Gold rush is here

The Gold Club of Chennai in association with the World Gold Council displayed "the latest and the best" creations at a show recently. MALATHI RANGARAJAN surveys the golden constellation.

DESCRIBING THE recent "Golden Moments" at Le Royal Meridien as a glittering display of gold ornaments would be a gross understatement. It was more a glorious constellation of yellow metal in all its exquisite forms, that paraded before you in a bewitching array.

The Gold Club of Chennai, which presented the event in association with the World Gold Council, promised the invitees a show of the "latest and best in gold jewellery". And it was a promise well kept.

Prashanth of Vummidi Bangaru Srihari Sons, said, it was a planned promotional activity in which 10 jeweller members of the Gold Club had come forward to present a galaxy of their latest goldware.

And as Vummidi Balaji succinctly put it, competitors in a field coming together for individual promotion of their products is very rare. The Gold Club of Chennai had thus made a near- impossible proposition, a reality.

Initially, girls in the role of mannequins, positioned themselves at the various parts of the lounge, displaying the latest designer wear of each of the 10 jewellers, posed for the avalanche of cameras and basked in the attention that the gold on them brought.

Some were stunning. But the exhibition also showed that if the models or their attire failed to accentuate the effect of the exquisite pieces worn, the impact would be negligible.

Tushar Mehta, secretary of the club, said, the exhibition was only an appetiser. Rightly, the Lucullan feast came later. The chunky "haaras" of Original Kerala Jewellers, the alluring "odiyaanams" (hip adornments) with figures of Goddess Lakshmi elegantly embossed in gold from Vummidi Bangaru Srihari, the ingeniously designed chokers from Prince Jewellery, the elaborately crafted chunky neckpieces from Vummidi Bangaru Jewellers, the intricately carved bangles from Dhanalaxmi Gold House, each proved a connoisseur's delight.

The grand entry of the models as they glided down the ramp, drawing attention to the jewellery on them, with stylised, well rehearsed movements, left the spectators awe struck. Our own Miss. Asia Pacific, Maheswari, was there. So were familiar faces from the ad world, Trisha, Medha and Sandhya, besides a few others.

Salient features of every jeweller's creation, from NAC Jeweller's evolution in designs, GRT's specialities that were a mix of the old and new and Surendra's attractive designer jewellery to VBC jewellers' kadas, kangans and Oriya filigree and alluringly created pieces for the discerning buyer from Mehta jewellery , everything was lucidly explained and presented well too.

The prize winning pieces at the World Gold Council's 'Swarnanjali 2000' competition were also there for the gold lover to see, admire, drink in and feel satiated.

The appreciable quality of Prasad Bidapa's choreography could have been even more enjoyable if the sound of the music in the background had been gentle, subtle and subdued, commented a few. The observation seemed genuine.

Among the models, Medha captivated the audience with her spontaneous, winning smile. Trisha too sent a genial smile across towards the end, when she spotted some of her friends in the audience. Otherwise most of them looked serious, sedate and even glum, when warm smiles could have made all the difference.

Male models numbered four. But how many in real life would dare to don the rows of chains or the armlets that these young men sported, you wonder.

The pair of shoes with gold carvings on them and the huge hair pins with incredible craftsmanship, which were on display at the exhibition, were for those with an inveterate weakness for ostentation.

"Golden Moments" was pomp at it best, finesse at its finest.

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