Smartbuy issue dated November 24, 2010

Smartbuy Business Line

G A D G E T S

|

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

A U T O |

L U X U R Y

www.blsmartbuy.com

Gaming special The future of gaming...foretold

Front and inside cover: T3 India

Will you be game?

G

years ago, Nintendo’s Wii brought a new era of motion gaming to the people – 74 million punters have dived in already. Little wonder then that Sony is now ready to join the “wand” era with its Move controller, a sort of Wii remote on steroids, with hi-def games.

Microsoft wants to ditch the controller entirely. Soon, its Kinect will make you the controller, tracking your movements with its cameras, then translating the results to the onscreen action. Finally, Nintendo continues to pioneer new means of control, adding motion sensing to the touch screen and joypad of its 3DS handheld, which also brings 3D gaming without glasses to the mix.

aming is about to change forever: no longer will we be tethered to our consoles with joypads. Game control has already come a long way since the two-way stick/one-button control of Space Invaders, the light guns and paddles of early TV gaming set-ups and the notoriously stiff joystick of the Atari 2600. We’ve had elaborate steering wheels, Nintendo bazookas, mouses and keyboards through to plastic guitars and even vibrating, bullet-sensing vests. However, the lingua franca of console control has always been the gamepad, from the simple rectangle of the NES to the elegant curves of the PlayStation Sixaxis. Are we now ready to dispense with it? Just four

>>Nintendo 3DS<< A

nnounced out of the blue in early 2010, Nintendo’s 3DS gives you 3D visuals without the need for glasses. Not only that, but new control options – motion sensing, a PSP-style analogue nub – and greatly improved graphics are also in the offing. Holding the impressively slim device close to your gaze produces a fantastic illusion of depth, with bullets and insects appearing to fly out of the screen and the horizon stretching deep into the 3.52-inch widescreen. The effect is achieved via a parallax barrier LCD produced by Sharp. The technology works like a lenticular image come to

life; the screen directs light in two different directions, one for each eye, thus tricking your brain into seeing depth that’s not there. Nintendo’s prepping its biggest franchises for the 3DS and each feels like it has had an added layer of depth – pun intended – unlocked by the 3D functionality. In Mario Kart you can judge your corners and banana throws accurately, while in PilotWings, flying through hoops feels far more real, and easier, as you can accurately judge their approach. There’s also a great batch of thirdparty games incoming, including Metal Gear Solid and Resident Evil titles.

Nintendo 3DS’ future

Return of the Wii N

Mario Kart 3DS One of the most hotly anticipated games on the 3DS, prepare for red shells and banana skins flying out of the screen.

The legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D Often hailed as the greatest game of all time, Link’s massive, multilayered quest will be coming at you hopefully in time for Christmas 2011.

Smartbuy

3

November 24, 2010

intendo is “studying and developing the next console to Wii,” according to main man Satoru Iwata. He told investors in Japan that he won’t say “what, when and how” at the moment as, “The history of entertainment is also the history of imitation. A great idea will promptly be copied unless protected through patents.” It seems unlikely the Wii 2 would ditch motion control but what will Nintendo add to it? 3D visuals? Brainwave control? A treadmill? We expect nothing more than tarted up graphics, probably a 3D option for owners of 3D-ready TVs and a more accurate controller…

>>Microsoft Kinect<< S

o, is it a bleeding-edge motion camera that “makes you the controller”? Or is it a more sophisticated EyeToy with knobs on, much as the Sony Move is a more sensitive Wii remote with better graphics? Kinect contains a camera, depth sensor and multi-array mic.

Its proprietary software means it can accurately motion capture your entire body in 3D, recognising your face and voice and tracking your body with a claimed 1:1 response time.

