Crown Prince

Maharaja Kumar Karamjit Singh of Kapurthala had a fine taste in jewellery,which resulted in a treasure trove of jewels commissioned and bought from the best stores in Europe. Today,his grandson,the reticent jewellery designer Hanut Singh,is taking Indian jewellery overseas. Delicately crafted in 18-karat gold,Hanut uses an assortment of precious and semi-precious stones that seem to map the world with Peruvian pearls,Japanese abalone,Afghani tourmalines,Sri Lankan multi-sapphires,Persian onyx,diamonds,rubies,tanzenites and kundan. It’s little surprise then that the contemporary-style jewellery,boasting of dollops of colour,has been spotted on celebrities not just in India,but all the way in Hollywood also. Actors Meryl Streep,Penelope Cruz and Mary Kate Olsen,to acclaimed author Kathy Freston,actor and singers Amy Adams,Hayden Panettiere and singer Beyonce Knowles have worn his jewels,along with celebrated artists such as Cindy Sherman and Bharti Kher. Ask him about the growing celebrity clientele and Hanut answers,“I design for myself,and if people like that,it’s thrilling.”

Last week (March 23),Delhi-based Hanut decided to unveil his latest collection “Moth to a Flame” first in Mumbai at a trunk show held at Bungalow 8,before taking it to London,New York and Los Angeles. The collection features his signature earrings. It’s commendable that he’s not professionally trained but having access to creations by Cartier and Van Cleef and Arpels at home,courtesy the family collection,surely would have helped. “The trigger to start my own label was an overwhelming passion for stones and jewellery design. I took the plunge after years of just wanting to and thinking about it,” says Hanut. Surprisingly,he says he doesn’t keep his royal heritage in mind when designing for his label. “I don’t keep anything but my own creative pursuit in mind when I design. My designs are a distillation of my DNA,with my own life experiences thrown in,” he says.

He says he doesn’t want to put himself in a “corner by choosing to design for a particular type of woman”. “People with flair,drive,attitude,compassion,grand style and bright minds,sexy people,intellectual people,those with madness in their minds and love in their hearts — are the ones I’m creating for,” says Hanut,who himself wears jewellery and makes jewellery for men too.

He says,“Like in our past,where men wore jewels,men today also celebrate themselves and wear jewels.”