India’s rich history of jewellery design and craftsmanship has long inspired renowned maisons in Europe and beyond. Even on home turf, established jewellers such as Gem Palace and Amrapali continue to create opulent jewels that celebrate traditional goldsmithing and gem-cutting techniques that date as far back as the Mughal Empire of the 16th century. At the same time as many names continue to pay homage to the country’s past, a growing group of independent designers are looking firmly into the future.
From Jaipur’s multi-generational ateliers to the sleek design studios of Mumbai, these talents are developing cutting-edge innovations to create modern jewels and broadening India’s jewellery legacy. “What sets these designers apart is their personal vision. They distinguish themselves with their fearless eye for design and are unafraid to experiment, [resulting] in higher quality, cooler designs,” says Mumbai-based celebrity stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania, who counts Bollywood stars and India’s style set – including Kareena Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Isha Ambani – as clients.
“What I also love about these names is that not everyone is taking a Western approach. Some designers are still working with traditional jadau and polki [uncut diamonds], but they’re giving them a minimalistic contemporary twist, making them more wearable and fun,” she says. Self-taught designer Hanut Singh was one of the first to open this new chapter when he launched his namesake lab.
