Decades of diamonds

Meet the alchemists of the Indian jewellery space who are navigating old-world artistry with technique-focused modern heirlooms.

- SHRIYA ZAMINDAR

CARTIER

Fables around kings and their gems and the magic of the old world may be preserved in the worn-out and aged pages of texts, scriptures and books, but the ever-present lustre of India's heirlooms has never dimmed through the decades. The Maharaja of Nawanagar's cascading necklace, known as the Jeanne Toussaint necklace, which has now been dismantled to create separate jewellery pieces, featured natural diamonds that were the size of golf balls something that Jacques Cartier described as "a superb realisation of a connoisseur's dream".

Or perhaps take a second look at the famous ceremonial choker of Sir Bhupinder Singh, the Maharaja of Patiala the one seen adorning the neck of Emma Chamberlain at the 2022 Met Galathese are just a part of Cartier's deep-seated relationship with India's treasures. Cartier's association with historic emblems goes beyond collecting the finest from the world's corners. For Jacques, who designed the original Jeanne Toussaint necklace in 1931 for the Maharaja of Nawanagar, establishing this philosophy of reverence to the archives was key to solidifying the brand's relationship with India. It also became the starting point for Cartier's homage to legacy-making jewellery.

A deep dive into Cartier's famed collections reveals bits of history that beg you to examine the delicate intricacy of details and craftsmanship that inspire designers across the globe even today.

THE GEM PALACE