicality as the metal can withstand the rigours of daily wear," Banerjee said. India is the third biggest jewellery market for men`s luxury accessories, it said.