The camera tracks up to six people, but only two active players at a time. It tracks 20 joints per active player but not individual fingers, so forget making ‘Cowboys and Indians’ style, gun-firing gestures in first-person shooters. Kinect automatically recognises and logs you in when you walk in its path then follows you around the room. Intricate motion and voice control of your computerised future-home can’t be far off…

Lose the controller Kinect’s ambitions extend far beyond gaming. It’s no secret that Kinect is not just aimed at existing Xbox owners. Microsoft’s currently researching all kinds of functions for the motion camera which could see remote controls replaced by Minority Report-esque full-body interfaces. Bill Gates sees “incredible value” in using the motion camera on Windows PCs for “meetings, collaboration and communication,” and in the living room for managing movies, music and your home. Peter Molyneux’s Milo AI, a virtual boy who reacts to your movements and conversation, suggests nothing less than a new race of sentient beings. It’s bordering on creepy.

Kinect’s future

Fifa Trainer

Halo

Hone your skills with penaltytaking, passing, goalkeeping and keepy-uppy mini games. A full-on Kinect FIFA or PES is a mouth-watering prospect but could be tricky in practice unless your lounge is the size of Wembley Stadium.

It will be interesting to see if first and third-person shooters can translate to Kinect. The gameplay would have to move forward automatically, on rails – either that or you’d have to jog on the spot. Kinect’s inability to track trigger fingers would necessitate a gun peripheral, too.

Banjo-Kazooie

Guitar Hero

‘In a non-linear 3D world, players gather jigsaw pieces to progress. For this to work on Kinect, focus would have to be on the puzzle elements of game play and the manoeuvres used to hone magical powers. That’s as opposed to having you jump between imaginary platforms in your bedroom and then flapping your wings to fly.

Intricate hand movements are not Kinect’s forte, so perhaps a plastic controller would be preferable for actual guitar playing, while the Kinect tracks your body movements, awarding bonus points for “throwing shapes”.

Smartbuy

4

November 24, 2010

>>Sony Playstation Move<< T

he gaming hardcore now has its own Wii remote. Sony’s PlayStation 3 Move controller promises to bring super-accurate motion gaming to the HD generation. It’s not just for lovers of dancing, keep fit and party games. Sony says the combination of the PlayStation Eye camera and Move’s accelerometers and sensors allows for games that track what the player’s doing at a level of detail “that just isn’t possible elsewhere.” In racquet sport games, Move measures both the angle of your grip and the exact direction and speed of your swing and it’s all replicated closely in the game.

The most exciting thing about PS3’s take though is that it looks set to greatly develop

the more “mature” strand of motion gaming on Wii – Resident Evil 4, Metroid, No More Heroes et al – with plenty of pixel-accurate shooters and fighting games promised.

Developers also have the option to retrofit existing titles with Move control. Hardcore games such as Heavy Rain, Killzone 3 and Gran Turismo 5 are all set to update with support for Move and don’t be surprised to see Call of Duty, GTA 4 and FIFA 2011 follow.

With a competitive price – you can pick up a starter pack for Rs 3,650 – and a much more enticing launch line-up than Kinect, Move could quickly become the front runner in the new generation of gaming devices.

Move’s future Uncharted 3 The first of many rumoured Move titles with a 3 on the end, the next Uncharted is almost certain to take advantage of PS3’s big tech advances, namely 3D and motion control.

Virtua Fighter Move Famed games designer Yu Suzuki has gone AWOL, but when he returns he’s said to be bringing a genre-defining fighting game with him.

Manhunt 3

Resistance 3

Following the highly controversial release of Manhunt 2 on PS2, rumours suggest that the Daily Star’s set to be even more offended when a Move-compatible sequel hits PS3.

The next PS3 FPS instalment’s due to be unveiled any time in the coming months. Motion controlled running and gunning is expected.

PES Move Football gaming on the Move is a market just waiting to be exploited and we reckon it could be the PES series that unlocks its full potential.

"This material is translated or reproduced from T3 magazine and is the copyright of or licensed to Future Publishing Limited, a Future plc group company, UK 2010. Used under license. All rights reserved.”

Smartbuy

5

November 24, 2010

Ketaki Bhojnagarwala hen it came to producing a good sequel, Lionhead Studios outdid itself in Fable 2.

