Clothes may make the man or woman but so does wearing the right jewellery. And while diamonds are forever and gold is timeless, there is something exciting about wearing head-turning, chunky, funky statement jewellery.

They may not be molded out of pricey gold and yet, a bejeweled metallic choker or an individualistic ring can make even the plainest outfit stand out. Luckily, the local atelier has plenty of options available for the jewellery enthusiast.

Here’s a look at all the unique, standout baubles that are currently on offer, perfect for the festive season and fabulous enough to be worn long afterwards!

For the fashion savvy...and the well-pocketed!: Outhouse

There’s no doubt that India’s Outhouse Jewellery is stunning. The brand focuses on rose gold-plated metal fashioned into eccentric, complicated pieces, embedded with semi-precious stones and pearls and accentuated by dangling chains and beads.

The Margaritaville collection, part of the current line-up, combines art deco with bold oranges and blacks. The Jewel Vows capsule is more feminine and delicate, blending pearls with soft hues and gold.

Ever since Sana Hafeez Sheikh brought limited capsule editions of the brand into Pakistan, we’ve been seeing plenty of Outhouse modeled by celebrities, fashion designers and ‘it’ girls on the red carpet and complementing Sana Safinaz’s luxury-wear on the catwalk and billboards.

The brand’s sporadic exhibits in Karachi and Lahore are also faring well, attended by a select crowd that enjoys jewellery and is willing to spend a lot on it.

For Outhouse is certainly pricey, beginning at Rs. 8,000 and easily winding its way up to Rs. 60, 000 for the heavier pieces.

Is it worth these hefty sums? The fashion-savvy, well-pocketed niche seems to think so. Then again, Outhouse designs are often too similar which limits the number of pieces a single client would want to purchase.

For anybody who likes jewellery that glistens from afar and screams affluence, Outhouse is an easy choice.

Available through frequent exhibits and private appointments made via e-mail at outhousepakistanofficial@gmail.com or by calling at 0300-2270919.

For adding the royal touch: Shehla Chatoor

Shehla Chatoor is proficient at striking a balance between edgy and classic beauty, with her apparel as well as with her jewellery line, launched last year. There’s a definite feminity to Shehla’s jewels, merged with funky artistry and translated into a rich concoction of chokers, earrings and rings. They are pretty enough for Eid, striking enough for a wedding and oozing glamour well worth the red carpet.

The current line, priced between Rs.. 9,000 and Rs. 30,000, boasts classic pieces in pearls, kundan encrusted with yellow topaz, semi-precious emeralds, corals and druzy.

Available at Shehla’s studio in Karachi (021-35849523 and 021-35849524).

For the ones looking to possess unique artistry: Rema Luxe

As the name implies, Rema Qureshi creates jewellery that is decisively luxe. Her fledgling brand stands out for merging delicate artistry with a slight veer towards the out of the box. Everybody else may just create earrings and so does Rema; but she also has fancy ear-cuffs on offer, with chains dangling down the ear.

Neck-pieces can be found here and there but Rema goes a step ahead by also creating bold body harnesses, starting from the neck and draping the upper torso. An earring may be accompanied by ear accessories like clasps that can be attached to the upper end of the ear. There are basic rings and then there are multi-band rings, midi rings and multi-band hand harnesses (that’s the ‘panja’, in local lingo).

Inspirations vary from feathers and filigree from the initial ‘Cuspate’ collection to the evil eyes and Swarovski elements in the latest Wander Luxe line. Fashioned out of sterling silver and brass, with occasional exclusive pieces in gold, the brand features quite frequently at fashion shows, society soirees and any other event worth its mettle, a favorite amongst local stars and starlets.

But the celebrity clientele is hardly a major incentive for buying Rema Luxe – the designs are gorgeous enough to draw buyers all on its own. Prices range from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 40,000.

Available at the Rema Luxe flagship store in Lahore and also through frequent exhibits and online via the brand’s e-store.

