NIRAV MODI Sets out to conquer the world of fine jewellery with new boutiques in international cities, the latest in London and Macau
Two years since he launched his first store in New Delhi, jeweller NIRAV MODI has steadily been establishing his brand worldwide. There’s a boutique in Mumbai, another in New York, three in Hong Kong, one in Macau, and a swanky London store that marks his foray into Europe. The last of these, on Old Bond Street, not only tells the story of his brand, but also places him in the vaunted company of neighbours like Chanel and Tiffany & Co. It is spread across 2,300 sq ft of a Grade II listed townhouse (a status reserved for buildings of architectural and historical importance). The boutique, in muted tones of salmon pink and soft grey, is a decidedly decadent world of sparkling crystals, fine metals like brushed silver and shiny rose gold, mother-of-pearl, and intricately handcrafted paper art friezes, created by French interior design practice Atelier Marika Chaumet, whose credentials indude the stores of De Beers and Boucheron. Though display cases proudly showcase the pieces whether the stretchable bangles and rings of the Embrace collection or the trademarked Jasmine diamond cut a separate area one floor up, marked by lush velvet, is dedicated to meeting with customers. Her Modi, the first Indian jeweller on the covers of Sotheby’s and Christie’s catalogues, talks to Bazaar about his design inspirations, creative process, and plans for world domination

Eight stores already, and another eight set to open soon. The expansion has been very swift…
We hope to evolve into a global diamond jewellery brand. We are going to make the ‘Made in India’ label for jewellery aspirational. Our target clients are well-informed and well-travelled, so global expansion plays a crucial role in the brand’s growth. Given that we take care of the entire value chain, from sourcing to cutting, polishing diamonds, designing, and crafting fine jewellery, we have a major advantage over most international and domestic jewellers who outsource diamond cutting and jewellery manufacturing.

How does the paper art in your stores relate to your work and designs?
A theatrical window display made with handcrafted paper art frieze, which changes every season, sets our stores apart. The simplicity of the paper, arranged in intricate patterns, gives a delicate frame to the diamond jewellery, complementing delicate craftsmanship in the jewels, without taking the focus away from the jewellery. The art is inspired by one of our collection themes, focussing on different iconic collections like the Lotus or the Mughal.

What are your earliest memories of diamonds and jewels?
Growing up, I was fortunately exposed to the finer things in life, like art and architecture from 16th century paintings by Rubens to modern-day fashion designers such as the Antwerp Six to Mughal architecture. I would visit museums with my mother, who was an interior designer. It was in those early days that my interest and passion for art was instilled. Coming from a diamond family, dinner-table conversations were about diamonds and quality. My father would often tell us about the rarest precious stones that passed through his hands. That piqued my interest.

What made you want to create your own pieces of jewellery?
It was actually a chance encounter with jewellery design that convinced me about my calling. It all began when a friend asked me to create a pair of earrings for her. As I sourced the best solitaire diamonds I could find and began this process of turning them into an imaginative pair of earrings, I did not anticipate the joy it would give my friend, and how her pride and belief in what I had created would be an eventual catalyst for the NIRAV MODI brand. The studs I created were inspired by celestial bodies and featured a central solitaire framed by a floating halo of smaller diamonds.

Where is the strangest place you’ve found inspiration?
It comes from many sources, from everything around me and everything dose to me. For example, when I saw my daughters play with stretchy toy bangles that they pulled on and off their wrists, I wanted to capture that playfulness and simplicity in a jewel. The Embrace bangles, which have over 90 parts, slip on with ease no matter what your wrist size, and the links and their pattern represent the intimacy of interlocking fingers.

Tell us about your design process.
It begins with an inspiration. I then give a detailed narrative to my creative team, who translate my vision onto paper and create a hand-painted gouache that very closely resembles what the jewel will look like once completed. After the gouache is approved, the jewel goes into production. Each is unique and has its own time frame. For instance, the Embrace bangle took two years to develop, and till date it takes over 200 hours to make one. Important jewels are almost always worked on by only one hand. Our patented cut Jasmine cut^®, Ainra cut^®, Endless cut^® &
Mughal^® cut took years to develop. Sometimes we wait months for the right suite of stones to begin working on a collection or piece.