Everything, from graphics to gameplay, was revamped and slicked up, resulting in a gaming experience that left you with severe withdrawal symptoms when you finished. It even prompted Lionhead to come out with two add-ons for the game last year. Fable game designer Peter Molyneux promised Fable 3 would be bigger and better than its prequel, and after months of speculation, we finally got our hands on the Xbox version.

butler Jasper (voiced by John Cleese). You get a sense of déjà-vu when you meet Teresa, who was your guide in Fable 2 and continues as the same in this game. Your aim is to gather as many followers as possible by completing a variety of quests, until you finally become ruler of Albion.

As in Fable 2, you’re given the fundamental choice between good and evil, although you won’t get anywhere on the “Road to Rule” if you choose the evil path. However, once you become ruler of Albion you can choose to either be the legendary monarch your father was or turn tyrant like Logan.

Storyline

Gameplay

Fable 3 picks up where you left off in the prequel, albeit fifty years in the future. Albion is no longer the pristine and beautiful locale it was in Fable 2, instead the age of industry has come to the kingdom, and its people are oppressed and unhappy with the current regime. The King of Albion (who you played in Fable 2) is dead, and you are given a choice to either be the prince or princess. The power of the throne now lies with your evil elder brother Logan, and it’s your job to overthrow him. In this game, you aren’t alone, and you have the help of Sir Walter Beck and your trusty

The gaming experience hasn’t changed much, and for the most part, combat remains the same. You still use X for your sword, Y for your gun and B for casting spells. Rather than making combat a more complicated experience, the developers have chosen not to make major changes. While in Fable 2, if you performed a powerful move with your sword you’d see the results in a slo-mo fashion, in Fable 3, it’s totally random. More often than not, these slow-motion action scenes actually interrupt your combat rather than supplement it.

W

The combat scenes don’t pose much of a challenge. For example, you get a gun which is especially effective against Hollow Men, so you don’t even have to pull out your sword to defeat them. Spells were easy to cast too, and you can switch between them or even use spell combos, which are quite effective, such as Shock and Fireball.

Quests One of the best features of Fable 2 was the gargoyles, and most players will tell you they loved the insults that these stone demons would hurl at them. While the gargoyles themselves are missing in this game, they have instead been replaced with gnomes, which are equally foul mouthed creatures. You can go on a gnome hunting mission by choosing one of the many available quests.

The quests in Fable 3 are more innovative than the ones in the prequel, but they are definitely sillier. One of the quests requires you to dress up in a chicken suit and lure back stray chickens.

Most of the quests will take you to some kind of combat scene though, so you’ll have to be wary of Hobbe or Hollow Men attacks. By completing quests, you gain “Guild Seals” which will take you further on the Road to

Rule, effectively helping you gather more followers.

Character interaction One of the features that make Fable so engaging is the diverse range of characters. Most of the people you meet along the way will have something interesting or funny to say. However, in Fable 3 you have very limited expressions to choose from, unlike in the previous version. You can choose to be evil or good when it comes to interacting with people. More often than not, you only get options to whistle or belch, even if you want to interact repeatedly with a character, which gets boring and monotonous.

Your trusty furry companion, your dog, is always at your side, but in this game he doesn’t get hurt in combat, so he’s pretty much a benign character. During most of the gameplay it was easy to forget that he was there.

Navigation The map in Fable 3 is now placed in the Sanctuary, a safe place where you can teleport at any point. The Sanctuary is also the place where Jasper, your butler, is present, to guide you through the game. This is where your wardrobe and armoury are present, so you can always come back

here to change clothes or weapons. There is a map of Albion in the Sanctuary, which lets you zoom into locations, and see the quest list. Once you select a quest, or location, you can choose to fast travel there. However we found that often we would be teleported some distance from where we wanted to go, and we weren’t able to narrow down on specific locations. So for example, if you wanted to go to the Inn in Bowerstone, there was no way of choosing that particular location, instead you had to travel to Bowerstone and then physically search for the place you want.

certain scene and then save it, which can be a bit of a pain if you’re in a hurry.

Our Verdict Overall, Fable 3 was a bit of a disappointment. The game was played up so much in its previews that we really expected something phenomenal from Peter Molyneux.

