Responses to be attributed to Vaishali Banerjee, Head of Global Market Development and Managing Director – India & Middle East, Platinum Guild International

1) This Buyer-Seller Meet has become a key platform for the platinum jewellery industry. What are the primary objectives of this year’s edition, and what outcomes do you hope to achieve?

The Platinum Buyer-Seller Meet brings the entire ecosystem together with a clear business agenda. Our primary objective is to strengthen alignment between manufacturers and retailers around evolving consumer demand, product innovation, assortment planning and market expansion.

For platinum to grow, every part of the strategic loop must work together—from relevant designs and product availability to pricing architecture, replenishment, retail confidence and effective conversion at the counter. We hope this edition will generate strong orders, encourage sharper market-specific assortments and create partnerships that support sustained category growth beyond the two-day meet. The larger goal is to make the platform a catalyst for category expansion, not merely an order-writing opportunity.

2) With consumer preferences evolving rapidly, how is the event helping manufacturers and retailers identify emerging platinum jewellery trends and business opportunities?

The meet enables manufacturers and retailers to exchange direct, market-led insights. Manufacturers gain a clearer understanding of demand patterns across regions and consumer segments, while retailers can assess new designs, formats and price points suited to their respective markets.

We are seeing encouraging opportunities in men’s jewellery, love bands, everyday-wear pieces, lighter formats and bi-metal designs. Younger consumers increasingly view jewellery as an expression of identity, relationships and personal milestones. The event helps the trade translate these shifts into the right products and assortments for metros, Tier 1 cities and emerging markets.

To address modern consumer preferences, we are working to create a virtuous cycle in the platinum jewellery category; one that begins with the inherent qualities of the metal, enables thoughtful design and stronger products, and ultimately builds greater consumer preference. An important development in this direction is Inoveo, a new platinum alloy created using AI capabilities, bringing together technological innovation and design possibilities. The alloy will be used to develop platinum machine chains – an important category given that chains are prominently worn and, with frequent use, require greater durability and product care.

3) What initiatives is Platinum Guild India taking to strengthen platinum jewellery demand across different regions and customer segments in India?

Our strategy combines consumer demand generation with strong trade execution. Through Platinum Love Bands, Platinum Evara and Men of Platinum, we address distinct opportunities spanning couples’ commitment, women’s self-expression and men’s jewellery respectively.

We are also expanding platinum’s reach across metros and Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets through our network of more than 2,000 retail doors. This is supported by product innovation, retailer training, merchandising, in-store visibility and focused retail programmes such as Platinum Season of Love. Alongside this, omnichannel campaigns, culturally relevant partnerships and digital tools are helping us engage younger consumers and widen discovery beyond the major metros.

4) How important are networking and business matchmaking sessions at this event, and what kind of collaborations do you expect to emerge from the two-day meet?

These elements are central to the Platinum Buyer-Seller Meet because category growth depends on close coordination between manufacturers, retailers and PGI. These interactions allow partners to discuss regional demand, identify assortment gaps, exchange market feedback and explore commercially relevant opportunities in a focused environment.

We expect collaborations around new collections, bi-metal innovation, market-specific assortments, wider distribution and stronger retail activations. These conversations also help manufacturers plan more effectively and enable retailers to approach the upcoming festive and wedding seasons with greater product and category confidence.

5) Looking ahead, what is your outlook for the platinum jewellery market in India over the next few years, and what role will events like this play in driving its growth?

Our outlook remains positive. India has a young and increasingly design-conscious consumer base, a deep jewellery culture, strong manufacturing capabilities and a rapidly expanding organised retail network. Platinum is well aligned with the consumer’s growing preference for jewellery that combines purity, rarity, contemporary design and emotional meaning.

Over the next few years, we expect growth to be supported by men’s jewellery, love bands, women’s everyday wear, bi-metal designs and deeper penetration into Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets. Platforms such as the Buyer-Seller Meet will remain important because they convert consumer insight into product readiness, retail availability and business action. They help ensure that consumer aspiration is matched by the right design, assortment and experience at the store.