For too long, workwear jewellery has operated with restraint. A thin gold chain. Maybe a pair of studs. The lesser the better. There was no place for anything that tried too hard in a boardroom. Fortunately, that brief has had its day. Today, jewellery has places to be—and a locker isn’t one of them. With a growing number of fine jewellery and fashion labels making a case for wearing the good stuff every day, the line between everyday and occasion jewellery is blurring.
Jewellery that doesn’t belong in a locker
Post Covid, with hybrid work culture blurring the boundaries between home and the office, workwear has become more relaxed. Athleisure has entered the everyday wardrobe, elevated basics are replacing formal staples and wardrobes have begun transitioning effortlessly from work to evening plans. Jewellery has followed suit.
With gold prices going through the roof, women have started buying jewellery more thoughtfully, favouring pieces that are versatile enough to be worn every day. “The idea that diamond jewellery is too precious for the office no longer holds,” says Shweta Singla, founder, Timanti, a Mumbai-based lab-grown diamond jewellery brand. “Women who would have shied away from wearing a diamond bracelet to work are now stacking them,” she observes.
Jewellery is no longer ‘saved’ for important occasions but seamlessly juxtaposed with everyday clothing. Pieces once reserved for weddings, festivals or formal occasions are turning up with oversized shirts, tailored separates and sometimes even a T-shirt. The rise of fine and demi-fine jewellery has been instrumental in this shift, encouraging women to build jewellery wardrobes designed to be worn every day. Bridging the gap between fashion and fine jewellery, these pieces have made everyday luxury more accessible while making jewellery something to layer, mix and wear on repeat.
Even the perception of gold is changing. While 22k has long been synonymous with investment jewellery, 14k and 18k are increasingly winning favour for their contemporary designs and durability. It’s a shift that reflects a broader change in priorities—buying jewellery jewellery one can actually wear.
