Going beyond the usual bling and dazzling metals, our pick of contemporary Indian jewellery labels instead rely on minimalism, global influences and seek inspiration from nature, architecture, geometry and sometimes the other worldly.
New-Age Jewellery Labels We Love
Shop Lune
Whimsical charms, geometric shapes, stunning raw quartz shaped into pendants and beautiful body chains, Shop Lune’s offerings are as bohemian as they come. Add to that reasonable pricing, new collections coming up every other month and some flash sales. Started by former journalist Sreesha Shetty, who now operates between Goa and Mumbai, the label has now also branched into stocking clothes {Doodlage is the brand to watch out for} and accessories.
Price: INR 400 upwards.
Kichu
Jewellery designer Kichu Dandiya’s creations sometimes border on the macabre. Her inspirations are straight from nature and the animal kingdom {taxidermy anyone!}. Think deer antlers, bison heads, shark tooth and a stunning pendant which is a Scarab beetle. Made out of brass metal and gold plated, Kichu’s offerings of edgy necklaces, brooches, palm cuffs, body chains and cocktail rings are edgy, minimalist and oh-so modern.
Price: INR 1,000 upwards.
Dhora
This Jaipur-based lifestyle store not only curates indie Indian designers and their creations but also makes beautiful jewellery {earrings, charm necklaces, chokers and stacked finger rings} in-house. A clean, bold aesthetic, a celebration of geometric shapes and lines, and a modern, minimalist take on florals are some of Dhora’s highlights.
Price: INR 800 upwards
Bhane
We love their basics in apparel and their range of jewellery also has us floored. Origami, architecture and geometry, there is inspiration abound in Bhane’s bauble collection. Their latest collection though ditches the usual gold and silver and instead embraces metallic tones and the colour black. Look out for bold pendant necklaces, metallic hand cuffs, statement earrings and more.
Price: INR 1,300 upwards
Manifest Design
Designers Manreet and Samraat Deol seek inspiration from modernist sculptures, bold rock formations, architectural forms, corals and flowers to create their stunning and statement earrings, neck pieces, bracelets, cuffs and bangles. The duo aims to create “everyday wearable art” with sculptural elements and a metal smith’s craftsmanship.
Price: INR 1,700 upwards
Quirksmith
We discovered local label Quirk Smith at Kitsch Mandi and were besotted by their bold designs that mix elements of antique with modern details. Old coins, nuts and bolts, tribal motifs and shapes form the core aesthetic of this label. We especially like their D shaped metal bangles, a carved metallic pair of scissors which moonlights as a brooch and spear-shaped earrings available in gold and silver hues.
Price: INR 1,000 upwards
Dvibhumi
Balinese performing arts, Indian classical music and Islamic architectural influences are some of the themes that inspire Singapore-based Indian jewellery label called Dvibhumi. Founder-designer Vyshnavi N Doss spent her formative years in advertising in Singapore and India before switching over to design full time. In her own words {on her website} the designer loves to ’employ restraint and uses clean lines and surfaces to explore textures and motifs’. And we couldn’t agree more. Dvibhumi’s collection of stunning, bold pieces, mostly earrings and the odd ring or two, is definitely on our lust list.
Price: INR 6,715 upwards
Lai
Gemologist and jewellery designer, Puja Bhargava Kamath works with silver to create ornaments that weave in craft traditions, history and jewellery. Paisley motifs, architectural design from Samarkand and Kutch and designs from the Mughal era are some of the themes you will find in Lai’s range of jewellery, hair ornaments, nose pins, pendants, neckpieces, earrings and more. Every piece is handmade in Jaipur by artisans who specialise in a certain kind of regional craft. Lai also claims to be an ethical label and subscribes to principles of Fair Trade.
