Senco Gold & Diamonds has grown from its roots in Kolkata to become one of India’s largest jewellery retail chains. Formally incorporated as Senco Gold Private Limited in 1994, the company has expanded to over 185 showrooms across 19 Indian states.
With over a decade in the business, Joita Sen, Director and Head of Marketing & Design, has been instrumental in conceptualising and launching sub-brands like Gossip and Everlite, which cater to younger, trend-conscious consumers.
In this conversation, Joita Sen shares insights on how Senco is navigating shifting consumer preferences, regional diversity in jewellery buying behaviour, and the delicate balance between heritage and modernity in India’s evolving jewellery market.
Edited excerpts…
1. Growing up in a business family, what are your earliest memories that still influence your decisions today?
Growing up in a business family — and later marrying into a jewellery business family — my earliest memories are filled with conversations about customers, product, finances and the constant evolution of markets. From a very young age, I observed how every business, irrespective of the category, requires deep understanding: of product nuances, financial discipline, audience behaviour, and most importantly, customer sentiment. These lessons shaped my foundation long before I formally joined Senco Gold & Diamonds.
When I stepped into my role as Director, I realised how much those early learnings guided my instincts. With a young and curious mind, I could identify emerging gaps in the market, which led to the creation of two very distinct sub-brands — Gossip by Senco and Everlite by Senco. Gossip reflects the spirit of young girls exploring their personal style through fun, trendy fashion jewellery. Everlite, on the other hand, captures the essence of today’s modern, hardworking woman who wants fine jewellery that’s lightweight yet makes a strong statement.
Even today, those early memories remind me that business is ultimately about understanding people. That continues to influence every decision I make.
2. How are the preferences of Indian jewellery consumers changing — especially among Gen Z and young millennials — and how is Senco responding to these shifts?
Customers today are very clear about how they want to express their individuality through the jewellery they wear – be it gold, diamonds, platinum, silver or even costume jewellery. We’re seeing more youngsters incorporate precious jewellery into their daily wear, which is leading to more demand for pieces that are light, wearable, personal and versatile. Lower caratage gold pieces and customer needs in 9K and 14K gold are becoming popular too.
We have our finger on the pulse of what different customers want and offer a range of jewellery to meet different designs and price points. Our brands like Gossip, Aham, Everlite and 9KT factor in global design, lightweight and fresh aesthetics. At the same time, we have a strong demand for our gold and diamond collections that we keep relevant with fresh design launches for a generation that values both heritage and modernity.
Our insight-led marketing helps us keep our messaging direct, allowing us to engage with our young customers through a mix of digital storytelling, influencer-led content, and communicate with our older customers using a more traditional approach that they relate to.
3. Are you seeing regional variations in jewellery buying behaviour? How does this influence your design and product decisions?
Absolutely. In a country as diverse and culturally rich as India, every region has its own set of beliefs, design aesthetics and preferences. These nuances are central to our merchandising and design strategy. We create region specific designs to cater to local sentiment, and we bring in purity and weight variations based on each market’s expectations. This allows us to stay culturally rooted while offering designs that feel relevant to the local customer. This year, we have created 11,500 designs across all our sub brands, and markets.
4. What has been your most effective marketing strategy to build brand affinity in both metro and non-metro markets?
All our marketing strategies for our collections are built around our pillars of trust, transparency and integrity, and then we embellish the messaging to connect with a particular region. At the heart of all our campaigns lies an emotional narrative that captures the special moments between loved ones with Senco jewellery, an integral part of their celebrations and family traditions. In the metros, we lean into digital media and influencers to connect with our customers. In non-metro markets, we rely more on hyperlocal outreach, print and TV and in-store activations to build familiarity and trust. What ties everything together is a consistent focus on design value and transparency.
