Visitors to Jaipur, the capital of India’s northwestern Rajasthan state, face a good kind of problem: The famed “Pink City,” so called for the rose-colored sandstone buildings that dominate its historic center, is blessed with too many spectacular places to see.
Between the City Palace, part of which houses the royal family of Jaipur; Jantar Mantar, an 18th-century open-air observatory designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2010; Hawa Mahal, the Palace of Breeze, with 953 honeycomb-shape windows on its outside walls; Rambagh Palace, the former residence of the maharaja transformed into a grand hotel; and Amer Fort, which reigned as Rajasthan’s capital until 1727, when Maharaja Jai Singh II moved the state’s political and commercial hub to Jaipur, the list of the city’s must-see destinations is more than enough to fill a week, much less a few days, of touring.
For jewelry lovers, however, the list of places to visit in this desert capital is considerably longer. Jaipur, the beating heart of India’s colored stone trade, teems with fine jewelers who specialize in the artisanal techniques that are the city’s claim to jewelry fame, from the delicate enamel work known as meenakari to complicated gem-setting involving antique-cut Golconda diamonds, Burmese rubies, and Colombian emeralds.
The real treasure hunt begins outside the walled Old City on Mirza Ismail (M.I.) Road, where Jaipur’s finest heritage brands are located. The famed Gem Palace is an obligatory first stop. Established in 1852 by the Kasliwal family (some 150 years after they were appointed court jewelers), the historic ground-floor boutique spans several rooms of a former haveli (an architecturally significant mansion or manor house) and is considered a tourist destination in its own right.
Managed by seventh-generation jeweler Samir Kasliwal, the store’s showstopping collection ranges from $200 silver earrings to multimillion dollar diamond necklaces strung with hundreds of carats of rose- and polki-cut diamonds. (Be sure to glance through the faded pages of the ancient guestbook, signed by everyone from Jackie Kennedy to Oprah Winfrey.)
Upstairs from the historic store is a salon dedicated to the contemporary creations of the late Munnu Kasliwal, the sixth-generation jeweler whose Mughal-meets-Modernist designs are favored by connoisseurs around the world (and available at the brand’s New York City atelier on Manhattan’s Upper East Side). Munnu the Gem Palace is known as “The Pink Room” for its wall-to-wall hot-pink decor—created by Dutch interior designer Marie-Anne Oudejans, the woman behind Jaipur’s scene-y Bar Palladio. The by-appointment studio is overseen by Munnu’s son (and Samir’s cousin), Siddharth Kasliwal, who emphasizes that even the merely curious are welcome.
“The idea about upstairs is not to make people feel intimidated or overwhelmed, as if they have to spend money if they go into that room,” Siddharth tells Gem + Jewel. “I take great pride in showing my family’s jewelry and my dad’s designs and legacy. Many times, people come for viewing purposes only and say, ‘I hope I’m not wasting your time,’ and I tell them, ‘Not at all. This is something I really love.’”
The selection of gold jewelry at Munnu (you won’t find any silver upstairs) includes $900 gemstone charms that can be strung on a thread as well as elaborate diamond bridal sets costing millions of dollars. But Siddharth makes clear there are deals to be had. “What we offer is way better than what you can get for $1,000 in New York City,” he says.
A mere four-minute walk away lies Amrapali Jaipur, another heritage brand, situated on the corner of Bhagwant Das and M.I. roads. Founded in 1978 by Rajiv Arora and Rajesh Ajmera, the company, managed today by Rajiv’s son, Tarang Arora, oversees some 1,500 craftspeople working across four workshops in Jaipur’s Sitapura gem and jewelry zone, about 30 minutes south of the city center.
Busy manufacturing jewelry for both the domestic and export markets, Amrapali’s artisans are dedicated to keeping India’s traditional craft techniques alive. “Whatever we do, we have to maintain the traditional Indian way of making jewelry,” Tarang tells Gem + Jewel. “That has been the DNA and the most important thing for us. India has such diversity in terms of cultures, foods, languages, gods and goddesses, and together, it’s created this massive design center.”
