SourcingSep 09, 2025
Anglo American to Merge With Canadian Copper Miner Anglo plans to merge with Teck Resources Ltd. to form Anglo Teck. The deal changes nothing about its plans to offload De Beers.
EditorsDec 28, 2016
India Dreaming: Two Heritage Design Houses
If a trip to India isn’t in the cards for 2017, New York City’s Madison Avenue has shoppers covered with two excellent fine jewelry boutiques.
Sanjay Kasliwal collar
Located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, Madison Avenue has long been a luxury shopping destination. From Chopard to Buccellati, Aaron Basha to Georg Jensen, and of course the mothership, Fred Leighton (just try to pull me away), fine jewelry has a firmly planted foothold in the neighborhood.
In the last couple of years, the ritzy street’s most exciting new tenants have something in common: an illustrious Indian heritage.
Sanjay Kasliwal opened on Madison Avenue in 2014, named for its owner. The Kasliwal family is behind The Gem Palace, the Jaipur-based jewelry house that has been a go-to for royalty, socialites, Hollywood and Bollywood stars for more than 150 years.
Sanjay Kasliwal’s gold, diamond and emerald belt
A blackened silver, gold, pearl and emerald collar
Blackened silver, gold, ruby and diamond ring
Gold earrings with multi-colored gemstones
Blackened silver, gold and diamond ring
Sanjay Kasliwal is an eighth generation designer from the family. His daughter, Shalini Kasliwal, a product of two jewelry families, both the Kasliwals and her Italian mother’s family who did business with the Kasliwals, has run the Madison Avenue boutique since it opened.
Kasliwal’s designs are, to me, quintessentially Indian, meaning they are a celebration of color, expressed in rubies and emeralds, and rich materials, like 22-karat yellow gold and blackened silver.
Every piece of jewelry in the New York boutique is timeless and possesses a unique story. Highlights I saw on a recent visit included the “Poison Ring,” an emerald stunner that opens to reveal a secret compartment, and an antique gold and emerald belt from the design house’s archives.
A photo posted by Ashley Davis (@ashleylikesgems) on Dec 18, 2016 at 8:54am PST
About half of a mile south of the Sanjay Kasliwal boutique, Nirav Modi opened its first stateside location in 2015, as part of an international push for the third-generation jewelry business.
Like the most recent generation of the Kasliwals, Modi also combines European and Indian influences in his namesake designs. Modi is a third-generation diamantaire who was raised in Antwerp.
Nirav Modi’s Endless-Cut Diamond Ring, featuring “barrel-cut” diamonds, which portray the illusion of continuing without end
Nirav Modi’s Jasmine Cascade diamond earrings
This image of the Jasmine Ear Studs illustrates the half-briolette cut, dubbed the "Mughal-cut," that is the star of many of Nirav Modi’s designs.
The Embrace series represents a technical feat. This bracelet, composed entirely of 18-karat yellow gold and white diamonds, expands to slide over the wearer’s hand, then constricts upon the wrist.
The Jasmine Ring
His work has become a fixture on celebrities; Rosie Huntington-Whitely is a brand ambassador, and starlets like Kate Winslet and Priyanka Chopra are often pictured in Modi designs on the red carpet.
Modi marries the beauty of exquisite quality diamonds, both white and natural color diamonds like pink, purple and yellow, with innovative design.
His patented Endless Cut aims to achieve the illusion of an endless ring of diamonds in an eternity band by tension setting several “barrel-cut” diamonds without prongs. The process took 10 years to create.
Modi also utilizes what he calls “Mughal-cut” diamonds, essentially a rose-cut briolette he created, in many of his designs
to maximize sparkle and surface value of the stones.
Inspired by his daughter’s elastic toy bracelets, the designer also created a series of Embrace bangles, currently on display in the Madison Avenue storefront, that utilize moving parts to expand (to be slid over the wearer’s hand) and constrict (once settled on the wrist).
Whether shoppers are looking for traditional colors à la Sanjay Kasliwal or modern, technological innovation from Nirav Modi, Madison Avenue has both to offer, a lucky thing for those of us who don’t have India on our 2017 travel agenda.
Inspired by his daughter’s elastic toy bracelets, the designer also created a series of Embrace bangles, currently on display in the Madison Avenue storefront, that utilize moving parts to expand (to be slid over the wearer’s hand) and constrict (once settled on the wrist).
A photo posted by NIRAV MODI (@niravmodijewels) on Dec 6, 2016 at 6:35am PST
Whether shoppers are looking for traditional colors à la Sanjay Kasliwal or modern, technological innovation from Nirav Modi, Madison Avenue has both to offer, a lucky thing for those of us who don’t have India on our 2017 travel agenda.