While the game scores in terms of plot development, it loses out in combat scenes and character development.

Having played the previous game, a lot of the inadequacies really stand out, nevertheless, the magical kingdom of Albion does its bit to draw you in.

Performance We had problems especially when it came to our dog treasure hunting. Very often he would bark to indicate treasure but there were no treasure chests or silver keys in the vicinity. The famous golden trail also disappeared often, leading us to stop running and wait for it to appear again.

Landscapes were detailed and beautiful, but they lacked the detail that was present in Fable 2.

Another negative was that we weren’t able to save our game at any point we wanted, so often we had to finish a

Rating: Love: Immersive plot Hate: Hardly any changes to gameplay Developer: Lionhead Studios Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios Platform: Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows Rs 2,499 (Standard Edition); Rs 2,999 (Limited Edition)

H

alo: Reach happens to be Bungie’s last Halo game for Microsoft before they move forward on their multi-platform publishing deal with Activision. With expectations so high, you have to hand it to them for not taking the easy way out and falling back on Master Chief for security. Could Bungie build an interesting experience based on a planet whose fate most Halo nuts are familiar with, or at least know the end of? Will they finally come good on all the promises?

First impressions They have, and in style no less. First impressions are overwhelmingly positive. The menus are high on usability and unusually clean, while the cutscenes are well directed and gritty, utilising a lot of handheld and documentary-esque camera work. This is also the first game in the series that lets you bring a custom Spartan into campaign mode (either male or female). Your well-rounded squad mates, who make up Noble Team, are a bit less generic. Not only are they fully voiced, but they also have distinct characters, names and identifiable ethnicities. The game also makes it a point to show you their well-rendered faces as often as it can, especially during cutscenes and downtime between firefights.

The writing is also a lot tighter than previous games in the series. The common citizenry also make more than a few largely ill-fated appearances. They show enough emotion to make you care about their fates as well as that of Reach. Martin O’ Donnell’s score is even more sweeping and memorable than usual. The voice cast loses the B-list celebrities that were in last year’s ODST and is all the better for it. You’ll know your team by name by the end of the game and it’ll break your heart when some of them eventually fall in battle.

NOTE: Multi-player is an essential component of the Halo: Reach experience, but due to time limitations, this review is based solely on the game’s single-player campaign.

Design The art design has seen the most work though, and the art style has gone from goofy to realistic thanks to the use of muted colour tones and richer, more detailed textures. The levels also feel more lived in, with buildings that actually seem habitable with well designed and fully furnished interiors. Reach also has some of best looking skyboxes in gaming. The levels have also been opened out vertically, and for good reason.

The level design also conveys scale incredibly

well despite the number of freeform sequences being much lower here than in previous games in the series.

This is the sort of game you’ll be showing off on your HDTV. As good as it is, there are still a few minor niggles with the graphics. The frame rate does drop during some of the larger battles, and some of the cutscenes have an unusual blur about them, possibly caused by similar frame rate hitches.

Gameplay Bungie could probably make a Halo game in their sleep by now, so it isn’t a surprise that the four-player online co-op-ready campaign plays like you’d expect it to.

There have been some changes, such as a new armour abilities system that allows you to equip buffs you pick up in the field. The most memorable of these abilities is the jetpack (put to good use by the verticality mentioned earlier), which you’ll use for a bit of platforming in the middle of the game.

Dual-wielding has been jettisoned, but it isn’t something you’ll miss. It also wouldn’t be a Halo game without vehicles. The warthog is back in the thick of it, and you’ll also see the obligatory Scorpion tank sequence. The enemy AI is as good as it’s always been (although the friendly NPC driving AI is as broken as it was in the first Halo). You’ll find fighting the Brutes and Elites a challenge even on the normal difficulty.

You’ll also curiously be able to sidestep a lot of battles and run straight to your objective. The campaign on normal should last you 8-10 hours, and there isn’t a boring moment in it.

