Winter Sparkle

The nip in the air is hard to miss. Heralding the change of season through her work is one of Punjab’s most sought-after jewellery designers,Annu Chadha. The shelves of her plush boutique ‘Jewels by Annu’ tucked in the shopping arcade at Taj Chandigarh boast of a new collection,showcasing coloured diamonds in rose-cut settings. The look is very different from Chadha’s signature opulent style. The inspirations for the collection,according to the designer,were not limited to a particular time or place. “Whether it’s the ancient history of the Orient,the mass of the Venice carnival,a piece of fluttering silk fabric,light falling on a modern architectural facade,tiny drops of dew glittering at dawn —

nature is the source of inspiration for her creations,” says Chadha. The result: an elegant line-up of jewellery pieces: neckpieces,rings,cuffs and chandelier earrings. “This collection is completely different from my traditional designs where I use kundan,gold and precious gems. Here,my focus is on yellow and pink diamonds and on a technique called micro-setting,” explains Chadha,who recently visited the jewellery trade show in Hong Kong and was impressed by the new trends in jewellery design. “All of this jewellery is hand-made and the emphasis is on elegance,” she adds.

Particulary impressive are the neckpieces with a drape-like feel. “I like to experiment and aim to offer something unique in my new collections,” says Chadha,who recently held two shows in New Delhi and has a celebrity fan following in Raveena Tandon and Pooja Batra.

Chadha is also gearing up to launch her boutique in Ludhiana early next month. “This will be my third outlet after Chandigarh and Amritsar,” says Chadha,whose love for colour continues with this range as she’s used sapphires,emeralds,rubies,and South Sea pearls teamed with yellow and pink diamonds. The pieces are priced at Rs 1 lakh onwards.