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Moody Greys

The New-Gen Woman Goes Back To Her Roots And Adorns Herself With Silver And Gold Jewellery Inspired By Temple Motifs That Evoke Old-world Charm.

Saffronart's Dialogue On Jewellery In Praise Of Indian Jewels

Adornment in India is a way of life – it’s intricately linked from birth to death – and thus, it is not surprising that every single person owns at least one piece of jewellery.

Unorthodox Artistry

Raised on talks related to arts, crafts, paintings and design since childhood, London-based Akansha Sethi soon realised that her métier was designing jewellery that captured her travelogues, her inspirations in gold. The gifted young prodigy is already creating waves in the field.

Structural Wonders

Architect and award-winning jeweller Marcia Budet talks about her transition fromthe world of brick-and-mortar to that of gemstone and prongs.

Faidee's Love Affair With Rubies

One-of-a-kind jewels took centre stage at the world’s first ‘Burmese Ruby Exhibition’ helmed by Faidee, with the  jeweller’s favoured motifs holding sway over visitors.

The Art Of De Grisogono

Swiss jeweller de GRISOGONO’s 163.41-carat perfect white diamond is the largest of its kind ever to come to auction and the most valuable gem the house has ever set. It is also the first step in a game-changing move on the cusp of its 25th anniversary.

Gold Lust

The new-age bride-to-be references the past, but adds a fresh spin by opting for heavily detailed 22-karat gold jewellery that is handcrafted with ancient techniques and adorned with uncut diamonds and rubies. Paired with exclusive and trendy ensembles that reflect her high style, she proves that she is a trendsetter in the true sense of the word – her chutzpah and swish demeanour tell all.

A Mix Of Old And New

Gut instinct to follow one’s choice of profession, and a zeal for all things creative and thinking out of-the-box – a combination of these traits has made this first generation, Kolkata based jewellery designer Radhika Jain popular. She speaks about the genesis of her brand MiRa and her journey thereafter.

Evergreen Beauty

The PAPYRUS watch by Cartier is a breathtaking composition that ingeniously unites its creativity as a jeweller and expertise as a watchmaker in a dazzling, viridescent display of gemstones.

Refined Minimalism

If you browse through Ageerika Hari’s jewellery at her brand Vaitaanika’s flagship store in Shahpur Jat, New Delhi, you will find that though the pieces are very much driven by Indian sensibilities, they have an air of restrained elegance. Textured gold, relief work, openwork elements and a bevy of gemstones are complemented by clean lines, symmetry and simplicity in forms. The pieces are striking without being overbearing or loud. The brand embraces individuality to its fullest as Ageerika creates only one piece of every design. Once sold, the design is never repeated at the workshop. Ageerika speaks to Aliya Ladhabhoy about the brand’s minimalistic lines.

The Art and the Artist

A painting elicits an outpouring of different reactions from its viewers as each person has an individual way of interpreting a familiar object through his or her lens of aesthetics, beliefs, and appreciation. it is the virtuosity of a painter to bring together her technical skills and infuse a bit of soul, artistic vision and imagination on the canvas. the power of a painting lies in an artist’s ability to share a story and use the painting as a medium to convey a deeper truth.

Vancleef Reinterprets Noah's Ark

High-end couture maison Van Cleef & Arpels retells the story of the famous Noah’s Ark by paying a gemmy homage to the biblical tale.

vartika singh: more than just pretty

in a freewheeling interview on the sidelines of the shoot, vartika singh talks candidly to adorn about her achievements.

leshna shah: the high priestess of design

jewellery creations that are reflective of nature or undulating landscapes in an abstract way usually evoke a sense of wonder.

dual artistry

the lines between fashion and couture jewellery are blurring.

purist

impassioned pursuance of art can produce spectacular results, as is the case with this unique online brand lai designs. designer-founder puja bhargava kamath speaks her heart out about the genesis of the brand and how her creations merge the best of both the worlds – indian and mid-century modern aesthetics.

Speaks Design

For a fairly new entrant in the world of jewellery, Mumbai-based designer Neha Roongtas designs are creating ripples. Her one-off compositions are bold and global in design, deftly combining the glamour quotient with high quality finish and unique gem settings.

