On the final and fifth day of the second annual India International
Jewellery Week 2011, a runway presentation of Best in Show looks, sponsored
by PC Jeweller, took place. All 33 firms who participated in IIJW, a
fashion show–inspired presentation of couture jewels from some of India’s
most prestigious jewelry houses, took part in the event, held in the ballroom
of the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Mumbai from July 31 to Aug. 4.

Model in Amrapali

The ballroom of the hotel was transformed into a
crystallized space featuring a Swarovski backdrop of a palace with curved arched
windows and a black and grey striped ramp.

Sonam Kapoor, brand ambassador for Boucheron, in the
one-of-a-kind Queen of the Night necklace crafted by Shawn Leane for the
jewelry house to commemorate its 150th anniversary. The design is
inspired by
the flower, and features blue sapphires, colorless diamonds, and rubies,
and has
a detachable part that can be worn separately.

To kick off the evening, a troupe of Terence Lewis
acrobatic dancers moved in unison to
choreographed numbers including the famous tune “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best
Friend.”

The following are highlights of the runway show.

JCK