Date:19/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/19/stories/2008121958260200.htm

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Prince Jewellery to open shop in city

Staff Reporter

Photo: C. Ratheesh Kumar

Princeson Jose, CMD, Prince Jewellery, along with Rajesh Rajendran, Trade Manager, Platinum Guild of India; Premjit Sengupta, Manager, South and East, De Beer Group; and K. Shivram, Vice-President, World Gold Council; at a press meet in the city on Thursday. —

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The message could not be clearer. When the chips are down, invest in gold. The deepening economic crisis appears to have enhanced the allure of the yellow metal.

Prince Jewellery, one of the leading jewellery houses based in Chennai, is all set to launch its first showroom in the State at the Rajadhani Building, East Fort, on Monday.

“In these times of global economic meltdown, gold is a safe investment. It has high liquidity,” said Princeson Jose, chairman and managing director, Prince Jewellery, in the city on Thursday.

He said the company had registered a hike of 25 per cent in its annual turnover from the domestic market in the previous year. The press meet was also attended by Rajesh Rajendran, Trade Manager, Platinum Guild of India; Premjit Sengupta, Manager, South and East, De Beer Group; and K. Shivram, Vice-President, World Gold Council.

Designer jewellery

The company hopes to cash in on the growing trend for designer jewellery in the State. The showroom promises to have an in-house designer who will help customers design their jewellery in a personalised manner.

The jewellery has plans to enter the nascent market for platinum in the State by offering light-weight variants that promise to “suit every mood, every day of the week.” It will also sell antique designer jewellery.

The showroom will be inaugurated by actor Nayanthara.

The jewellery house plans to open its next branch in Kochi.