:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/TAL-royal-arts-and-gems-interior-JAIPURJEWELS1025-49cc2958d7eb4c8e87faf39049e404b3.jpg?ssl=1 "You’ll Find One-of-a-kind Jewelry Fit for Royalty at This Little-known Shop in Jaipur, India")
From left: Courtesy of Santi; Abhishek Bali
Jaipur has long seduced travelers with its warren of old bazaars, royal palaces, and glittering treasures. But behind one of the city’s pink façades lies a rarer find: Royal Gems & Arts, a jewelry business housed inside Saras Sadan, an 18th-century haveli, or mansion, a short walk from the iconic Hawa Mahal palace.
Run by ninth-generation jeweler Santi Choudhary with his wife, Shobha, and son, Krishna, the atelier feels like a museum and is open by appointment only. The Choudharys, descendants of the city’s founding families, supply exquisite pieces to royalty and collectors around the world.
Today, Santi oversees a trove of Mughal- and Rajput-inspired pieces, some of which have been loaned to the world’s top museums. Krishna joined the family business while studying Islamic and Indian art in London. In 2019, he started his own label, Santi, with an atelier in London’s Mayfair district showcasing bold, contemporary designs with rare stones set in gold, titanium, or platinum.
Together, the Choudharys’ shops offer a glimpse into India’s past and present—one rooted in Jaipur’s traditions, the other reinterpreting them for a new generation. While the haveli in Jaipur focuses on heritage designs, Santi in London crafts one-of-a-kind pieces, like a rare 18th-century, pyramid-shaped Colombian emerald set in 18-karat white gold with reverse-set diamonds. “Every antique stone we work with brings a mystery with it, and we add something to it for the future,” Krishna says.
Courtesy of Santi
Run by ninth-generation jeweler Santi Choudhary with his wife, Shobha, and son, Krishna, the atelier feels like a museum and is open by appointment only. The Choudharys, descendants of the city’s founding families, supply exquisite pieces to royalty and collectors around the world.
Today, Santi oversees a trove of Mughal- and Rajput-inspired pieces, some of which have been loaned to the world’s top museums. Krishna joined the family business while studying Islamic and Indian art in London. In 2019, he started his own label, Santi, with an atelier in London’s Mayfair district showcasing bold, contemporary designs with rare stones set in gold, titanium, or platinum.
Together, the Choudharys’ shops offer a glimpse into India’s past and present—one rooted in Jaipur’s traditions, the other reinterpreting them for a new generation. While the haveli in Jaipur focuses on heritage designs, Santi in London crafts one-of-a-kind pieces, like a rare 18th-century, pyramid-shaped Colombian emerald set in 18-karat white gold with reverse-set diamonds. “Every antique stone we work with brings a mystery with it, and we add something to it for the future,” Krishna says.
More Must-visit Jewelers in Jaipur
Tallin Jewels
Founded by Akshat Ghiya—a second-generation jeweler who was raised in India and Italy—this store has made a name for itself with its unconventional, contemporary pieces. Ghiya uses stones like pink and purple sapphire, onyx, citrine, and tourmaline to create wearable confections.
Gyan Jaipur
This shop, which features striking geometric styles, is attached to a museum that holds more than 2,500 objects—textiles, coins, daggers, and jewelry—collected by the owners’ late father.
The Gem Palace
Established in 1852, this store is a celebrity favorite. Princess Diana, Oprah, and Gwyneth Paltrow have all ogled the traditional Indian craftsmanship blended with contemporary design. After the eighth-generation jeweler Munnu Kasliwal died in 2012, his son Siddharth took over, and today runs the business alongside his brother, cousins, and uncle.
A version of this story appeared in the October 2025 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline “Jaipur’s Crown Jewel.”