Ultra wealthy Indians are increasingly placing their bets on pink, blue and yellow diamonds, embracing the rare stones as both eye-catching statement jewellery and long-term investment assets. Coloured diamonds,far rarer than conventional white diamonds, have seen demand spiked by 20%-25% over the past year, even as prices continue to climb.According to jewellers and traders, since the pandemic period, India has become one of the fastest-growing markets for coloured diamonds, fuelled by a new generation of globally exposed and asset-conscious ultra high net-worth individuals (HNIs), ET reported. Conventional and coloured diamonds fall in completely different price categories. Unlike traditional white diamonds, which typically cost between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 7 lakh a carat depending on cut and clarity, coloured stones command a significant premium. Pink diamonds can range from Rs 15 lakh to as much as Rs 5 crore a carat, while blue diamonds are priced between Rs 25 lakh and Rs 5 crore, according to ET. Meanwhile, yellow diamonds, considered more accessible entry points into the segment, are priced comparatively lower, between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 15 lakh a carat.

Why are coloured diamonds shining more?

Beyond their visual appeal, price appreciation is playing a major role in driving demand. With no new mines coming online, coloured diamonds are increasingly being viewed as alternative investments amid rising scarcity.In rupee terms, prices of pink diamonds have increased tenfold over the past two decades, while blue diamonds have risen six to seven times. Yellow diamonds, meanwhile, have roughly doubled in value over the same period.Darshit Hirani, cofounder of P Hirani Exports, told ET, that “demand is also driven by the fact that celebrities and businessmen across the globe are embracing coloured diamonds for weddings and other special occasions. Wealthy Indians want to be part of this global trend.” He further noted that interest is no longer limited to major metros. “An interesting trend we are seeing is that HNIs from tier II cities are showing interest in coloured diamonds and are buying yellow diamonds as their first purchase,” Hirani said.Hirani, who has worked exclusively with coloured diamonds for over 40 years, said buying patterns vary by age group. Larger stones of one to two carats are typically being purchased by HNIs aged 45 and above, while smaller and mid-sized stones are attracting younger buyers from affluent families or those in higher salary brackets.The post-pandemic shift in consumer behaviour has also been noted by retailers. Ishu Datwani, founder of Mumbai-based Anmol Jewellers, said spending on rare stones has risen sharply since Covid. “Indians have become globetrotters…(exposed to) fine jewellery brands such as Chopard and Cartier. They now want us to create pieces that resonate with their evolved tastes,” he said. Datwani added that there has been a strong increase in demand for fancy yellow diamonds sourced in rough form from Australia, Russia and South Africa, before being cut and polished in Surat.Globally, coloured diamonds are also emerging as standout performers at auctions, particularly in Asia, where their rarity and investment appeal have made them highly sought after. A July report by the Natural Diamond Council (NDC) estimated that the wholesale value of fancy colour diamonds entering the market in 2024 exceeded $4.5 billion, citing data from the Israel-based Fancy Colour Research Foundation (FCRF).Industry executives estimate that coloured diamonds account for less than 1% of global diamond production, with only a handful of mines producing them in limited quantities. The closure of Rio Tinto’s Argyle mine in 2020, once responsible for more than 90% of the world’s pink and red diamonds, has further tightened supply. With no consistent alternative source emerging since, dealers say scarcity has intensified, forcing buyers to compete aggressively for the remaining inventory, often at any cost.

Ranveer Singh’s ‘Dhurandhar’ completed 29 days at the box office, and it is still enjoying the crown of the undefeated king. The action-packed spy thriller, known for its gripping tale and stellar performances, entered its 5th week on Thursday and marked a new milestone in its journey. With a worldwide collection crossing Rs 1160 crore, it shows no signs of slowing down.Dhurandhar Movie ReviewAdditionally, it is worth noting that during its 29-day journey, it saw several regional, national, and international releases, but none of them could outperform the Aditya Dhar movie. The latest release ‘Ikkis’ got a boost on the New Year; the earlier released ‘Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri’ had a good opening, but nothing affected the growth of ‘Dhurandhar’

‘Dhurandhar’ box office collection Day 29 update

According to Sacnilk, the movie made Rs 8.75 crores in India on day 29. Though it is a dip in the numbers as compared to its day 28 performance, the film is trying to hold its ground at a steady pace. With this, the India net collection of the movie stands at Rs 747.75 crore. Meanwhile, the gross collection of ‘Dhurandhar’ in India stands at Rs 897.25 crore, and the business from overseas accounts for Rs 265 crore. Making the worldwide collection of ‘Dhurandhar’ after 29 days of theatrical release, Rs 1162.25 crore.

‘Dhurandhar’ weekly performance

Since its debut, the movie has been making and breaking records. In its opening week, the film made a massive collection of Rs 207.25 crore. In week two, it grew stronger and collected Rs 253.25 crore. Week 3 had its highs and lows, and the movie made Rs 172 crore. Thereafter, the extended holidays propelled the film to an estimated Rs 106.5 crore in week 4.DISCLAIMER: The box office numbers in this article are compiled from our proprietary sources and diverse public data. We strive for accuracy and all figures are approximate unless explicitly mentioned. We offer a fair representation of the project’s box office performance. We are open to feedback and suggestions on toientertainment@timesinternet.in.

