Jewellery retail in India is in the middle of an exciting transformation. What was once limited to festive shopping or milestone celebrations is now evolving into an experience-driven, omnichannel journey where consumers from metros to tier-3 towns are showing equal aspiration for diamonds. Moreover, from digital-first approaches to expanding physical footprints, jewellery retailers are rethinking formats to meet customers where they are.

In this backdrop, Retail4Growth connected with Jignesh Mehta, Founder & Managing Director of Divine Solitaires, to understand the brand’s approach to retail expansion and how innovation and consumer engagement are shaping the future of jewellery retail.

Balancing trust with omnichannel convenience

Diamonds are emotional purchases, which is why, according to Jignesh, retail must deliver both touch-and-feel trust and digital convenience.

“The world today is omnichannel. It’s no longer about online versus offline, but about integrating both. Consumers may discover something online, but complete the purchase in-store. That’s why we’ve built services like ‘try at home’ and ‘click and pick’, which merge the security of offline with the ease of digital,” shares Jignesh.

It’s quite interesting to note that even when shoppers are physically inside the store, they continue to validate products online in real time. “The discovery may happen in their phones, but the confidence comes when online and offline come together. That’s the future of jewellery retail,” he mentions further.

A pan-India retail push

The Solitaire Festival of India (TSFI), a flagship retail yearly initiative by Divine Solitaires, goes beyond just buying diamonds. It is a cultural celebration designed to bring consumers closer to the product category while also extending the festive season.

What’s striking about the impact is its success in tier-2 and tier-3 markets. As per Jignesh, cities like Nagpur, Patna, Indore, Coimbatore, and Jamnagar have shown exceptional traction in TSFI, along with smaller towns such as Bulandshahr, Motihari, and Bhubaneswar.

“Whether it’s a tier-3 town or a metro city, the customers’ mindset is changing. This is the new India – more aspirational, more aware, more travelled, and increasingly capable of buying,” said Jignesh.

Experiential stores in the pipeline

Currently, Divine Solitaires retails through partner showrooms, but brand-owned stores are very much on the horizon.

“Jewellery is about emotions, trust, and confidence packaged together. Consumers should have the space to explore and experience this before buying. We definitely plan to create such opportunities for buyers. The right time and opportunity will see us rolling out experiential stores,” says Jignesh.

Diamonds with transparency

Beyond retail formats, Divine Solitaires is also building credibility around sourcing and valuation. “All our diamonds come from ethical and authentic sources- Canada, Botswana, South Africa, and Russia,” explains Jignesh.

Equally significant is the claim that the diamonds by Divine Solitaires are rare, precious & unmatched and cut to achieve the rare Hearts & Arrows pattern, found in less than 1% of the world’s stones.

What lies in the future?

Looking ahead, Jignesh sees jewellery retail moving towards meaning and symbolism. “We want to be more meaningful for our consumers. Jewellery should symbolise life’s milestones and relationships,” he says.

With the brand’s dual focus– festive innovations on one side and retail expansion on the other, Divine Solitaires gears up to redefine how Indians buy diamonds, making solitaires a part of everyday aspirations.