Timeless Jewellery, Modern Spirit: A deep dive into Tanishq’s marketing philosophy

For nearly three decades, Tanishq has stood at the forefront of India’s jewellery landscape, setting benchmarks in design, quality and storytelling. As a brand that has always celebrated the evolving identity of the modern Indian woman, the brand is continuing to innovate across collections, campaigns and customer experiences.

With a legacy rooted in trust, craftsmanship, and innovation, Tanishq has consistently shaped the narrative of Indian jewellery. From redefining bridal opulence to making everyday luxury more accessible, the brand has kept the modern Indian woman at the heart of its journey.

In a candid conversation with Surabhi Khosla, Editor, IMAGES Group, Tanishq CMO, Pelki Tshering unpacks how Tanishq is evolving with its customers— balancing tradition with trend, launching path-breaking collections like Élan, and championing meaningful storytelling through its campaigns.

Excerpts from the exclusive chat…

Tell us about Tanishq’s journey since its inception?

We began our journey in 1994, when Tanishq was conceived, and at that time we had 18 carat gold watches with diamonds and precious stones in it. When we launched our first store in Chennai, in July 1996, it was actually a luxury destination which specialised in gold and diamond jewellery.

So for Tanishq, natural diamonds have always been an integral part of our journey. We’ve not only curated stunning ranges of natural diamond jewellery, but also redefined what the precious stone means to Indian consumers. As a brand, we have worked to make jewellery more aspirational, yet very accessible, very personal yet meaningful.

You say that Tanishq has made jewellery aspirational, yet accessible. How else has the brand shaped consumer sentiment around modern Indian jewellery?

As a brand, we are always figuring out how to really stay true to our principles, which is keeping customers at the heart of what we do and to be constantly listening to them. We make it our mission to understand both their spoken and unspoken needs. What we have learnt is that the modern Indian woman is looking for her jewellery to evolve with her. She wants pieces that are expressive, versatile and personal. And as a brand we are responding to this need, this manifestation of the consumer. How do we do this? We do this by providing products across categories to various consumers and by shaping depth within them these categories.

As a brand, you have consistently spoken to the modern Indian woman. How has your messaging evolved with changing times?

At Tanishq, our intent has always been to keep our customers—the modern Indian woman—at the heart of what we do. It has been our privilege that we have been a part of the Indian women’s natural diamond journey. As she has evolved, so has our messaging. We have introduced new standards of design ethics and of product integrity, thus transforming how jewellery is bought in India.

Whether it is through consciously opting for sustainable sourcing or whether it is about following a rigorous, 7-step process in natural diamond selection to ensure that the shine in the gemstone is the best, we do our best to educate our customer and spread awareness and knowledge on how to buy a piece of jewellery in a bid to ensure that the customer gets the natural diamond that she is paying for.

We make sure that every piece of jewellery that we create is either an ally to the muse, which is the modern Indian woman, or responding in some sense to her unspoken needs, reflecting her changing values, her confidence, her individuality, her progress.

Take for example our stunning campaigns every year. We find many deep ways and means to define one single category. There are our bridal collections—the Tarun Tehlani collection, the polkis and kundans—which are all evolving with and catering to the modern Indian bride who seeks a thoughtful blend of tradition and trend while crafting a unique wedding look.

Then there is jewellery as small as earrings, which can speak to so many different moods, so many different customers and to so many different forms of expression. We weave this sentiment into our messaging, so for instance, this year we have celebrated over 10-12 distinct styles of earrings like climbers and shoulder dusters.

So, what you are saying is that you balance tradition with innovation in your campaigns and messaging?

Yes, that’s correct and we do this across occasions, doing a deep dive into the occasion depending on how needs are evolving. For example, our wedding collection is very detailed and specific— we study what a metro bride needs versus what a Tier II bride needs. So, we are not just designing jewellery, we are shaping sentiments by making jewellery more personal, more immersive and more relevant. The intent is to respond to the customer while staying ahead of and shaping trends.

Is your marketing philosophy also evolving along with your consumers?

Yes, definitely. I won’t say that the essence or core of marketing has changed in the last three decades because like you rightly said, at the end of the day, the modern Indian woman is at the core of everything we do and we are clear that we exist to celebrate her—her dreams, aspirations and evolving identity.