For the culture buff: Inaaya

Naushaba Brohi’s Inaaya specializes in taking indigenous handicraft and making it modern like never before. The apparel has made a mark through its unique odes to rilli and following suit, the hand-made jewellery uses thread-weaves, mirror-work, embroideries and threads wound over wires, transforming them onto jhumkas, bracelets, necklaces cum body-belts, matha pattis, teekas and baazobands.

These are embellishments that we are all familiar with, having often seen them at handicraft stalls around the country. And yet, they’ve never been wielded before into such interesting, individualistic pieces.

These are pieces of our heritage, created through hours of painstaking work. The latest line, ‘Flourish’, has been handcrafted by the women artisan of Babarloi, Sindh. The Inaaya statement comes at a high price, beginning at Rs. 3,000 and rising to Rs. 12,000 for multi-tiered, standout ‘durris’.

Available online via Facebook and through the brand’s sporadic exhibits.

For the women who appreciate tribal glory: FnkAsia

Chic ethnic statements have long been FnkAsia’s forte and they resonate well with designer Huma Adnan’s aptly-called range of ‘FnkAccessories’. Strong tribal elements predominantly define this line; threads intricately woven together; beads, pearls and metal and digital print on paper, foiled and embedded onto oversized Maharaja necklaces, rings and wrist-bands.

The inspirations vary from geometrics to florals to most recently, Mughal miniatures.

“I don’t really follow any jewellery trends. I prefer to create timeless pieces of indigenous art,” says Huma.

With prices beginning at about Rs. 4,000, going up to Rs. 15,000, FnkAsia’s tribal glory is for the hip and happening girl who doesn’t mind spending a bit. The label’s recent catwalk outings highlight a fun way to wear the pieces, dangling the wrong-way around down the back and tied around the wrist, the upper arm or even at the ankle!

Available at the FnkAsia store in Park Towers, Karachi or through the brand’s online e-store.

For the photography enthusiasts with a flair for fashion: Khaula Jamil

Not many people know that Khaula Jamil creates one-of-a-kind jewellery. The photographer cum jewellery designer keeps a low profile at most times, building her business step by step, cufflink by cufflink. However, the people who are familiar with Khaula’s ‘K for Karachi’ line usually end up buying it often. It’s that unique, that usable, with ounces of patriotism added in for good measure.

Khaula takes photographs – usually around the city of Karachi – miniaturizes them, embeds them in thick plastic and fixes them onto silver. Traversing long-forgotten architecture, Hindu temples and vibrant Parsi rangoli, Khaula’s cufflinks, dangling earrings, rings, tops and double-tiered necklaces invariably have a story to tell – and they look pretty good too!

Priced between Rs. 5,500 and Rs. 8,500, the pieces may not please aficionados with a penchant for oversized accessories. But they’ll be loved by anybody who likes to look different and particularly, by the people of Karachi, the predominant source of Khaula’s inspiration.

Available at the Sania Maskatiya store at Dolmen City Mall Karachi where Khaula stocks regularly and also online via Facebook

For the jewellery newbie: Cool trinkets by Khaadi

Khaadi’s limited capsule collections of trinkets, launched last year, are utterly cool, affordable and colorful. There are multi-tiered necklaces in metal and firoza, lovely dangling earrings with floral designs and a range of classy casual rings.

Most of the jewelry has been created with textured metal and set with a mix of synthetic and real semi-precious stones and it’s all available at prices ranging from Rs. 400 to about Rs. 2,500. It’s just what the market needs perfect for the fashion-lovin’ working woman or the college girl with a penchant for design.

Sadly, though, the brand’s initial line of ‘Allah’ rings is no longer available, the production halted because some customers took offence to holy calligraphy on jewelry. The mass-friendly geometrics and florals that are currently available are also pretty cool.

Available at Khaadi outlets countrywide.

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Maliha Rehman is a fashion and lifestyle journalist with a penchant for writing, all the time! Log on to Twitter for more updates @maliharehman