Our Heritage

To hold a Gem Palace creation is to unfold an entire universe within the palm of your hand. Each turn reveals a new dimension — belts transform into brooches, rings open to unveil loose gems, necklaces flip to display backings as intricate as their facades. Rubies and emeralds nestle into pure gold settings, inlaid with such precision that, on first glance, one assumes they were painted. It is within the facets of these exquisite jewels that the story of The Gem Palace is written.

Throughout history, jewelry has been interwoven with the political and social structures of India. In the stratified society of the Mughal empire, gems served as both investments of wealth and displays of power. Three centuries of Mughal emperors depended on jewelers like the Agra-based Kasliwal family to create opulent, whimsical pieces that would inspire awe and reinforce the high status of the wearer. In the words of Munnu, “Back then, people wore more jewelry than clothes.” The elaborate, exquisitely crafted designs the Kasliwals were creating during the Mughal period continue to set the standard for all Munnu The Gem Palace creations.

After decades as jewelers for Mughal royalty, the Kasliwal name had become synonymous with innovative design and flawless craftsmanship. Their mastery of traditional Indian techniques like Kundan setting and Meenakari enameling elevated their renown and built the Kasliwal reputation amongst the elite. It is of little surprise that when the Maharaja Jai Singh II began construction in 1725 on his new city of Jaipur, which was to be a center of the finest art and highest culture, the Kasliwals were invited to work within the palace walls as the crown jewelers. Jaipur remains home to the Kasliwal family today.

In a Kasliwal design, neither time nor money was an obstacle. Intricately crafted pieces often required years of perfecting by dedicated craftsmen. The expansion of Jaipur afforded the Kasliwals an opportunity to centralize their operations at a new location outside of the palace walls on Mirza Ismail Road.  Many of the craftsmen who previously had been scattered throughout the city came together to work under one roof. The Gem Palace remains located today on MI Road and continues to employ many descendants of the original studio craftsmen.

In 1858, the Indian subcontinent came under British rule and became known as the "jewel in the crown".  During a period of increased cultural exchange between India and Europe, Gem Palace creations began to influence European houses the likes of Cartier while the Indian maharajas and society were seduced by European designs. The Gem Palace retained its position as jewelers to the state and Earl Mountbatten of Burma, the last Viceroy of India, officially recognized it as such.  The family continued to craft exquisite pieces while the political tides of the country shifted once again.

New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art invited Munnu Kasliwal to design a special collection to sell alongside the 2001 exhibition, “Treasury of the World: Jeweled Arts of India in the Age of the Mughals”. Despite the economic downturn, the jewelry he created was a great success and paved the way for a series of successive collaborations. Between 2001 and 2007, Munnu created five collections for The Met ranging in style from Greek and Roman to Egyptian to Byzantine to Early Mediterranean.

After the wild success of Munnu's creations for the Met, The Gem Palace gained popularity within the United States and Munnu and his son Siddharth opened a private studio and showroom in a townhouse in the heart of New York City. Much like their family's MI Road showroom, the New York space enchants all who enter. Munnu’s collections of Mughal paintings grace the walls. Vibrant colors, tapestries, and gems overwhelm the senses, transporting visitors into the magical realm of The Gem Palace.