To truly appreciate that diversity, pay a visit to the city’s C-Scheme neighborhood and the Amrapali Museum, a repository for more than 4,500 jewelry designs collected by the brand’s founders. Follow that with a pit stop in the Amrapali Salon, just two minutes to the east by car, to take home a piece of that history, be it antique silver tribal jewels, kundan wedding sets, or 18k gold-and-diamond statement pieces.
A similarly immersive experience awaits visitors to Gyan Jaipur, a fine jewelry brand with a showroom located in Sitapura. Owned by brothers Suresh and Arun Dhaddha, the brand and the adjacent Gyan Museum are named after their late father, Gyan Chand Dhaddha, a jeweler, gemologist, and voracious collector of mostly Indian artifacts.
The museum opened in 2015, when the Dhaddhas transformed a 10,000-square-foot hall above their Gem Plaza jewelry manufacturing company into a minimalist, design-driven space to showcase their father’s vast collection of hookah pipes, Mughal manuscripts, embroidered textiles, and vintage Patek Philippe timepieces, among countless rare objects picked up on his travels.
The newly expanded space, which operates by appointment, includes a 3,000-square-foot Gyan showroom that stocks contemporary jewelry featuring motifs borrowed from the museum’s antiquities as well as a contemporary art gallery, café, and fine dining restaurant serving homemade Jain cuisine. “It’s a complete experience and cultural center,” Arun says.
“We can have anything custom made in our Sitapura workshop, where guests can sit down with our designers,” he adds.
Last but certainly not least, finish up your tour of Jaipur’s bejeweled side at Johri Bazaar (Jeweler’s Market), an avenue chockablock with gem shops selling loose stones, elaborate wedding necklaces, bell-shaped jhumka earrings, nine-stone navratna rings, and other traditional items of adornment.
At the end of the day, duck into Johri & Sons, a luxe watering hole inside The Johri at Lal Haveli. Once a 19th-century nobleman’s house and now a boutique hotel located steps away from the bazaar, the property is co-owned by Siddharth Kasliwal, who calls the bar “one of the best in India.” (A branch of the Kasliwal family has owned the home for decades.)
If the opening page of the bar menu is any indication, jewel lovers have come to the right place. “Lal Haveli’s strange gems were sought, brought, bought, and bartered by everyone from sages to gypsies to Rajasthani royalty,” the menu reads. “Though only some of the fabled gems remain, their stories continue on through drinks that embody them and strangers who re-tell them.” And, let’s not forget, through the jewels that continue to reflect and refract the stories for generations to come.
Where to Stay in Jaipur
The Leela Palace Jaipur
Set against the majestic Aravalli Range, the Leela Palace Jaipur offers one of the Pink City’s most luxurious stays. Walk the manicured gardens, indulge in the hotel’s incredible cuisine, and marvel at the property’s eye-candy interiors, which meld traditional Indian decoration with the avant-garde.
The Oberoi Rajvilas
Oberoi properties are always extraordinary, and the five-star Oberoi Rajvilas is certainly an opulent stay. Standard rooms feel elevated and airy, but if you’re looking for a once-in-a-lifetime stay, book the Premier room with a four-poster canopy bed and private garden or (better yet) stay in one of the luxurious tents inspired by the Maharajas era—private pool included.
ITC Rajputana
Built in the style of Rajasthan’s traditional havelis, this luxury Marriot-owned property boasts a striking red brick exterior and is in the heart of Jaipur, making it an easy home base for day trips. It’s upscale but also kid-friendly—Ollie’s Club in the hotel is a fully equipped children’s play area.
Amanbagh
One of Aman Resorts’ most striking properties, this lush and verdant hotel is nestled into the Aravalli Hills, once the staging area for royal tiger hunts. Suites are spacious and light-filled and come with private terraces and courtyards. —Emili Vesilind
Top: Model in Amrapali jewelry (courtesy Amrapali)