But yes, what has evolved along with her are the stories we tell. Our campaigns, our philosophy— for example the second marriage campaign, the Riva: Marriage Crafted, Drafted By You campaign, where marriage just a place of new beginnings, but of equal beginnings—are about timeless values, but through a modern lens. We don’t just market to her, we grow with her. We listen to her and we amplify her voice.

So how does this tie in with the Élan collection? What was the inspiration behind it and how does it differ from previous collections?

The collection is a tribute to the modern Indian woman who’s elegant, who’s unapologetically herself. It celebrates her arrival, the time when she chooses to shine, to be seen and to be remembered because that’s what the natural diamond as category is all about.

What really sets this collection apart is the fact that it’s got a very global, modern, refined design while staying true to the Tanishq commitment of originality and superior craftsmanship. The filigree gold work provides that layered lace look, giving it a very unique, a very sculpted form which enhances the natural sparkle of the diamond. It’s fresh, it’s layered and it’s very fashion forward, while being timeless and can be worn with both traditional as well as western attire.

What’s really exciting is that the collection has approximately 33 designs to choose from at very sweet price points. And these are available at all of our 258 stores across India. The collection is unique both from a standpoint of accessibility of price and versatility of design.

What upcoming collections or campaigns can the industry look forward to from Tanishq?

For the next one or two months, natural diamonds are the flavour of the season. We’ve already spoken about the Élan collection. Aside from this, we are launching a high value collection very soon, which celebrates natural diamonds in their truest form. Their rarity, timelessness, preciousness, all comes to life in these exotic, beautiful pieces which we are calling our signature pieces. You will see them in the market very soon.

Additionally, we have seen a lot of our customers buying everyday wear jewellery, adding pieces to their repertoire as a form of daily wear expression. In response to this, we are deep diving into categories like earrings and rings, and using both classic and modern designs have come up with multiple campaigns and collections in the daily wear segment. These start at very attractive price points—Rs 10,000.

What kind of innovations can we expect in the jewellery segment over the next few years?

The segment has seen a lot of innovation lately. For instance, we recently also launched a very innovative collection called ‘Switch and Shine’, where at the switch off a button or a click, you could actually change the jewellery—say from a stud into a dangler.

Then there is the Konkan Katha collection in West Bengal, a state where bangles are a very important part of wedding rituals as well as being popular daily wear jewellery items. So we picked a craft popular in the region, re-imagined and manifested it into designs which have since become very, very popular. Some of the bangles are angular, not round, with enamel work and have been truly appreciated by customers.

In Bihar, we launched the Maithili collection, which is again inspired by the craft on ground. Our collections are also being increasingly worn by celebrities and influencers at various international forums, including at Cannes 2025.

It’s been very insightful so far, Pelki, but I’d like to round off this interview with a fun question: which have been your top favorite marketing campaigns for Tanishq?

One of my all time favourites was the second marriage campaign because it was definitely a very new conversation which was happening out there. It was bold for a brand to put this conversation out there, to understand that need from a woman’s perspective. It was also beautifully shot and styled, with the bride wearing diamonds.

Besides that, I also love a campaign that we have done for the Tamil Nadu region. We call it the Pudhumai Penn campaign. It was a celebration of Tamil women, highlighting their duality as custodians of tradition and harbingers of modern thinking. The campaign— inspired by Indian writer, poet, journalist, teacher, Indian independence activist, social reformer and polyglot, Subramania Bharati—amplifies the stories and voices of women who have transformed their lives and are actively shaping the lives of others.

Years ago, Bharati had referred to these strong, influential women as ‘Pudhumai Penn’, and the campaign is Tanishq’s way of celebrating the progressive women of the region.

I love this campaign from a marketing perspective because I just feel that we took insights from that market and nuanced it to the local culture of a region, celebrating not just the change maker in the woman, but also the culture keeper. This duality of thought was truly beautiful.

And finally, I love the Her Choice campaign from recent times. This basically revolves around a woman’s right to define empowerment on her own terms, because at the end of the day, a choice is not what you choose, but it is simply the freedom to choose, and this was a beautiful narrative.