Queenie launches jewellery collection

.Dhody, the ownerof a niche Mumbai store named after her jewellery range (Jewels by Queenie), hastied up with Notandas jewellers in South Extension in the capital to retail hercollection, which was unveiled Wednesday evening. As part of thedeal, she will also offer tips to buyers on how to team up her jewellery withclothes and will put them in touch with fashion designers to purchase matchingclothes. Dhody, also a prominent socialite and a fashion writer,will now spend her time between Mumbai and the capital, where she will offerfashion consultancy services by appointment. "Jewels by Queenie" isa mix of contemporary art deco and antique jewellery, which are large andopulent. The bulk of her collection - nearly 100 earrings, pendants,finger rings, necklaces and bracelets - has been crafted with diamonds, both cutand uncut (polki), emeralds, rubies and icy sapphires (peridots) set in 18 caratwhite and yellow gold. A pair of intricately-crafted unfurled roseearrings and a matching finger ring in beaten gold and petals of clustereddiamonds stood out for their craftsmanship. "White and yellow 18carat gold is in. Diamonds look good in beaten yellow gold, which is smart andtrendy," Dhody told ."Moreover, it is easier to 'pressure-set' (a technique) stones on 18carat gold than on 24 carat gold," the designer said. Dhody has beendesigning jewellery since 1988-89 though she started designing "professionallysix years ago". "I took a few courses. The commercial initiative wasjust an extension of my passion for designing my own jewellery. The firstjewellery that I designed for myself was a set of plain gold bangles without anypatterns. I was also the first contemporary designer to use 'polki' or uncutdiamonds for earrings before any of my peers thought of it," the glamorousmother of two said, while showing off a bracelet. It was a wide 2.5inch handcuff bracelet in beaten yellow gold with a vertical clasp of sand graindiamonds - "the kind that she likes". "I have designed the braceletmyself. In Mumbai, some of the bracelets that I sell are as wide as 3.5 inches,"Dhody said. The fashionista, clad in a short pink dress with aruffled sash, teamed the bracelet with diamond danglers. "I do not believe inclutter," she said. The three trends in jewellery fashion this season, Dhodysaid, were "timelessness, bling and style". "The fashion pundits arepredicting that the jewellery trend for the spring of 2010 should be timeless -exquisite pieces that can be passed down the generations and I agree. Big, blingand noticeable jewellery is in, along with translucent shimmering stones. Lastyear, women opted for glittering opaque stones. The designs this season are moreearthy and glamorous," Dhody said. "However, rubies, diamonds andemeralds will be in fashion forever," she added. The bottom line in jewellerybusiness is diversity in terms of prices, the designer said. Theprices of Dhody's collection ranges between Rs.100,000 and Rs.10 million. "Thereis something for everyone," she said. Dhody has been influenced byantique Mughal jewellery and European art deco in her collection. "I have useduncut stones in bigger settings like the traditional Mughal designs and smallerstones for western art deco pieces," she said. Gold is the metal ofher choice. "Despite the shooting prices of gold, Indians still buy gold and Icannot imagine emerald and rubies set in silver," Dhody said. Whenasked what is the jewellery she treasures the most, Dhody said: "It is memory -a diamond pendant that my father gave me; and I lost it."