Our Verdict A lot of you will already be playing this game by the time this review is out. For anyone still on the fence, this is the best Halo game, period. We can only hope that with Bungie moving on, Microsoft’s 343 Industries will take the cue and continue pushing the series down a more character-driven and realistic path.

When you include the extensive multiplayer suite with fully customisable match types, firefight mode, a replay theatre and the enhanced Forge world builder, there’s enough content here to last you a year. Add in the challenging higher difficulties and campaign achievements and you’ve got one of the best gaming packages in the market today.

Love: Looks achingly beautiful, exciting story, deep multiplayer component Hate: Minor frame rate hitches Rating: Publisher: Microsoft Developer: Bungie Platform: Xbox 360 Price: Rs 2,599 CHIP

AUTO focus

New A8 trumps with lively interiors, but slumps with dead steering Jason H.Harper t’s a good time to be in the market for a big, black car.

This is the Golden Age for executive-style sedans, those urbane missiles stealthily idling outside halls of power.

Audi’s latest entry is its fourth-generation A8 flagship, a brash four-door that starts at $78,925 and is being released this month.

This time around, the Ingolstadt, Germany-based Company isn’t just facing segment stalwarts Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series. It’s going against the fantastic Jaguar XJ, the four-door Porsche Panamera and even an Aston Martin.

Like any fight for alpha domination, it’s going to get nasty.

Audi is on a mission to increase market share and decided to bypass an evolutionary design and go for the throat - mainly by dumping its traditional understated look. The ostentatious new A8 wears its wealth like a lion’s mane.

Just look at the vainglorious grill. Actually, I dare you not to look at it. Eight horizontal blades barring a massive black maw, it encompasses the entire span from hood to underside.

I

The sedan isn’t any less bold from the side, with three strong lines spanning the body, signalling depth and movement. Confident 19-inch wheels fill out the arches.

The BMW 7 Series seems sober in comparison, the Mercedes S-Class downright dowdy.

I tested the regular-wheelbase version. It’s 5.1-inches shorter than the extended-wheelbase sedan, sacrificing rear legroom. From the driver’s seat with seatbelt on, I still couldn’t touch the rear seat. Still, one wonders what executive underachiever would opt for the stumpier model.

The A8 L starts at $84,875.

Big Egos For really big egos, a 500-horsepower 12-cylinder engine will be available next spring.

Yet my enjoyment and creeping sense of entitlement hit a serious bump when I put it into drive. The A8 is gifted with sporting elements like an aluminium frame and allwheel-drive, but the steering is all wrong.

The power steering is speed sensitive, so the steering wheel is easy to turn in a parking lot and becomes firmer as you speed up - on the highway for instance. BMW uses a similar setup and it has rarely bothered me.

Yet the A8’s wheel feels particularly numb and lifeless, any connection to the road underneath the tyres, lost in a

Smartbuy

9

November 24, 2010

digital ghost world.

It’s actually worse in the sporting-minded “dynamic” mode, when it feels like you’re fighting against the wheel.

Hopes for fun on a narrow back road leaked away as I tried to figure out how much traction I had on the wet asphalt. I soon gave up and backed off.

Jaguar Preference I suspect it’s a matter of tuning the system. That’s a shame, as the eight-speed transmission and 4.2-litre, direct- injected V-8 work in easy harmony, and the 372 horses lend ample power. There may be a great ride lurking in there, but I prefer the in-your-face verve of the Jaguar XJ, which gets 385 horsepower from its base V-8 and has no kinks to work out.

What is undeniable is the power of the interior. While the XJ and the 7 Series have superb cockpits, the A8’s mix of shiny tech and man-cave comforts is hard to beat.

Alcantara, leather, pretty wood, shiny aluminium, highdefinition screens - they cover every inch of the inside in a luxurious jigsaw.

This class of car often becomes a war of numbers. The power seats have 18 adjustments; the available Bang & Olufsen stereo 19 speakers and 1,400 watts of power.

I even liked the massaging features in the front seats, a

technology I previously deemed insufferable.

