Made to Pleasure
The art of bespoke has always enjoyed a storied legacy, now it’s finding new avenues, including watches as canvas
The first time the word ‘bespoke’ was used, it was way back in 1607 in medieval Britain. For years since, it was used for tailor-made suits. Savile Row, the iconic street in Mayfair in central London, was the Mecca for bespoke suits; the tailors on this storied street have followed a tradition of crafting individually patterned and cut suits, which are coveted by lovers of luxury and fashion alike.
Somewhere in the 1800s, the term came to be associated with customised shoes in Italy. By early 1900, bespoke was used for everything customised and made-to-order. Bespoke, to me, is an extension of one’s personality. It reflects our choices––from the way we dress and the togs we dress in, to the jewellery, watches and bags that we flaunt, even to the customised furniture in our homes.
A Tryst with History
India’s engagement with bespoke is a long and loyal one.
‘The Luxury Market in India: Maharajas to Masses’, a book that traces the growth of luxury, puts across an interesting point. It states, “India’s luxury story has no beginning. There is no specific time to indicate the commencement of indulgence in luxury in India. It is a continuous fable of bespoke luxury which has barely been chronicled.”
Predictably, Indian royalty perfected the art of bespoke luxury. They were the biggest patrons of curated sensibilities. The Patiala Necklace, created by the House of Cartier in 1928 for Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, was studded with Burmese rubies and 2,930 pieces of diamonds, including what was then the world’s seventhlargest diamond, the ‘De Beers’ diamond, which weighed 428-carat pre-cut. The way it caught the light and gleamed was said to have been mesmerising.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Gaekwad, the Maharajah of Baroda, was known for his love of custom-made Bentleys and Rolls Royce. He followed in the footsteps of his father Maharaja Pratapsinghrao Gaekwad, who brought the young Maharaja Ranjit Singh a toy train with a steam engine, which was a made-to-scale model of the legendary Flying Scotsman.
The stories of bespoke opulence in India are unmatched. Mahbub Ali Khan, Nizam VI of Hyderabad, supposed to be the wealthiest man in the world, ordered a bright yellow Rolls Royce Silver Ghost Dome Roof, in 1911, which is still in possession of his descendants. Maharani Suniti Devi of Cooch Behar had a gorgeous white satin gown, made by a French dressmaker, for King Edward II’s coronation in 1902.
As for Rajasthan, a state I come from, royalty was synonymous with all things luxury and flamboyant. Maharaja of Jodhpur’s love for bespoke vintage cars––a series of magnificent Rolls-Royce, 1939 Cadillac open convertibles, rare Mercedes models, 1936 Vauxhall and 1937
Opel models were all part of his collection. From JaegerLeCoultre’s legendary watch model—the Reverso, created to celebrate Jodhpur’s heritage of polo, to Maharani Gayatri Devi’s natural pearl and diamond necklace, crafted to perfection by Cartier and the Udaipur Maharana’s penchant for bespoke crystal from Baccarat and Christofle are vestiges of royalty’s investment in bespoke pleasures.
Timeless Treasures
The world of watches and bespoke are intensely entwined. The royal families of Jaipur, Udaipur and Jodhpur had, and continue to possess, a legendary collection of beautiful bespoke watches from marquee watch brands such as JLC, Rolex and Patek Philippe. Bespoke watches have been a mainstay of the Indian horology industry for over a century. Among some of the famous bespoke watches created is a Patek Philippe watch for the Maharaja of Jodhpur, who wore it while playing polo; it was auctioned by Christie’s for a staggering $2,204, 714 a few
years ago.
Most watchmakers customise their watches for their discerning clients. Rolex, for instance, offers a host of customisation possibilities––from the simple to the complex. The simple practice of swapping a metal bracelet for a leather or rubber strap has a significant effect on the overall aesthetic of a watch. At the other end of the scale, there are entities who ask Rolex to brand a whole new model and reshape it to look like a sought-after vintage grail piece.
With Jaipur Watch Company, I have seen firsthand the immense potential for bespoke. From something as simple as customised straps to an accessory as complex as bespoke dials, we do quite a bit of customisation. Indians are very close to their spiritual and religious beliefs and bespoke allows us to cater to their emotional connect with their beliefs. For instance, we have made watches with Lord Hanuman and Lord Ganesh engravings. I remember working on a watch for a client who wanted an inscription of ‘Ya Ali’ in the Kufic script on a dial. The Kufic script is the oldest calligraphic form of the various Arabic scripts and was developed in 7th century Kufa, Iraq. It was believed that the Quran was written in the Kufic script. The script is now extinct and very few people know it. I had to put in the research and understand the script. I traced an antique dealer who sent me ‘Ya Ali’ written in Kufic.
As luxury turns to exclusivity as its ally, customisation ensures the customer of avenues where he can put desires on dials and create a canvas as colourful as his imagination. From signature perfumes, statements bags, personalised dials in watches to bespoke weaves, the demand for customisation has opened up the doors to back the patronage that now extends to connoisseurs of conscious luxury. What can be more conscious than a bespoke offering that takes gruelling hours stretching over months to complete and perfect?