Mr Nirav Modi loves to talk more about his jewellery than himself. That’s bound to happen. Once you see the brilliant jewellery that is churned out by this craftsman, you would want to become a self-proclaimed brand ambassador of the jewellery…
A young boy keenly watches his grandfather and father working on rough diamonds, accompanies them to Antwerp – the diamond capital of the world, learns aesthetic values from his mother who is an interior designer, and grows to become a niche jewellery designer. Quite an inspiring story from which we all can learn and take motivation from!
This is Mr Nirav Modi, whose exquisite jewellery will make you gasp and wring your hands for more!
The crowning glory came when his Golconda Necklace was auctioned by Christie’s for INR 16.29 crore. When asked about the moment, a humble Mr Modi says, “I was honoured that that piece was appreciated.”
The said Golconda piece deserved the price. It took Mr Modi nearly 14 months to create the stunning beauty. “Sourcing the pinks, recutting the Golconda diamond, and making the necklace took about 14 months Not only did we perfect the design of the piece and source the materials, we developed and patented the Ainra Cut which has been used in the lattice of the necklace,” he explains.
Mr Modi takes inspiration from many unique themes. An example is the Scheherazade collection, which is an ode to the legendary Persian Queen and narrator of the stories of the 1001 Arabian Nights. “She spun rich tales from history, folklore, and the works of poets and philosophers. Inspired by her, each piece in this collection has a myriad of different diamond shapes skillfully woven together to create a captivating piece,” says Mr Modi.
The Fluire collection has a floral theme and is inspired by the nature. Quite a cliché theme used many-a-times by jewellery houses, but Mr Modi’s interpretation, accompanied by bright, vibrant colours, shows how you can be distinctive even with the most used of ideas!
The recently created Shalimar Ring and its lotus motif is inspired by Goddess Laxmi. “The idea for the Endless Cut and related Enigma setting which together create a seamless band of diamonds came from a desire to create a diamond halo. And, believe or not, the elastic bangles were a result of the plastic bangles I saw my children playing with,” explains the maestro.
Ask him which is his favourite piece of all, he slyly twists and turns the answer, “So much time and effort goes into every single piece whether it is a Rs 10 lakh piece or a Rs 10 crore piece. The design goes through multiple rounds and we ensure we source the highest quality diamonds for the design. There is a lot of passion that goes into ensuring that each piece has impeccable design, craftsmanship and diamonds.” Well, that’s all the sides he is willing to take!
Now that summer calls for bright, pop shades and airy fabrics, here are some of Mr Modi’s creations which you can pair with your apparel – Indian or international.
Emerald Dream Necklace: This majestic emerald drop necklace has been created using some of the world’s finest Colombian emeralds. It is interwoven with classique royal beads, marquise and pear round rose cuts, and exceptional brilliants. At the centre of this creation lies the commanding emerald drop weighing nearly 200 carats. Also of Colombian origin, the drop lends an imposing aura to an already distinguished piece.
Scheherazade Bracelet: A masterpiece from the Scheherazade collection, this bracelet blends rare pink diamonds and a mosaic of brilliant cuts, including square emeralds, trillions, marquises and baguettes, along with rose cuts to create a flash of brilliance. Coming together as a resplendent ensemble, the bracelet comprises elements created with uniquely cut diamonds alternating with square emerald-cut diamonds. With more than 60 carats of diamonds including pinks, this bracelet distinguishes itself through its sheer radiance.
Sunburst Earrings: Extravagant and distinguished, this set of earrings from the Sunburst collection creates an ethereal splash of celebration wherever they go. Sporting a magnificent yellow, radiant-cut diamond at the centre, each earring bursts open into a dazzling array of pears, marquises and specially cut baguettes. What’s more, the centre stones can even be worn by themselves for occasions that demand a subtle yet regal look. With over 19 carats of fine diamonds on these earrings, they’re sure to make an impression.
Ainra Emerald ‘Y’ Necklace: Ainra means ‘eternal power’. This stunning Y-necklace is the crown jewel of the Ainra collection. While the highlights of the necklace are the two emerald-cut diamonds at the centre, weighing more than 10 and 19 carats respectively, they are joined together by expertly crafted Ainra Cut diamond links to add just the right touch of glitz. In fact, the larger emerald diamond can even be detached for occasions that require a subtler look. Carrying over 55 carats of diamonds in all, this necklace will never fail to bring that extra touch of class.
The next piece coming from the Nirav modi stable is set to be grander than all. “We have an exquisite necklace from the Fluire Collection with over 230 fancy intense and vivid yellow diamonds and over 300 colourless diamonds that we have just finished. The necklace has a combination of pears, marquises, round rose cuts, and briolettes weighing more than 100 carats which have been set in white and yellow gold. It is inspired by nature and laced with floral motifs. The necklace has been crafted so that it can be worn in multiple ways with two detachments along the length of the necklace. We also have a bracelet that accompanies the necklace, again with fancy intense yellow diamonds and colourless diamonds and is a total of more than 150 carats,” says Mr Modi proudly.
Waiting with bated breath? We certainly are…