Touchpad Letters There’s no lack of innovation either. The best is the infotainment system’s new touchpad, which allows you to draw letters on its surface with a fingertip. After a few minutes of practice, you can input a destination easily and quickly. The flat shifter is placed just behind so you can rest your palm on it. Genius.

My test car came to $88,625. It lacked the available sport differential and torque-vectoring systems, both of which would have aided the handling. It included 20-inch summer tyres ($1,200) and LED headlights bright enough to blind Apollo ($1,400).

There’s always a question when evaluating an uber-

sedan, especially the long-wheelbase versions - is it aimed at a self-driving titan or a puppeteer who prefers the back seat? Once you get in this price territory, it really shouldn’t matter. Everybody better be happy.

It’s odd that Audi thought of everything except perfecting the most elemental bit - driving. For this, the Porsche Panamera, Jaguar XJ, 7 Series and Aston Martin Rapide take driving honours over the A8.

(At twice the price, the Rapide wins the beauty contest, but lags miles behind in terms of electronics and back-seat comfort.) Stuck in traffic, the A8 comes out on top. It’s only when you get moving again that the picture becomes more clouded.

(The author writes about autos for Muse, the arts and leisure section of Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are his own.)

The 2011 Audi A8 at a glance Engine: 4.2-litre V-8 with 372 horsepower and 328 pound-feet of torque Transmission: 8-speed automatic Speed: 0 to 60 mph in about 5.6 seconds Gas mileage per gallon: 17 city; 27 highway Best feature: The wow-worthy interior Worst feature: The dead steering Target buyer: The titan who’s stuck in traffic Price as tested: $88,625

MELANGE luxury redefined

Fine writing Italian luxury pen brand, OMAS, steps into India with three of its bestsellers - Arte Italiana, The 360 Collection and Emotica as well as two limited edition pens, The Silky Way and Phoenix.

Available at William Penn stores.

Rs 12,000 to Rs 23,000

Packing a punch Quite literally, as Diesel’s newest ‘Only the Brave’ lemony, woody cedar, amber and violet fragrance comes in a glass sculpture shaped like a fist. Available at select lifestyle stores.

Rs 3,800 (75ml)

Winter glam Strappy sandals, peep-toe pumps, sculpted art heels, zipper backs and glamorous colours.

Tresmode’s Fall Winter 2010 collection is a party must-have. Available at Tresmode stores.

Rs 6,990 (in pic)

Travel friends Dazzling diva Swarovski does the magic again in its Meringue set with a sparkling pendant in Montana cut crystal and a gradation of pave set clear crystals on a rhodium-plated chain. Head to Swarovski boutiques for more.

Rs 9,500

s.Oliver’s latest launch is three classy suitcases to tug along for holidays and business trips. Available in varying sizes, metallic black, silver and aquamarine blue colours at select s.Oliver flagship and exclusive stores across India.

Rs 5,999 to Rs 7,999

Smartbuy

11

November 24, 2010

WEB jewels

A girl’s best friend…online Acquiring a piece of jewellery is perhaps one of the most intimate and over-planned purchases made by us. But the dynamics of buying precious ornaments has seen a significant change with online portals encouraging jewellery shopping.

ANUSHYA MAMTORA explores the ‘click for the bling’ syndrome

S

hould I or shouldn’t I? As your cursor shifts doubtfully around the ‘Buy now’ button, it is time to answer the big question looming in your mind.

You are not new to e-shopping; you’ve bought some perfumes, a dress and even some books online at heavily discounted rates and they were mailed to you in perfect condition. But buying gold, diamonds and precious stones is a different ball game altogether. Aspects of quality, grading, craftsmanship, authentication and parting with a sizeable sum of money without even trying on the selected piece are unimaginable for traditional jewellery buyers.

However, online jewellery portals have success stories of their own. Their growth is significant, their target customer base expanding, and their collections and offers are mind blowing. So, if you are willing to sacrifice the narcissistic moment of beaming at the mirror as you adorn one sparkler after the other, shopping online is a convenient and a slightly less expensive bet.

There are four prominent web options – stores which have their online portals as an add-on, full-fledged online jewellers, online auction houses which sell jewellery and exclusive shopping clubs with jewellery sales.