Transforming Treasures

Repurposing or remodelling old, inherited jewellery has many paybacks, prime among them is being able to retain and wear the piece that has sentimental value attached to it. The other reason is to preserve such pieces that are created with timeless crafts most of which are today on the verge of extinction. Shanoo Bijlani spoke to three top designers from India to find out their take on the subject.

The Power Of Jewellery

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is holding anexhibition Jewelry: The Body Transformed that will explore the ways in which jewellery acts upon the body, its adornment functions; its ritualistic symbolisms, and how it fuels aspirations and more to form a collective, cultural memory. The exhibition will open on November 12 this year and run through February 24 next year.

Ahead Of Her Times

Padma Shri recipient SHAHNAZ HUSAIN needs no introduction. The woman who broke the glass ceiling is one of the most recognised entrepreneurs who revolutionised the cosmetic industry by advocating the use of natural, herbal Ayurvedic products in India and abroad. The founder, chairperson and managing director of the Shahnaz Husain Group of Companies forayed into this field four decades ago, long before ‘organic’ and ‘herbal’ became household words. Recently, Harvard University added her business model as a case study to its curriculum.A style icon, Shahnaz belongs to a family of eminent legal luminaries. Her Oxfordeducated father, former chief justice N.U. Beg, instilled in her a love of poetry and English literature, and forced her to think beyond just business. Thus, Shahnaz pioneered vocational training in beauty in India in keeping with international standards.Women’s empowerment and humanitarian activities have always been close to her heart.In an email interview, Shahnaz speaks about her distinctive style, her love for jewellery and watches, her quest to promote Ayurveda beauty care and her future plans.

Taking Glass To A New Level

Debasmita Ghosh from Ahmedabad belongs to a breed of artists, who express their ideas by using common material – in her case she prefers the humble glass. In December 2017, Debasmita launched her brand Aadikara, meaning the first creator, and another name for Lord Brahma. In a short span, success has followed this NIFT and NID Design postgraduate. She manipulates glass to create beautiful, nature-inspired designer jewellery that blew our minds.

The Artistic Expressions Of Riddhi Doshi

A strong in-built design sense combined with a lineage of Palanpuri community diamond dealers proved to be fortuitous for Riddhi Doshi, a Mumbai-based jewellery designer, who has been steadfastly making a name for herself in the bespoke jewellery segment.

Girl On The Rise

ARIA MEHTA hails from an illustrious family that runs Rosy Blue, a renowned diamond company based in Belgium and India.

Neha Dani: New Age Impressionist

A recent entrant into the field of jewellery making, Delhi-based NEHA DANI is already being counted in the stratosphere of rare jewellery artists. Although her detailed renditions in customcoloured rhodium-plated 18-karat gold set with a multitude of gemstones draw heavily from nature, the one-off, sculptural pieces resemble artworks of impressionist painters.

Pushing The Envelope

When ANAM PATEL couldn’t find the kind of jewellery that she wanted in stores, she decided to create them herself.

Deborah Pagani Redefines Art Deco

DEBORAH PAGANI’s charming pieces resemble horseshoes and pills, which are every bit sparkly, eclectic and beautiful as you can imagine. ‘American Made’ is something that is essential to her brand, says the designer whose Jewellery production is firmly established in her home city, New York. Deborah redesigns and decodes Art Deco silhouettes. Aesthetically, that translates into creations undeniably classical in their construct, and especially refreshing – inherently stylish with a modern twist.

Yves Spinelli Follows His Heart

Sometimes, it’s a good thing ‘What happens in Vegas’ doesn’t quite stay in Vegas – luxury jewellery brand Spinelli Kilcollin, for instance, has garnered many loyal fans for its hip stackable linked rings. Known for absolutely cool, chic and fun designs, LA-based Spinelli Kilcollin is now carried in over 50 luxury boutiques worldwide, including Barneys, Colette, Dover Street Market, Maxfield, Harrods, Montaigne Market and Lane Crawford. SMITHA SADANANDAN finds out from  founder and designer YVES SPINELLI how it all began.

the eloquence of art deco

the moscow kremlin museum highlights the luxury, glamour and exuberance of haute couture and jewellery during the art deco era through its exhibition, the ‘elegance and splendour of art deco’ from september 30, 2016 to january 11,  2017 at the one pillar chamber of the patriarch’s palace.

A Journey Of Design

The iconic Italian jewellery house, Picchiotti, completes 50 years. Here’s a look at their milestones.