More on Editors
The Latest
AuctionsSep 09, 2025
‘The Mellon Blue’ to Return to Auction, This Time at Christie’s The 9.51-carat fancy vivid blue diamond, which set two world auction records at Sotheby’s in 2014, is estimated to fetch up to $30 million.
AuctionsSep 09, 2025
Phillips Names Dianne Batista Head of Jewels, New YorkThe industry veteran joins the auction house as it looks to solidify its footprint in the jewelry market.
Brought to you by
reDollar.com Is Rolling Out the Next Level Jewelry, Diamond & Watch Consignment ProgramWith their unmatched services and low fees, reDollar.com is challenging some big names in the online consignment world.
MajorsSep 09, 2025
MJSA Education Foundation Announces 2025 Scholarship WinnersThe nonprofit awarded four students pursuing a professional career in jewelry making and design with $2,250 each.
Weekly QuizSep 04, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
IndependentsSep 08, 2025
Take a Look Inside the New Korman Store in AustinThe Texas-based jeweler has also undergone a brand refresh, debuting a new website and logo.
MajorsSep 08, 2025
MJSA Is Officially Now Under JA’s UmbrellaThe two organizations have finalized and signed the affiliation agreement announced in May.
Brought to you by
Rallying Call for the Jewelry Industry on Tariffs and Other Key IssuesJewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.
AuctionsSep 08, 2025
Sotheby’s To Auction ‘Exceptional’ Collection of JAR, Suzanne Belperron JewelsThe single-owner sale will headline Sotheby's inaugural jewelry auction at the Breuer building, its new global headquarters, this December.
Events & AwardsSep 08, 2025
27 Can’t-Miss Converge Sessions, Events From sunrise yoga to tariffs talks, these are some events to check out at the upcoming inaugural event.
ColumnistsSep 05, 2025
Peter Smith: A Lasting Lesson From Maurice Tempelsman Smith recalls a bit of wisdom the industry leader, who died last week, shared at a diamond conference years ago.
CollectionsSep 05, 2025
Piece of the Week: Jamie Turner’s ‘Victoria’ Necklace The “Victoria” necklace features a labradorite hugged by diamond accents in 18-karat yellow gold.
Policies & IssuesSep 05, 2025
Trump Takes Tariffs Case to the Supreme Court Two lower courts have moved to block the import taxes, which will remain in place as the legal battle continues.
WatchesSep 05, 2025
Patrick Mahomes Is the New Hublot Brand AmbassadorThe Kansas City Chiefs quarterback shares Hublot’s dedication to pursuing greatness, the Swiss watchmaker said.
SourcingSep 04, 2025
Lucara Unveils Unusual 37-Carat Pink DiamondThe Type IIa stone, recovered from Botswana’s Karowe diamond mine last month, features unique coloration.
WatchesSep 04, 2025
Breitling Takes Its NFL Game to the Next Level Breitling is now the NFL’s official timepiece partner, a move that puts the brand in front of the millions of Americans who watch football.
Events & AwardsSep 04, 2025
The NYC Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show Returns in NovemberNYCJAOS is set for Nov. 21-23 in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood.
SourcingSep 03, 2025
Gemfields Confirms Completion of Fabergé SaleU.S.-based investment company SMG Capital LLC is the new owner of the luxury brand.
MajorsSep 03, 2025
These Are the Nearly 300 Claire’s Stores Set to CloseA new court filing details the locations of the stores that will close, as well as the 830 that will remain open.
MajorsSep 03, 2025
Stuller Releases 2 New Catalogs The new catalogs are “Tools, Equipment, & Metals” and “Findings & Metals.”
TrendsSep 03, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: A Perfect BirthstoneSapphire’s variety of colors make it the perfect birthstone for September.
FinancialsSep 02, 2025
Lab-Grown Diamonds, Lower-Priced Fashion Jewelry Drive Signet Jewelers’ Q2 SalesThe retailer has raised its guidance after seeing total sales increase 3 percent in the second quarter, beating expectations.
MajorsSep 02, 2025
Birks CEO Jean-Christophe Bédos Steps DownNiccolò Rossi di Montelera, executive chairman of the board, was appointed as interim CEO.
MajorsSep 02, 2025
Harry Winston Opens Its Largest Flagship in JapanThe three-floor space also features the jeweler’s largest VIP salon in Japan and offers an exclusive diamond pendant.
CollectionsSep 02, 2025
Stephanie Gottlieb Debuts Silver Designs in ‘All Hours’ CollabThe collection is a collaboration between Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry and Oak and Luna, focusing on understated essentials.
AuctionsAug 29, 2025
Sotheby’s UAE Sale to Feature 32-Carat Fancy Vivid Orangy Pink DiamondThe highlight of a single-owner jewelry and watch collection, it’s estimated to fetch up to $7 million at auction this December.
