Meet the Indian jewellers bridging heritage and modern design

Earlier this year, the jewellery design genius and national treasure, Viren Bhagat opened the doors to his London salon, and it got me thinking. For years, a handful of high jewellers have been quietly, but powerfully, bridging the gap between the East and the West, shifting global perceptions of a modern India. I had the pleasure of chatting with three of my favourite names—Santi Jewels, Neha Dani, and Studio Renn—each offering a distinct point of view, yet all united in their relentless pursuit of pushing design boundaries and redefining the traditional narrative of Indian jewellery.

Krishna Choudhary, Founder of Santi Jewels and a tenth-generation jeweller, is at the forefront of this transformation with a refined, contemporary sensibility that still holds deep reverence to India’s past. Growing up in Jaipur, surrounded by craftsmanship and colour, he shares, “I started to understand what the Renaissance was for Europe, the Mughal period was for India. My father pushed me to observe and learn from history. Through the patterns, the flow, the symmetry—I developed a sense of design. There was a void in contemporary Indian jewellery, and I felt it was time to create something new.” 

When I visited his private Mayfair showroom, it was clear this was going to be far more than a jewellery showcase. Meeting Choudhary felt like entering into a living archive. Even before I saw a single Santi jewel, he began pulling open the drawers of his desk, revealing one-of-a-kind objects, each layered with centuries of history. Among them were some traditional Indian heirloom gems from his family’s vault in Jaipur. Holding up a rare jade ornament, he remarks, “A masterpiece of Mughal art. You can tell by the anatomy of the piece—17th century, during the prime Shah Jahan period.”

Choudhary’s practice is shaped not just by his lineage, but by a deeply scholarly lens. “We want to make collectors more aware of stones, provenance, history and engage with the story behind a piece.” His work is not just about creating or selling a jewel, but a near-academic encounter with design history. That mindset naturally aligns with The European Fine Art Foundation (TEFAF) Maastricht, where Choudhary recently exhibited. “The art fair is a crossover of scholars and jewellery lovers,” he says. “I find it fascinating to take someone steeped in historical objects and get them to appreciate modern pieces with the same seriousness.” 

In contrast—and yet in conversation—Studio Renn’s universe is one of philosophical design, where jewellery is not the end but the means. Their work, which has shown at PAD London, Sotheby’s Geneva, and the India Art Fair, melds traditional craft with an openness to uncommon materials like porcelain, concrete, raw casting skin, and carved onyx—sharing space with gold, diamonds, and coloured gems. The material choices are not decorative afterthoughts, but integral to the narrative. “Jewellery is just the medium,” share co-founders Rahul and Roshni Jhaveri. “The intention is design exploration.”

Studio Renn’s practice is rooted in process and experimentation. Their pieces feel like conceptual provocations—intimate, imperfect, and always slightly off-centre. “We aren’t tethered to a singular aesthetic,” they explain. “Our work is shaped by memory, instinct, and observation. Inspiration isn’t linear, it’s lived.”

While their collectors span geographies, Studio Renn never set out to adapt or dilute their design vocabulary. “We’ve never felt the emotional need to change who we are,” they say. “We do curate mindfully. For instance, lighter pieces may resonate more in the West, but the soul of the work remains untouched.” Their jewellery speaks to those seeking self-expression over convention. “If it weren’t for our collectors, we wouldn’t have made the concrete pieces, or worked with porcelain, or blackened gold. Bespoke commissions push our imagination into new places.”

Delhi-based jeweller, Neha Dani might not have inherited a legacy, but is certainly creating one. With no family background in jewellery, she was never conditioned by a style. “There were no norms I had to fit into. From day one, I wanted to do something that felt like me,” she shares. Her fascination with stones runs deep, but it’s the sculptural form— layered, dimensional, alive—that defines her work. “Jewellery should look different from every angle. You interact with it. You turn it in your hands. It becomes a dialogue.”

Working with titanium— lightweight, complex, and technically demanding—Dani creates jewellery that is set in motion by the wearer. Her palette is bold and expressive, filled with colour and movement. “I make multiple parts and play with the arrangement, sometimes over days,” she explains. “One necklace had over 40 parts, each cast and fit together like a puzzle.” Each piece is a sculptural composition that balances technical mastery with a kind of creative lightness. 

Her work, shown at art fairs across Europe and the US, is quietly finding its global audience. “There’s a community of collectors looking for something fresh, something with a story,” she says. “It’s not just about adornment anymore.” Dani’s story is one of deliberate resistance against repetition, convention, and nostalgia. “For the longest time, Indian jewellery was defined by the past. But I think it’s time we create a different history.”

In a world where high jewellery often reveals itself through whispers—spoken of in collectors’ circles, passed between friends of great taste, or spotted quietly at art fairs—the most meaningful pieces are rarely the loudest. They are the ones that linger. That ask you to lean in a little closer. That speak, not just to craft or rarity, but to vision.

Lead image: Neha Dani’s creations at PAD London in 2023

All images: Courtesy the brands

This article first appeared in the print edition of Harper's Bazaar India, April-May 2025.

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