In store vs online From national players to local jewellers, giving customers an option to shop for jewellery online is a strategy that is warming up. The advantages here are plenty. The element of trust is easy to establish as the customer would have already been a visitor to the store or is at least assured of its existence in case of any problem. For example, jewellery major Tanishq jumped into the web space in May 2010 with a simple collection of earrings, chains, pendants and rings in the range of Rs 5,000 to Rs 50,000, treading cautiously in its new avatar. The brand kept the pricing

limited and has seen a good response from men who log in for easy gifting options, explains Calvin, Brand Manager, Tanishq, adding that the prices are slightly lower compared to the store.

While Tanishq has wide national presence and brand recognition that works to its advantage, there are local jewellers who go a step ahead and retail high-end exquisite pieces through their online portal. GRT Jewellers, which has a strong presence in Tamil Nadu, has a wide range of jewellery – from contemporary to antiques to wedding – to add to your shopping cart online.

In the web world alone Giving a new dimension to jewellery shopping in India, CaratLane.com stepped in two years ago as the first online diamond jewellery store and was soon packing off solitaires to unheard-of towns in India. Apart from loose diamonds, precious and semi precious stone jewellery collections, bridal sets and wedding bands are also on sale.

Kalaivani Sadagopan, GM of CaratLane.com says, “When we started in 2008, we thought low ticket items will sell but now our average ticket size is Rs 75,000 to Rs 80,000.

We are also priced 10-25 per cent lower compared to other

Smartbuy

12

November 24, 2010

Earrings from Saffronart

stores and online retailers since the inventory is virtual.”

This is perhaps the greatest advantage of shopping with an online jeweller, though people take time to develop a sense of trust and move to bigger transactions. She also adds that since solitaires are a specification driven product, the buying experience does not involve much of look and feel, making it easier for their loose diamond customers to purchase online. To establish a relationship with its customers, the website offers the services of diamond consultants with a 24x7 toll-free number and even lets them customise their jewellery.

Bidding for one For connoisseurs who are always on the look out for exclusive pieces, heirlooms and limited edition creations, online auction houses have some out of the world options.

Starting out as auctioneers of art and artefacts, popular auction houses like Bid & Hammer and Saffronart have

embraced jewellery as a category. The latter recently had their Autumn Online Auction of Fine Jewels and Watches 2010 and saw a gorgeous pair of emerald and diamond earrings being picked up by a bidder for a whopping Rs 85.10 lakh. Minal Vazirani, Co-founder and President of Saffronart feels that unlike the art scene which is still nascent in India, the country is one of the largest and most sophisticated markets for jewellery, however, an online auction platform gives jewellery lovers an opportunity to see unusual jewellery, rare gem stones and historical pieces. While the most popular jewellery are traditional Indian craft like exquisite jadau, polki or meenakari, Minal adds that bidders can acquire them at lower prices at an auction when compared to a jeweller.

Shopping websites Another online option for buying a piece of jewellery at a discounted price is by becoming members of online shop-

ping clubs like www.fashionandyou.com, www.brandmile.com, www.99labels.com and others. These exclusive clubs offer you amazing discounts on luxury branded products and jewellery is a constant too. Apart from designer jewellery brands, luxury players like Mirari and Hazoorilal too have displayed select ranges at exclusive prices for members.

Golden trinkets as a gift for best friend, a colourful briolette ‘whim buy’ for yourself, an emerald and diamond drop-dead magnificent earring for your collection or just a stunning rock you want to self-design later into a cocktail ring, the virtual space is glittering with options.

