A classic Art Deco style of multi-strand necklace that’s gracefully adapted to Indian tastes, this glorious jewel nevertheless serves up a quite opulence that’ll appeal to anyone.

A classic Art Deco style of multi-strand necklace that’s gracefully adapted to Indian tastes, this glorious jewel nevertheless serves up a quite opulence that’ll appeal to anyone.

Five lines of natural pearls are strung through beautifully scrolled pipes, polished chaktis and pearl collets to frame a pierced naksha paisley that stands out for its strong motif and significant relief. These form the side panels that are fixed to the mayurpankhis at the two ends which, in their unique stylization, appear to sail on a sea of pearls.

Below, where the panel culminates in a scrolled pipe, four calibrated sikal chain strands emerge dotted with single pearls and golf balls and plunge the necklace to a sassy opera length.

The earrings, while retaining the form of the pearl-and-gold side panels of the necklace, differs in the articulation of its main motif–– a large curlicue that’s all the more attractive because of the void it brings into play to balance the heaviness of the pearl panel. The single polished square, wire bordered with tiny karaiphul and blessed with ample mukto’r jhur is a pleasant counterpoint to the rest of the earring that’s packed with pearl and gold and needs space to be design effective. The single pearl drop, from where the fronds of the curlicue meet, perfectly modulates the void and uses it to attract attention.

No doubt a rare ornament, this was a special commission for a doctor who’s a consulting physician with mass health projects and the RBI clinics. A lover of theater, non-fiction texts and Rabindrasangeet, she’s also married, with a son. While she’s purchased from us earlier as well, Dr. Debanjali Gupta’s first visit to us was for a restoration project for her Thakuma’s jewellery. That goes a long way in showing women of science to be equally steeped in sentiment and a sense of history, both individual and monumental. The very idea of continuance of spirit vested in items of personal decoration hints at a divinity higher than what’s practiced within places of worship.

Here, finally, is a lady of the sciences who believes in immortality –– and why not? If her grandmother’s jewels keep her close to Debanjali’s heart, there will come a time when Debanjali’s undying spirit will be preserved in her jewellery that’ll pass on as heirlooms from generation to generation, handmade with utmost care in pure 22K gold –– as this set is, and which, true to tradition, is named after her.