two floors, the sprawling boutique boasts a stunning collection of over 2,000 unique jewellery designs. Tanishq has also launched a localised e-commerce site in Singapore. According to Reuters, Tanishq’s parent company Titan, an Indian jewellery and watchmaker that, in turn, is owned by Tata Group, reported an almost 50 per cent jump in fourth-quarter profit as demand for its watches and wearables rose alongside jewellery. Reports from Q4 2023 reveal a staggering 33 per cent increase in sales worldwide, accompanied by a 15 per cent surge in the number of new and repeat buyers, according to Reuters.  Tanishq’s expansion into Singapore, its first store in Asia outside of India, comes amidst growing demand for jewellery products.  The Lion City has seen a remarkable 25 per cent rise in jewellery sales over the past year, reflecting market forces, which have led some to invest in jewellery as a hedge against inflation, as well as rising marriages and the growing e-commerce market. A new foray With over 400 stores in India, Tanishq is known for its unique blend of beauty, elegance, tradition, and contemporary design. “Tanishq has a long standing reputation for its craftsmanship and authenticity in India and we value this. We bring to our Singapore store – the best of product choices from all across India representing the finest craftsmanship,” Aditya Singh, head of jewellery at Tanishq’s international business division, told Inside Retail. He went on to say that the brand’s jewellery undergoes a stringent quality check process. “At the store, we [offer] a ‘Karatmeter’, which has been the hallmark of bringing the highest level of transparency in enabling customers to check the purity of the jewellery,” he added. The store also employs a Karigar, or artisan, to take care of any service requirements of customers. Singh said these are all first-of-their-kind features in the jewellery market in Singapore.  The Singapore marketplace Singh noted the diversity of consumers in Singapore, including Indian, Chinese, and Malaysian shoppers.  “From within India, they come from all parts of India, although there is a significant Tamilian population. Considering the diversity, we have carefully curated the pieces for the store,” he noted. The range includes the brand’s bestseller everyday wear, such as its ‘Alekhya’, ‘Kakatia’ and ‘Chozha’ collections, which are more traditional, and collections like ‘Tales of Mystique’ and ‘Rhythm of Rain’, which are more modern and contemporary in terms of their diamonds and coloured stone assortment. “We have collections for men as well as kids and we have heirloom pieces as well. There is indeed something for everyone,” he said. A prime example is the ‘Dharohar’ collection, which was launched specifically for Diwali, and blends the traditional and contemporary.  “‘Dharohar’, which loosely translates to ‘heritage’, features intricately crafted gold jewellery adorned with colourful ‘meenakari’ enamel work and unique uncut diamonds or ‘polki’ ; these are truly pieces which can be passed through generations,” he elaborated. Innovation is a cornerstone of Tanishq’s jewellery business, and given the fact that Singaporeans are known as early adopters, Singh sees this as a huge opportunity for the brand going forward. “To match the market adoption levels, we are bringing to Singapore a very unique ‘Celeste’ cut diamond meticulously crafted with revolutionary diamond-cutting technology, resulting in thousands of nano-facets that enhance the fire and brilliance of every diamond,” he added. Singh said this is just one example of Tanishq’s efforts to bring innovative jewellery to Singapore.  “The in-house design team at Tanishq is always at the forefront of keeping up with the latest in design trends as well as working along with out R&D team, focus on bringing innovation in both jewellery designs, working on metal density, as well as working with more efficient machines and tools used in manufacturing of jewellery,” he explained. An international journey According to Singh, it’s been three years since Tanishq started on its international journey and during the period, it has successfully navigated and entered the UAE, US, Qatar and now Singapore. The team is currently actively exploring three to four more countries in different parts of the world for expansion. “Our primary strength during global expansion is the large and affluent Indian diaspora across the globe – keeping them as the base, we try to become as localised as possible to appeal to the multi-cultural geographies,” he said. Singh said the brand’s biggest challenge has been navigating the speed of approvals in different countries, and in the case of the US and UAE, also navigating approvals in different states and Emirates, respectively. As the dominant player in India, the expectations for Tanishq’s expansion plans are always high and that’s why the team needs to move fast in its operations. “Singapore acts as a gateway nation for us for Southeast Asia and hence a critical spoke in the wheel of our expansion journey. The smooth execution process in Singapore and support from the authorities has become a new benchmark for us,” he opined. When it comes to Tanishq’s presence in Singapore, Singh hopes that the brand will be able to add to its store count in the near future. “Tanishq accommodates the gap between traditional Indian jewellery and luxury jewellery. We offer affordable and differentiated ranges, fit for a modern, contemporary yet traditional feel,” he concluded.