A jewelry counter in a department store – just like a cosmetics counter in a regular department store – there were 7 brands with a showcase or 2 each and 14 staff – 2 for each company. They were not happy about us taking the photo. Not a lot of business going on. The jewels are all on consignment and the staff are employed by the jewellery manufacturer.
 
The manufacturers are all diamond companies – as the companies have grown, they have opened jewellery manufacturing divisions. Many are set up in the SEEPZ district near the airport; this is a duty free zone and the latest tools and equipment are used in state of the art factories. Most budget priced US jewellery comes from here (although China is growing too). Naturally many of these companies would like to establish a brand presence here in India for their own prestige and as part of the requirements of De Beers, Rio and BHP – that they establish downstream markets and alliances rather than the earlier practice of selling their polished goods on open bourses in Antwerp etc. Sales on a bourse are like shares – buyers and sellers work through brokers and never know each other; this means there can be no value adding by manufacturers finding out their customers specific requirements and fulfilling them. But from what we have seen so far the Indian 'branding' is a copy cat business model leaves a lot to be desired. The sales people are nice kids, but have no idea about jewellery or how to sell. The styles are all almost identical – no company seems to be prepared to differentiate themselves – but then I guess that is the Asian way.