Prince Jewellery

Prince Jewellery traces its origins to 1933 when P. C. Varghese established a jewellery business in Ponkunnam, Kottayam, Kerala - the heartland of India's goldsmith traditions. The early decades saw the family develop expertise in craftsmanship and customer relationships that would later form the foundation for expansion. In 1958, the founder's son Jose Cheeramvelil (also known as Ouseppachan) took the significant step of opening a store in Chennai (then Madras) and establishing a manufacturing unit in Thrissur, Kerala's jewelry hub. This Chennai presence proved transformative. In 1983, Princeson Jose established the first modern Prince Jewellery showroom at Panagal Park in T. Nagar, Chennai - beginning the brand's evolution from a Kerala family business to a major Chennai-based retail chain.

The strategic decision to center operations in Chennai rather than remain in Kerala proved prescient. Chennai offered a larger market, different competitive dynamics, and access to the substantial Tamil Nadu wedding jewellery demand. While maintaining manufacturing expertise rooted in Kerala's goldsmith traditions, Prince Jewellery built its retail identity as a Chennai brand serving Tamil Nadu customers. This positioning differentiates Prince from the many Kerala-based chains that expanded into Tamil Nadu - Prince is perceived as a Tamil Nadu jeweller with Kerala craftsmanship heritage.

The flagship T. Nagar showroom at Panagal Park (No. 13, Nageswara Rao Road) established Prince's reputation for grand retail experiences. T. Nagar is Chennai's premier shopping district, particularly for textiles and jewellery, drawing customers from across the metropolitan area and beyond. The Panagal Park location placed Prince at the center of this commercial activity, benefiting from the foot traffic and destination shopping that characterize T. Nagar. For many Chennai families, combining jewellery shopping at Prince with textile purchases at nearby stores has become a traditional pattern for wedding preparations.

Prince Jewellery has expanded to multiple locations serving different Chennai neighborhoods and Tamil Nadu cities. The Cathedral Road showroom (VDS House, New No. 41) serves South Chennai's upscale residential areas. The Tambaram showroom (No.1, Yadhaval Street, GST Road, near MEPZ Bus Stop), opened in April 2017, serves the substantial population in Chennai's southern suburbs. The Velachery showroom, opened in 2016, includes both gold and a separate diamond and precious stones boutique, serving the rapidly growing IT corridor area. Beyond Chennai, Prince operates in Coimbatore (Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road, Gandhipuram) and Bangalore (11th Main Road, 3rd Block, Jayanagar), extending their reach to other major South Indian markets.

The product portfolio at Prince Jewellery spans gold, diamond, platinum, silver, rubies, emeralds, and colored gold - an unusually comprehensive range for a regional jeweller. This diversity allows customers to find everything they need at Prince rather than shopping at multiple jewellers for different categories. The materials portfolio includes traditional yellow gold (the primary offering), white gold for contemporary aesthetics, rose gold for fashion-forward designs, platinum for alternative metal preferences, silver for accessible fashion pieces, and various precious and semi-precious gemstones.

Prince has developed particular strength in bridal and wedding jewellery, recognizing that wedding purchases represent the largest jewellery investments most families make. The Muhurtham collection (muhurtham being the Tamil word for the auspicious wedding moment) offers comprehensive bridal sets designed for Tamil wedding requirements. These include the multiple necklace layers (choker, medium length, and long haram) that characterize Tamil bridal looks, matching jhumkas and earrings, elaborate bangles, hip chains (oddiyanam), nose rings, hair ornaments, and other pieces that complete the traditional bridal ensemble.

The Mili collection represents Prince's silver line, offering lightweight gold polish silver pieces alongside traditional silver designs. This collection serves customers seeking the aesthetic of gold jewellery at silver prices, as well as fashion-conscious customers who appreciate silver's contemporary appeal. The silver collection includes both traditional designs adapted to silver and contemporary fashion pieces designed specifically for the metal.

The Nava collection features precious stone jewellery with rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and other gemstones. These colorful pieces serve customers seeking alternatives to pure gold aesthetics and are particularly popular for wedding reception wear when brides often prefer more contemporary, colorful looks than the traditional gold of the ceremony.

