Diagram 4: Design Catalogue — Concept to Client

Diagram 4

Design Catalogue — Concept to Client

The catalogue is the bridge between your studio in India and your clients in the US. A client in Houston who saw a pendant at your Atlanta show three months ago needs to be able to reference it, share it with her husband, and confirm her interest — all before she commits. That only works if the catalogue is sharp, accurate, and in the right hands at the right time.

flowchart TD A([Merchandising Issues Season Brief to Design]) --> B[Design Team Creates Concepts — Sketches & CADs] B --> C{Internal Review: Creative + Commercial} C -->|Revise| B C -->|Approved| D[Assign Design Code Record in Master Register] D --> E[Wax Model / 3D Print Prototype Made] E --> F[Sample Piece Made in India Workshop] F --> G{Sample Review: Quality & Price Check} G -->|Revise| F G -->|Cleared| H[Professional Jewellery Photography — India Studio] H --> I[Image Editing & Brand Formatting] I --> J[Catalogue Entry Created: Code · Metal · Stones · Weight · Price] J --> K[Digital Catalogue Updated on Secure Drive / Portal] K --> L[Exhibition Print Catalogue Prepared] L --> M[CRM Team Receives Piece-Level Digital Access] M --> N[RM Shares Specific Pieces with Matched Clients] N --> O{Client Interested?} O -->|Yes — ready piece| P[Reserve Piece for Client Order Raised] O -->|Yes — custom| Q[Custom Brief Initiated Design Code Referenced] O -->|Not now| R[Keep in Nurture Catalogue Revisit Next Season] P --> S([Order Mgmt Takes Over]) Q --> S R --> T[Archive This Version with Date Stamp] T --> U([Next Season Brief Cycle Begins]) style A fill:#1B2A4A,color:#C9A84C,stroke:#1B2A4A style S fill:#2C5F2E,color:#fff,stroke:#2C5F2E style U fill:#2C5F2E,color:#fff,stroke:#2C5F2E style C fill:#2C3E6B,color:#fff,stroke:#3D5A8A style G fill:#2C3E6B,color:#fff,stroke:#3D5A8A style O fill:#2C3E6B,color:#fff,stroke:#3D5A8A

Notes

Stage by Stage

What each step means in practice

1

Design Code from Day One Every approved design gets a code before the sample is made. Something like 'NECK-DIA-001-25' tells you it's a necklace, diamond, first design of 2025. When a client in Houston says 'I'm interested in that necklace from the Atlanta show,' you need to pull it up in 10 seconds, not search through 200 photos.

2

Price Check at Sample Stage The sample is when you discover the real manufacturing cost. A design that looked feasible at Rs 3.5 lakh on paper often comes back at Rs 4.2 lakh once the bench work is done. Do the price check before the photography — not after. Repricing after the catalogue is printed is embarrassing.

3

Photography — Non-Negotiable Quality Your client in New Jersey is comparing your catalogue with pieces from Tanishq, Malabar, and local American jewellers. The photography has to be clean, lit properly, and true to the metal colour. Yellow gold that photographs orange, or diamonds that look dull under bad lighting, will kill a sale before you've even spoken to the client.

4

Secure Digital Catalogue The catalogue contains piece weights, stone grades, and wholesale prices. It should not go out as an open PDF. Use a password-protected link or a CRM portal. Your relationship managers share specific pieces with specific clients — not the full catalogue to everyone.

5

Design Code in Custom Briefs When a client wants a custom version of a catalogue piece, reference the design code in the brief. This tells the India studio exactly which base design to start from. It saves three rounds of back-and-forth about what the client means by 'something similar to that pendant.'

6

Archive Every Edition When next season's catalogue replaces this one, archive the current version with a date and a record of which pieces sold, which were returned, and which are still in stock. In 18 months, when a client asks about 'that ring from the first show,' you'll be glad you kept it.

Checklist

Design Catalogue — Concept to Client

Stage by Stage

Operational Checklist