Date with Gems

Heirloom jewellery truly stands the test of time. With each passing decade and each change of hands, its value and worth increases manifold. We ask five women to open their treasure troves that display a melange of traditional techniques and emotional stories.

Paradise Found: Aditi Dhar, founder, Vitasta

A gold piece with a peacock in the centre, studded with rubies that are strung together with Basra pearls, sat prettily on the slender neck of Aditi Dhar. She informed us that the gold pieces were manufactured in Jammu, way back in the 1940s, and were owned by her grandmother. She exclaimed that the piece was also worn by her mother during her wedding, and became a part of her trousseau as well. Another piece worn by Aditi was a kundan set with red and green enamel work. Crafted in 24-K gold, the designs are bordered by a collection of small pearls. She also confirms that the particular piece was offered to her mother by a jeweller in Dariba Kalan, Delhi. On being asked about jewellery being inherited, her response was rather emotional. She went on to tell us how each piece is a keepsake, because they are all so exquisite and have a historic value attached to it. She added, “It is fascinating to unravel how they wore and styled it, back in their time.”

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Cherished Charms: Tanieya Khanuja, designer

Tanieya Khanuja in her own words adores her jewellery. The gold piece that she fondly exhibits, takes her down memory lane. It was something that her mother bought for herself, but never wore. And the moment Tanieya laid her eyes on it, her mother knew, she wanted it for her wedding. And years later, she did! The jewellery is crafted using a technique called geru polish, which gives the piece an embossed look with an antique sheen. She explained how they are not just an asset for her, but also a reflection of her ancestors’ style. “All these pieces are versatile. I have worn them with a suit, sari and with dresses. They have looked perfect every time,” shared Tanieya.

Age-Old Is Gold! Ammu Saidi, jewellery enthusiast

As she placed her suitcase on the couch to show us all the pieces that she had, there was a certain sparkle in her eyes, displaying how excited she was. The one she wore was an interpretation of Mughal craftsmanship with table-cut diamonds that were set in gold enamel. It was strung together with South Sea pearls and five carved tourmalines. The pieces were manufactured 20 years back, and they looked strikingly antique. She also confessed, that the custom of passing on jewellery and inheriting it, is part and parcel of securing a woman for the future. She further elaborated, how the dull sheen (on the gold pieces), made them look aged. The gemstones encrusted in them are a testimony to the time and patience put into making them. She wittily claimed that lucky are those, whose mothers and grandmothers had great taste! “Today’s artistry is interesting. However, nothing beats vintage style,” she concluded.

Dainty Drops of Desire: Anupamaa Dayal, designer

The necklace that Anupamaa Dayal wore was a diamond choker laced with pearls and emeralds. The back of the piece exhibited intricate Meenakari work and narrated a bird story. “This necklace is referred to as a gulband,” she says. The second one, she further explained, was in the shape of a teardrop or a gold bell. The earrings are also traditionally kundan. She acknowledged that the pieces belonged to her mother-in-law. She often reminisces her looking at the photographs that she has seen of her, with beautiful green eyes. We asked her about the significance of such heirlooms, and she explained that she generally likes to imagine the emotions and thoughts that must have gone through her great-grandmother’s mind while donning them. She wonders, if her great-grandmother felt nervous that the stones on her bangles would tear her Dhakai Jamdani sari. Lastly, she feels blessed to be a part of this chain of bonding and pledges to pass them on to future generations.

Subtle Sheen: Neha Lidder, Head of Marketing, DLF Emporio

There was a certain aura about Neha that undoubtedly spoke of professionalism. She opened a couple of boxes of pearls, displayed silver kadaas and a gold set. We chose to go with the pearls. “Each pearl set that I am wearing is from a different part of the country, as both my grandfathers were army officers and served the country. The white pearls were set by a family friend’s jeweller in Hyderabad,“ she smiles. The pink pearls in her collection, are from Assam, picked up by her mother. “My mother is more of a pearl-and-silver loving lady, with a subtle sense of style,” she adds. Neha admits how possessive she is of the silver kadaas and bangles. She cherishes the tradition of passing on a bit of yourself to the future generation. She also confessed, that the reason she got her nose pierced, when she was a kid, was to eventually inherit her maternal grandmother’s diamond nose stud.

Styling by Trishla Chadha. Photographs by Archisman Misra. Makeup and hair by Kangna Kochhar. Location courtesy: Kylin Sky Bar. Compiled by Vaishnavi Shivram.

From the May 2016 issue of L’Officiel India.