For a great experience

Solitaires and bangles (above): CaratLane.com

Online platforms have some neat features incorporated to up the shopping experience: ● Viewing from all angles and effective zoom to focus on the craftsmanship ● Details of dimensions to the minutest detail, sometimes even in relation to a familiar object like a coin ● Picture of jewellery on model to visualise how it would look on you ● Options of uploading your photograph and then donning different pieces of jewellery, which is a great feature some websites have adopted ● PDF downloads of ring and wrist size for those who want to buy rings and bangles or bracelets ● Shipping in a complimentary ring or bangle sample in plastic to give customers a better understanding of the size ● Auction houses have exclusive previews where you can take a peek at the jewellery to be auctioned and even try them on

Look out for: ● The reputation of the brand and its presence in the market ● Details of the product – Gold cartage, 5Cs of diamonds and grading of other precious stones and metals ● Authenticity certificate with the product ● Policies on refund, cancellation and replacement ● Transparency of quality as well as the prices

Smartbuy

13

November 24, 2010

BEVERAGE launch

Johnnie Walker at its best

Luca gets two more wines

Delhi Duty Free and Diageo have unveiled the new blend of Scotch Whisky Johnnie Walker XR 21 YO, inspired by the handwritten notes of Sir Alexander Walker, grandson to founder John Walker. The nose is full and rich with a smooth balance of golden honey, vanilla and sweet fruits on the palate and the finish lingering with a layer of aged oak. Served best with chocolate fudge, honey nut biscuits, rye bread and ginger cake.

Available at Delhi Duty Free.

Nirvana Biosys’s flagship brand Luca gets two additions to its portfolio – Merlot red wine and Muscat white wine. The bright red Merlot is said to have an intense aroma of fresh fruit and teams well with red and white meat, and the golden yellow Muscat is aromatic with rich fruit extracts and honey and can be savoured with spicy Asian cuisine as well as white meat.

Rs 400 (750ml); Rs 210 (375ml)

US $105

Dom Perignon gets arty

SKYY is the limit

Paying tribute to Andy Warhol, one of the most illustrious artists of the 20th century, Dom Perignon Vintage 2000 has an exclusive collection of bottles designed by the Design Laboratory at Central Saint Martins School of Art & Design, inspired by Warhol’s unconventional representation of icons, and the playful use of codes and colours. The Dom Perignon Vintage 2000 has fresh and crisp notes with accents of white pepper and gardenia. Available at airport duty free shops and select night clubs.

Price on request

It’s citrus and passion fruit all the way for SKYY Infusions Vodka, part of Gruppo Campari’s portfolio, which launched in India this month. While the Citrus flavoured vodka is an ideal cocktail companion with its juicy lemon and zesty lime notes, the Passion Fruit is a heady mix of peachy and mango flavours with purple passion fruit floral notes. Available in select hotels, restaurants and retail outlets across India.

Indo-Italian wines Fratelli Wines has introduced its first vintage in India, which includes a Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc. The Cabernet Sauvignon has aromas of black cherries and plums, the Sauvignon Blanc, a fresh nose of bell peppers and the Chenin Blanc has subtle hints of citrus and melons. Available across Mumbai and Pune.

Rs 1,940 (700ml)

Rs 260 to Rs 650 (375 ml to 750 ml)

Smartbuy

14

November 24, 2010

WATCH collection

A Luminor from Panerai Officine Panerai’s latest, this Luminor Marina 1950 3 Days Automatic Composite 44mm is striking in its brown Panerai Composite case and dial and an antiquated brown leather strap.

Available: Select watch stores Price on request

A first from DG Xmas specials Piaget’s festive timepieces includes this Limelight Magic Hour that fancies in its oblique case, studded diamonds and flinque white dial.

Available: Piaget store at The Oberoi, Mumbai and Emporio Mall, New Delhi Price on request

The first watch ever with dual analogue and mechanical digital display, de GRISOGONOs limited edition Meccanico dG that captivates in its contemporary design.

Available: de GRISOGONO boutiques $10,00,000 onwards

Zone hopping Boasting three time zones and crafted with four materials – palladium, titanium, ceramic and rubber, Patravi TravelTec FourX from Carl F. Bucherer is the latest to don the globetrotter’s wrist.

Available: Ethos SUMMIT boutiques Rs 2,35,00,000

TAG’s next Rose gold ruthenium and ceramic gets crafted into this pioneering 60-piece limited edition Monaco V4 Next Generation.

Available: Select watch and jewellery outlets Rs 45 lakh (approx)