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Farah Khan Decodes the Business and Cultural Value of Jewellery

Farah Khan Decodes the Business and Cultural Value of Jewellery

For the veteran jewellery designer, emotion, meaning, and beauty are what make jewellery timeless

For jewellery maven Farah Khan, nature, architecture, and love serve as eternal muses, forming the core of her design sensibility. Be it high jewellery collections or her prêt line, every piece stands as an ode to the places, people, and experiences that have shaped her life. Now considered one of India’s foremost jewellery designers, Khan started her journey by studying gemstones at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), Santa Monica—an experience that taught her every stone has its own personality, strengths, and limits. She topped her gemmology class, spent years apprenticing and crafting bespoke pieces, and officially launched her fine jewellery brand, Farah Khan Fine Jewellery, in 2004.

“Inspiration is rarely a sudden moment,” Khan says, when asked about what inspires her, adding, “It’s usually something that stays with me—a flower I notice while travelling, the symmetry of a Mughal archway, the movement of water, or even the way light falls on an old building. I collect these moments almost subconsciously.” For her, creating a piece of jewellery usually starts with observation and emotion rather than sketching. She explains, “I ask myself what it is about that image or experience that moved me. Was it the softness, the strength, the rhythm, the colour? Once I identify that feeling, I start translating it into form.”

Ocean’s Embrace necklace, in 18k gold, blue cabochons, emeralds, diamonds

Khan understands that while jewellery needs to be beautiful, it must also be wearable. The challenge is to translate an object of inspiration into a thoughtfully crafted piece that can be worn frequently, rather than being stored away. So, sometimes a petal may become a diamond setting, or the fluidity of water may turn into an entire collection. Khan says that the final piece may not be an exact copy of the original inspiration, but it will always carry its essence.

A background in gemmology gave her the confidence to design around the unique characteristics of specific gemstones. Khan says, “When I begin designing, I never think of a gemstone as simply a decorative element. I look at its colour, cut, inclusions, brilliance, and character. The design must serve the gemstone, not compete with it.” Emeralds are her absolute favourite gemstone to work with. “There’s something incredibly soulful about them,” she says.

Read the full story in the special ‘Joaillerie Market’ issue of LuxeTrope, on stands now.

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Rolex Unveils Four Unique Daytonas for Charity

Rolex Unveils Four Unique Daytonas for Charity

The brand is set to offer a set of four Cosmograph Daytonas at a live auction in London on September 28

Images courtesy: Rolex

The horological industry took note this week when Rolex made an unprecedented yet magnificent announcement. The Geneva titan is set to offer a set of four unique Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytonas at a live auction in London on September 28, 2026. Inspired by the natural cadence of the four seasons, this exclusive quartet represents a momentous chapter in contemporary watchmaking.

The story behind these timepieces began earlier this year as a rumour flowing through the halls of Watches & Wonders. The manufacture had quietly crafted a bespoke box set, asking select global retailers to submit discreet profiles of candidates worthy of acquiring the four-piece collection, initially priced around CHF 4 million. What followed was a frenzy of interest, with over a thousand high-net-worth collectors and global icons vying for the privilege. Faced with an overwhelming response and a desire to turn this artistic flex into a force for global good, CEO Jean-Frédéric Dufour and his team shifted course, electing to place the entire quartet on the public auction block.

Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 126595 SARO, 40 mm, 18k Everose gold. Turquoise dial with counters in heart of ruby and hour markers fashioned from pink sapphires. Bezel set with 36 trapeze-cut pink sapphires. Image courtesy: Rolex

Each watch in the Four Seasons set serves as a canvas for Rolex’s gem-setting and dial artistry. The spring iteration pairs 18k white gold with lepidolite and chrysoprase, while the summer model is radiant in 18k Everose gold with a dial crafted from turquoise with counters in heart of ruby. Autumn arrives wrapped in 18k yellow gold, punctuated by mookaite with counters in chrysoprase, whereas winter cools the collection in platinum, juxtaposed against a blue opal dial with lapis lazuli accents. The cases are further elevated by diamonds delicately encrusted onto the lugs and crown guards, creating an interplay of colour, precious metal, and rare minerals.

Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 126598 TML, 40 mm, 18k yellow gold. Mookaite dial with counters in chrysoprase and hour markers fashioned from green tourmalines. Bezel set with 36 trapeze-cut green tourmalines. Image courtesy: Rolex

Beyond their charm, these timepieces carry a philanthropic purpose. All proceeds from the upcoming hammer fall will directly benefit two foundations headed by key Rolex ambassadors: the Roger Federer Foundation, dedicated to early childhood education, and Re:wild, the environmental conservation initiative co-founded by Leonardo DiCaprio.

Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 126596 SABV, 40 mm, 950 platinum. Blue opal dial with counters in lapis lazuli and hour markers fashioned from diamonds. Bezel set with 36 trapeze-cut sapphires in a blue to fuchsia gradient. Image courtesy: Rolex

Industry insiders already anticipate a historic evening in London. The landmark sale carries the potential to redefine the vintage and modern Daytona marketplace in a manner not witnessed since Paul Newman’s iconic steel reference set world records in 2017. Given that private collectors were reportedly offering eight-figure sums even before the auction announcement, the added dimension of philanthropic motivation is expected to spark an international bidding war.

Read More

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From Mughal jewels to ancient sculptures, 'Animalia' explores humanity's enduring fascination with the animal kingdom through rare works from The Al Thani Collection​

While India's iconic Progressives continue to dominate the market, a new wave of artists is rewriting auction records

Art historian, curator, and director of The Al Thani Collection, Dr. Amin Jaffer believes great collections are built on stories that connect cultures across time

The auction brought together leading names in Modern Indian art, with several works achieving standout prices

Ornamentation in Indian art tells stories of power, identity and cultural memory