The Alrosa collection showcases uncut diamond jewellery, featuring diamonds in their natural or partially processed form. Uncut diamonds have a distinctive soft sparkle different from cut diamonds and are traditional in certain Indian jewellery styles. The Alrosa collection appeals to customers seeking heritage aesthetics with authentic craftsmanship.

Prince has also pioneered lightweight jewellery collections specifically designed for career women and everyday wear. Recognizing that modern working women want beautiful jewellery that is practical for office wear and daily life, these collections feature designs that appear substantial but weigh significantly less than traditional heavy pieces. This approach makes fashion-forward gold jewellery accessible to customers who may not want to wear (or invest in) heavy traditional pieces.

Making charges at Prince Jewellery range from ₹200 to ₹500 per gram, positioning them competitively in Chennai's jewellery market. Simple chains and lightweight daily wear pieces fall at the lower end around ₹200-250 per gram, regular traditional pieces occupy the middle range, and elaborate bridal sets with complex craftsmanship reach up to ₹500 per gram. This pricing makes Prince accessible to middle-class Chennai families while delivering the quality, variety, and retail experience that organized jewellery retail provides.

Quality assurance follows industry standards with BIS hallmarked gold featuring certified purity across all pieces. The Prince quality assurance documentation accompanies every purchase, detailing gold content, weight, making charges, and stone specifications where applicable. Diamonds come with appropriate certification. Transparent billing enables customers to understand exactly what they're paying for. In-store weighing in customer presence ensures confidence in gold content.

The exchange policy supports customers throughout their jewellery journey. Lifetime exchange at full gold value for Prince jewellery enables upgrades and modifications as preferences evolve over time. Old gold from other jewellers is accepted with standard purity testing. This flexibility recognizes that jewellery needs change - wedding pieces may later be exchanged for lighter daily wear, or inherited jewellery may be converted into contemporary designs.

The showroom experience at Prince emphasizes variety and scale. With extensive display areas showcasing thousands of designs across categories, customers can browse comprehensive selections rather than choosing from limited options. Staff training emphasizes product knowledge across the diverse portfolio - from traditional temple jewellery to contemporary diamonds to platinum - enabling informed guidance regardless of customer preferences. Private consultation areas accommodate families making significant bridal purchases.

Prince's understanding of Tamil Nadu wedding traditions shapes their product curation and customer service. Staff understand the specific jewellery requirements of Tamil weddings - which pieces are mandatory for different ceremonies, how requirements vary by family background and community, appropriate weight and style considerations for different budgets, and how to help families balance tradition with personal preferences. The Grand Wedding positioning explicitly addresses the wedding market, positioning Prince as the destination for comprehensive bridal jewellery shopping.

Traditional designs at Prince include temple jewellery with deity motifs, antique-finish pieces that evoke heritage aesthetics, Kundan work featuring stone settings, and classic South Indian patterns that have characterized Tamil jewellery for generations. These traditional offerings serve customers seeking authentic heritage designs for weddings, festivals, and religious occasions.

Digital presence has been developed to serve customers who prefer researching before store visits. The website (princejewellery.com) features collection information, store locations with contact details, and the ability to browse design categories. However, significant jewellery purchases - particularly bridal sets - typically happen in-store where customers can examine pieces physically, try on designs, and make decisions with family involvement.

For Chennai and Tamil Nadu customers seeking extensive variety, grand retail experiences, and comprehensive collections across multiple categories, Prince Jewellery represents an excellent choice. The combination of nearly 90 years of heritage (from 1933 Kerala origins through 1983 Chennai establishment), strategic locations across Chennai and beyond, competitive making charges from ₹200/gram, comprehensive wedding collections, and unusual material diversity (gold, platinum, silver, gemstones) creates a proposition that serves Tamil families seeking one-stop shopping for their jewellery needs. Whether purchasing elaborate bridal jewellery for traditional weddings, uncut diamonds from Alrosa, silver fashion pieces from Mili, or lightweight workwear, customers can trust Prince's decades of expertise and commitment to variety.