For the Kothari family, the gems & jewellery business goes back to 1905, when KGK group began as a gemstone trading business between India and Burma. Over the decades, the family-owned group has evolved into a globally integrated gems & jewellery enterprise spanning diamonds, gemstones, jewellery and retail, with operations covering much of the value chain from sourcing and manufacturing to consumer-facing businesses. Now, the fifth-generation entrepreneur Saransh Kothari is taking that legacy into a new consumer segment through Prismara, a lifestyle jewellery brand built around lab-grown diamonds and natural-coloured gemstones.
The ambition thus nurtured is taking shape through Prismara, which recently opened its second store at Route 65, M3M, Gurugram, following its debut at Central Market, Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi. Jaipur is the next market, with the store expected to become operational shortly. The Gurugram launch is part of a larger offline expansion strategy, with the brand looking to build a sizeable retail footprint across India.
“We definitely want to become a brand that has a minimum of 100 stores,” affirms Kothari, CEO, Prismara Jewels India Pvt Ltd, adding that the target is over the next three-four years, although the pace and eventual number could change with market conditions. For now, Delhi-NCR remains the priority, with Mumbai, Bengaluru, Punjab and other Tier I markets being evaluated on the basis of consumer data and the maturity of lab-grown diamond demand.
Prismara’s proposition combines lab-grown diamonds with natural-coloured gemstones. Its collections – Ombre, Kaleido, Flora & Fauna, Forever Love and Timeless Classic – span rings, earrings, pendants, bracelets and charms. The brand has more than 10,000 designs and also offers customisation. Jewellery is available in 14 Kt and 18 Kt gold in rose, white and yellow finishes, with BIS hallmarking and IGI certification.
For Kothari, the larger opportunity lies in changing how younger consumers perceive jewellery. Traditionally associated with weddings, engagements and other milestones, jewellery is increasingly becoming part of everyday fashion. “When they buy jewellery, they want to be able to buy a significant number of pieces per year,” he says, pointing to consumers who want different pieces for work, parties and other occasions.
That is where lab-grown diamonds fit into Prismara’s proposition. Kothari does not position them as an investment product. Instead, he compares them more closely with fashion, where the value lies in wearing and enjoying the product rather than expecting appreciation or resale returns. This, he believes, can expand the addressable market by allowing consumers who may have aspired to own diamond jewellery to buy more pieces across occasions.
Vertically integrated model
Behind the consumer proposition is KGK’s vertically integrated model. The group has capabilities across diamond growing, cutting and polishing, jewellery manufacturing and retail, giving Prismara greater control over product development, quality and customisation. The brand’s jewellery manufacturing is in Jaipur, while its lab-grown diamond production is in Surat, Kothari informs.
But education and transparency will be critical to the category’s development. “There’s still a long way to go” in educating Indian consumers about lab-grown diamonds, Kothari feels. Certification, therefore, becomes an important element of the proposition, with every Prismara piece carrying IGI certification.
He is also cautious about broad sustainability claims. Not every lab-grown diamond, he points out, can automatically be described as sustainable; the energy source used in production matters. For a young category seeking consumer trust, he believes such claims need to be grounded in facts rather than marketing.
The group’s ambitions around lab-grown diamonds extend beyond jewellery. Kothari is also exploring diamonds as engineering materials for applications in semiconductors and quantum devices, where their thermal conductivity can offer potential advantages.
For Prismara, however, the immediate task is to establish a trusted consumer brand. “We’re here to stay,” Kothari assures. “We’re here to build”. That long-term approach reflects his broader view of the family business – not merely inheriting a legacy, but acting as its custodian and creating businesses that can carry it into the next generation.