BENGALURU: The Karnataka govt is considering rejecting the Centre’s Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Grameen), or G-RAM-G, which has replaced MGNREGA, and is exploring the possibility of rolling out its own rural employment guarantee scheme.“The Cabinet on Friday condemned G-RAM-G, which has snatched the right to work from the people of this country and is a big blow to the federal structure of the nation,” law and parliamentary affairs minister H K Patil said. He said the Cabinet was united in opposing the new law, which seeks to centralise all projects.Noting that G-RAM-G falls under the Concurrent List, Patil said the state may consider alternative options, the details of which will be outlined by chief minister Siddaramaiah at a press briefing on Saturday.Under G-RAM-G, states are required to fund 40% of project costs. “This act is nothing but an attempt to help Central govt contractors by providing them with labour while reducing their own burden,” he said.The name change is a small issue, the bigger problem is centralisation and the snatching of work from people in need,” Patil reasoned.He added that the new law would hurt gram panchayats the most and adversely affect local development.Sources said opting for a state-run scheme would mean forgoing 60% of Central funding under the new act.In 2024-25, Karnataka had received Rs 5,580 crore from the Centre under the erstwhile MGNREGA, providing work to 21.2 lakh households. Under G-RAM-G, this would effectively drop to Rs 3,720 crore.“If we are to save the jobs of our rural households, such an action may be necessary,” a Cabinet minister said. Other state govt officials said Karnataka may also lobby the Centre to relax norms on permissible works and increase its share of funding.

NEW DELHI: In a major boost for electronics manufacturing, the Centre has cleared 22 new proposals – including from Samsung, Foxconn, Tata Electronics and Dixon – for component manufacturing entailing investments of nearly Rs 42,000 crore.The investments under the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) are projected to result in domestic production of Rs 2.6 lakh crore in the coming years and reduce the reliance on imports. In recent years, electronics manufacturing, including mobile phones and computers, has increased in the country but imports haven’t come down as the manufacturers rely on components produced in other countries, especially China.Companies such as Apple are stepping up iPhone production in India, positioning it as a rival base to China and its vendors, including Foxconn, Tata Electronics, ATL Battery Tech, Hindalco Industries and Motherson Electronic Components, are among those investing under the new scheme.While a production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme helped boost electronics manufacturing, the components programme is likely to augment that. The scheme will see the production of printed circuit boards, capacitors, enclosures and lithium-ion cells among the 11 categories.While four facilities each will be in Maharashtra and Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana (three each) are the other major production centres under the scheme.

Looking to cut import dependence

Govt had earlier cleared proposals in two tranches – seven projects with investment of Rs 5,500 crore and then 17 proposals entailing investment of Rs 7,172 crore.IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Centre’s focus on major reforms, enabling policies, and efficient and speedy execution of projects and initiatives have helped generate investments and the “results are clearly visible, sector after sector.”He also said that four chip companies will start commercial production this year, and almost all the top automobile and telecom companies will source semiconductors from them.“The plants which started pilot production last year, they are the ones that will get into commercial production earlier, which is Kaynes and CG Semi. Micron has also started pilot production very recently. They will also go next month. Tata plant in Assam will start pilot production by middle of the year, and by the end of the year they will start the commercial production,” Vaishnaw said.

Indore: Residents wait to recieve medical help at Bhagirathpura amid the contaminated tap water crisis where several people died and fell ill, in Indore. (PTI Photo)

INDORE: The Madhya Pradesh govt removed Indore municipal commissioner Dilip Kumar Yadav and suspended additional commissioner Rohit Sisoniya on Friday, its first major action in the contaminated water tragedy in Indore’s Bhagirathpura, since people began falling ill on Dec 29 in a city ranked on multiple occasions as India’s cleanest. The action came on a day the death toll in the tragedy rose to 10 with the death of a 68-year-old woman. Pradeep Nigam, in-charge superintendent engineer of Indore Municipal Corporation’s (IMC) water distribution department, was also removed from his post. Three additional commissioners – Akash Prakhar Singh and Ashish Kumar Pathak – were posted to the IMC after a meeting chaired by additional chief secretary Sanjay Dubey, who has been camping in Indore.

Crackdown On Officials AsToll Rises To 10

Submitting a status report, the state govt, however, told the MP high court Friday that only four deaths had been recorded. Indore mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava said Friday he had information of 10 deaths due to the diarrhoea outbreak in Bhagirathpura. According to health department data, four people have died due to the diarrhoea outbreak in Bhagirathpura. However, I have received information about 10 deaths due to this outbreak,” the mayor said.“A total of 294 patients have been admitted, of which 93 have been discharged. Around 201 patients are still admitted and 32 patients are in ICUs,” the status report submitted to HC said. Hours before the IMC shake-up, CM Mohan Yadav wrote on X: “I reviewed action being taken by state govt in the Indore contaminated drinking water case with the chief secretary and other senior officials and issued necessary directions. I also discussed the report presented by the additional chief secretary in charge of the urban development department.” “We have taken the contaminated water case with utmost seriousness. We have taken action against those found guilty of negligence. There will be no compromise when it comes to health of the people. We will fix responsibility and ensure strict action,” the CM wrote on X. As the administrative changes unfolded, a flurry of activity was noticed in Bhagirathpura, where IMC workers cleaned streets and supplied water in tankers, health workers checked patients and distributed medicines, and ASHA workers conducted door-to-door surveys, checking on children. On Friday, gloom pervaded the residence of Geetabai Dhruvkar, 68. “She was admitted with diarrhoea and vomiting… Her kidneys gave way. She died Friday morning,” said her brother-in-law, Chandrashekhar Dhruvkar. Indore Municipal Corporation vehicles made announcements in Bhagirathpura asking people to avoid using tap water, which was being flushed after plugging all leakages and tested for contamination, and use tanker water. Residents were told to boil their drinking water.