Krishna Choudhary of Santi
Krishna Choudhary is hardly a newcomer to jewellery. Part of a family that boasts 10 generations of jewellers – as well as a centuries-long history of supplying India’s royal maharajahs with bijoux – he was born into this world. His father, Santi Choudhary, is the founder of Royal Gems & Arts in Jaipur, one of the most exclusive jewellery houses in the country.
But in 2019, the son decided to venture out on his own under the label Santi, named after his father, to craft exceptional designs at an output of just 12 to 15 pieces a year. While buzz has been quietly building ever since, his first major privateselling exhibition post-pandemic was held in September, giving prospective clients the opportunity to get their hands on his latest full collection in-person.
Working from his private salon in London’s Mayfair district, Choudhary centres each piece with rare, precious and antique gems, which he sets in contemporary designs inspired by Moghul art and architecture, as well as his family’s extensive collection of ancient objets and jewels. Two historic, round old-mine brilliant Golconda diamonds, cut in the 19th century and weighing 5.40 carats combined, for example, take centre stage in a pair of platinum disc-shaped earrings (pictured). A total of 6.18 carats of smaller white diamonds encircle the Golcondas in a chevron pattern inspired by a pair of antique ceremonial Indian ankle bracelets.
“The vision behind making the chevrons was to create the hypnotic loop of the diamonds with the play of the negative space in the design,” says Choudhary. “The intention was to have the effect of the diamonds appearing like they are floating in the air and achieving this while maintaining a very light weight with platinum at the same time.”
Choudhary’s showstopping creations are already attracting serious clients from Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Silicon Valley. So when Phillips hosted his selling exhibition at its London headquarters in Berkeley Square, aficionados found themselves facing stiff competition for his extraordinary oneof-a-kind pieces.