Gem Palace is only the jeweller of the maharajas

Gem Palace... The most famous Indian jeweler. Mughal emperors. Gem Palace is now the regular provider in stones of prestigious houses such as Tiffany & Co or creative in vogue as Marie-Hélène de Taillac. Always prized by the jet - set, is establishing part of Indian heritage in the same way as the Taj Mahal. In Jaipur, Rajasthan, site visit is an essential step for jewellery lovers. It is more precisely in Ismail Road that is needed, and for this deal with the 4 x 4 double stormed the old white Ambassador, slaloment between the sacred cows and verge on the rickshaws. Under the arcades of the street without charm with its 1950s architecture move quantity of shops of the famous name: Gem Plaza, Gem Paradise, etc. Not to be confused with the authentic Gem Palace opened here in 1852 by the grandfather of Sudhir, Sanjay and Munnu, the three brothers Kasliwal currently in command of the establishment!

At the Gem Palace guards step armed, visible to cameras step actions around. The House seems to be monitored by a guard, casually occupied drinking his tea and in talking with an old Hindu. Who could imagine so many wonders hidden behind this facade

The shop in the old atmosphere hesitates between colonial and Indian tradition. The lights are sifted, perhaps to better highlight fire stones of sparkling colour behind the shop windows of dark wood. Amulets in carnelian and jade pendants navratna supposed to remove the evil spirits, majestic necklaces of emeralds of Colombia, simplissimes rings of Burmese rubies in cabochon, loops of aquamarine earrings... The accosted in the jewel, there for all the awards and all styles. For the poor Indians who should possess a jewel for the Queens of West and fashion addicts from all over the world. Unable to resist the creations of Sanjay. "It is not uncommon that a client spends 30 000 in minutes", a young saleswoman marvels. In this shop, the brothers Kasliwal expose also some pieces of collection. Thus this sarpech, turban ornament that once belonged to a Maharajah of Jaipur, or the sabre, which served to affirm the power of a Mughal Emperor.

Senior visitors in color

Only a privileged few have access to the backstage of the Gem Palace, workshops. Here is the charismatic and very media Munnu, the youngest of the family responsible for the processing of the VIP and public relations officer. Dressed in traditional paijama and nachkan, he guides us in a room furnished of low tables and white mattresses on the ground. This is where, from the bustle of the city and protected from the heat by a large fan, he loves to receive his visitors. They come from diverse backgrounds and some are high in colour as the very british Harry Fane, a friend of thirty years, coming to organize an exhibition on the Gem Palace Museum Somerset House in London. Or the millionaire couple Americans who Munnu, excited like a child before a new toy is admire more than 2 000 carats of raw emeralds just arrived from Afghanistan... Present also a huge Hindu merchant all white dressed with large pendants and "bagouzes" stones, and an old artisan come show his works: turtles, Buddhas and other mythological figures cut in the iolite or jade. This is that the occupier retains its finest pieces from an armoured cupboard. Ancient jewellery whose wealth exceeds the imagination, as this ankle bracelet enamelled and set of diamonds that belonged to the daughter of the Builder of the Taj Mahal. The Cabinet also encloses contemporary pieces today sold to the Metropolitan Museum in New York. As this spectacular necklace Diamond Pink size decorated with floral enamel, engraved and Ruby emeralds polished... He reinterpreted in the stripping the Mughal style of the 16th and 17th centuries.

On this other necklace in the shape of Sun, the rich tracery of chased gold disappeared in favor of alignments of diamond contained rays with tips end in a polished Emerald. It also reinterprets the ears bond gold pendant Indian traditional jewellery like to overload of pearls and precious stones. The "candlestick" effect is now made by a simple layering of semi-precious stones, as these aquamarine light and tintinnabulantes cut in drop. Another classic revisited: animal patterns in enamel. "I want that my jewelry are worthy of a miniature of the 17th century, but they agree perfectly with a Prada dress!", explains Munnu Kasliwal. All the jewellery offer a wonderful showcase to the dexterity of Indian artisans. Gem Palace appealed to hundreds of small shops scattered in Jaipur. And since troops years, the House returned the artisans, in the previous generation when the main activity of Gem Palace was to sell fallen maharajahs trimmings. At the end of a string of stairs and terraces offering views on Tiger Fort, here is the lapidary crouched before their ancestral tool. They appear to be identified by stacks of filled bags of stones gross, spinel, emeralds or garnets, waiting to be roughly trimmed, polished or cut. A Maharajah did not believe his eyes! The sertisseurs rise of stones according to the ancient technique of kundan for an Assembly tighter than the claw mounting. Pure gold used by the Indian craftsmen is rendered also malleable to the clay, and then placed around the gems by simple hand pressure. They will be then embedded into hard stones such as jade to form valuable inlays with wood and ivory.

Munnu Kasliwal successfully promote these skills in the West by creators such as Claire de Divonne and Adeline Roussel. They come here three or four times a year to buy their stones are then set up by the lapidary and Gem Palace sertisseurs. Marie-Hélène de Taillac creates his own collections in Jaipur where she resides part of the year. His pieces are sold in his shop rue de Tournon and at Colette. Ten years ago, it was the first delivered to the taste of the day the briolettes, these stones in the shape of drop fully bore to better catch the light.

Gem Palace is only the jeweller of the maharajas. With the eighth generation of Kasliwal, the home is rooted in modernity. And Siddarth, the son of Munnu, stands ready to take over.

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The India and stones

Has always been, the Indian subcontinent, which is full of diamonds, sapphires, topazes, amethysts, grenats, spinels and other precious stones of colour, produced a jewellery to extremely rich forms. Taking power from 1526, the Moguls bring perfection in elegance of the reasons, the inlay of metal wire, glazed to the colourful scenery and crimping of precious gems. In 1720, one of the last emperors, Jai Singh II, left Agra for Jaipur became the capital of Rajasthan. Follow all artisans attached to his court, hundreds of families of miniaturists, arts on copper, tanners, Dyers, potters and Stonecutters to install and in the pink city. Over the centuries, Jaipur emerged as a global centre of size and stone trade. An activity more than ever flourishing since in 2005 the India imported raw color stones $ 83 million, while its exports of cut stones him were $ 193 million.

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IN PRACTICE

Asia offers a route to Rajasthan in 10 days and 8 nights out of Paris, Paris-Delhi E/R Lufthansa flights. Accommodation in hotels, including two in the Samode Palace in Jaipur. Car with driver, guide for the tours, domestic flights included. Extra night possible at each step. Price per person in double room and breakfast from 2 160 287,99 euros of taxes (2 759 euros taxes with a great accommodation luxury in the Palace of the chain TAJ, including the Rambagh Palace in Jaipur).

Note, the Jaipur Heritage International Festival from 14 to January 23, 2007, a cultural and social event at the initiative of the Jaipur Virasat Foundation () with concerts, dance, theatre, etc.

Asia, Tel.: 01 44 41 50 10. and travel agencies.