Munnu Kasliwal (1955 to 2009) was the sixth-generation principal of the Gem Palace of Jaipur, leading the firm through its international expansion in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s and establishing its reputation as the leading contemporary house in the Mughal-Rajput jewellery tradition. Working from the firm's Jaipur base and from a New York atelier opened in the 1990s, Munnu created pieces that combined the traditional Indian techniques (kundan setting, jadau, meenakari enamelling, carved gemstones) with contemporary design sensibility, producing work that competed effectively with the work of the leading European high jewellery houses while maintaining a distinctly Indian character. The Gem Palace and the Munnu brand that succeeded his direct involvement remain among the most recognised Indian high jewellery names in the international market.

The Gem Palace and the Kasliwal family tradition

The Gem Palace was founded in Jaipur in 1852 by Pannalal Kasliwal, an ancestor of the family that has continued to operate the firm through six generations into the present day. The firm developed in the late nineteenth century as one of the principal jewellery houses serving the Rajput princely courts and the broader Indian aristocracy, with notable commissions for the maharajas of Jaipur, Indore, Patiala, and other princely states. By the twentieth century, the firm had developed substantial international relationships, with foreign clientele including American collectors and European visitors to India.

The integration of the firm's work with the broader Jaipur jewellery tradition — the meenakari enamel work of the historic Jaipur workshops, the kundan setting tradition inherited from Mughal-Rajput practice, the integration of Mughal-period carved gemstones from the family's accumulated inventory — established the Gem Palace as one of the principal repositories of the Indian high jewellery tradition. The firm's premises in the historic Mirza Ismail Road area of Jaipur (the principal commercial street of the old city) function both as a working jewellery house and as an informal museum of Indian jewellery, with significant historical pieces displayed alongside the firm's current production.

Munnu's leadership and the international expansion

Munnu joined the family business in the 1970s and assumed principal responsibility for the firm's design direction and international relationships during the 1980s and 1990s. His particular contribution was the systematic international expansion of the Gem Palace from its strong Indian base into substantial engagement with the global luxury market. The opening of a New York atelier in the 1990s was the pivotal step in this expansion, providing direct access to American collectors and the broader American luxury market and supporting commissions from international clientele who would not have travelled to India in the ordinary course of their jewellery acquisition.

The firm developed relationships with international interior designers, decorators, and tastemakers — figures including Bunny Mellon, Brooke Astor, and various others in the international design and society world — who introduced the Gem Palace work to a broader international clientele. The combination of the firm's traditional craftsmanship and the contemporary design direction supported a substantial expansion of the international business through the 1990s and 2000s, with the Gem Palace becoming one of the most recognised Indian high jewellery names in the global luxury market.

Design approach

Munnu's design approach combined the traditional techniques of Indian high jewellery with contemporary design sensibility. The traditional techniques included kundan setting (gold foil setting that allows stones of irregular shape to be set without seat preparation), jadau (combined kundan with multiple stones in floral or geometric patterns), meenakari enamelling (the Indian painted enamel tradition), and the integration of historical carved gemstones (particularly Mughal-period carved emeralds from the firm's inventory). The contemporary direction integrated these techniques with simplified forms, more architectural compositions, and broader colour palettes than typical of historical Mughal-Rajput work.

The pieces were designed to function in contemporary international wear contexts while retaining the unmistakable character of the Indian tradition. Necklaces in modern proportions integrated traditional dense gem-setting with contemporary structural simplicity. Earrings combined Mughal carved stones with contemporary mounts. Bracelets and rings followed similar patterns of integration. The success of the approach lay in the careful balance between tradition and innovation, with neither the inherited techniques nor the contemporary sensibility dominating the resulting pieces.

The exceptional gemstones

Munnu's work was distinguished by the consistent use of exceptional gemstones, drawing on the Gem Palace's traditional sourcing relationships and Munnu's personal expertise in identifying important stones. Burmese rubies in fine quality, Kashmir sapphires from the historic mid-twentieth-century supply, Colombian emeralds (both modern production and historic Mughal carved stones), and Golconda-tradition diamonds appear regularly in the firm's pieces from the period of Munnu's leadership. The combination of important stones with the high-quality traditional craftsmanship produced pieces of consistent significance in the international high jewellery market.

The legacy and the contemporary brand

Munnu's death in 2009 at the age of 54 was a significant loss to the international high jewellery world. The Gem Palace continued under the leadership of his brother Sanjay Kasliwal and the next generation of the family, with the international relationships and reputation established under Munnu's leadership supporting the firm's continued operation. The Munnu brand was developed in the years following his death to extend the legacy through pieces in the spirit of his work, providing a distinct identity within the broader Gem Palace family of operations.

The Munnu brand has been led by Munnu's daughter Sansriti Kasliwal Asawa, with the brand continuing the design direction and international engagement established under Munnu's leadership. The brand's pieces are sold through both the Jaipur and New York operations, with continued strong relationships with international clientele and ongoing commissions for important pieces.

Reception and the broader influence

Munnu's work has been the subject of substantial international press attention, with profiles in major design publications including Vogue, Town and Country, House and Garden, and Architectural Digest, and inclusion in major exhibitions of contemporary Indian and high jewellery work. Pieces by the firm have been featured at major auction houses, with prices reflecting both the quality of the materials and the recognition of the firm's contemporary position in the high jewellery market.

In the trade

For Skyjems and the broader trade, the Gem Palace and the Munnu legacy represent the apex of contemporary Indian high jewellery and an important reference point for the engagement with the Mughal-Rajput tradition. The firm's continuing operations support an ongoing supply of pieces in the tradition, with prices commensurate with the quality of materials and craftsmanship. Understanding Munnu's contribution to the international expansion of Indian high jewellery is essential context for any serious engagement with the contemporary Indian high jewellery market.

Further reading

• Gem Palace Jaipur — institutional homepage
• Victoria and Albert Museum — Treasures of the Mughals
• Metropolitan Museum of Art — Indian jewellery