{"id":38660,"date":"2026-10-27T15:43:51","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T10:13:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gjepc.org\/solitaire\/?p=38660"},"modified":"2026-10-27T15:47:57","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T10:17:57","slug":"beyond-the-expected-the-art-of-mhari","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gjepc.org\/solitaire\/beyond-the-expected-the-art-of-mhari\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyond the Expected: The Art of MH\u0100RI"},"content":{"rendered":"

What happens when silver breaks free from convention? At MH\u0100RI, it becomes a backdrop for ideas that challenge the familiar. Drawing on art, architecture, travel, and everyday discoveries, MH\u0100RI\u2019s Founder and Designer Alay Somani <\/strong>transforms abstract concepts into sculptural, maximalist jewellery that feels distinctly his own. Crafted in Jaipur using recycled silver and semi-precious stones, each piece reflects a more considered approach to luxury, where only originality rules.<\/p>\n

Are you a first-generation jeweller? Where did you learn the craft, and what inspired you to establish MH\u0100RI? <\/strong><\/p>\n

I’m a first-generation jeweller, but jewellery was never my first choice. It happened to me.<\/p>\n

I was training to become an amateur Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter when I met a girl I wanted to marry. I needed a steady income, and MMA \u00a0couldn\u2019t offer that.<\/p>\n

So, I joined a friend in Jaipur who dealt in furniture. He had a small jewellery setup with one craftsman and asked if I could make pieces for his clients in Italy and the US.<\/p>\n

I was taken aback. Jewellery designing requires training and a range of skills, but I decided to give it a shot.<\/p>\n

Gradually, I learnt everything on the job \u2014 manufacturing, conceptualising, designing, working with gemstones and setting. Discovering my natural knack for design, I enrolled in a jewellery design school in Jaipur at 30, alongside classmates aged 18 and 19, many from jewellery families.<\/p>\n

That’s when I realised my inborn knack for designing. I enrolled in a jewellery design school in Jaipur at the age of 30, where my classmates were around 18-19 years old, many of whom hailed from generational jewellery backgrounds!<\/p>\n

Two months into the course, I felt formal design learning was restricting me. I began manufacturing my own pieces, learning through mistakes, research and experimentation.<\/p>\n

Inspired by Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, Stephen Webster and Wallace Chan, I wanted to create world-class jewellery that broke away from conventional two-dimensional motifs of flora, fauna and familiar symbols.<\/p>\n

That vision gave birth to MH\u0100RI, which means \u2018mine\u2019 in Rajasthan. The brand is an expression of my concepts and creations, my studio, and the women who shaped my life \u2014 my mother, sister and wife.<\/p>\n

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The Audace recycled silver gold-plated collar is adorned with custom-cut malachite and enhanced by MHARI\u2019s mirror finish by hand.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Why silver? What possibilities does it offer you as a designer?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Choosing silver is a very conscious decision because as a designer, I love to experiment and gives me freedom to play with my ideas. I’m a maximalist by nature, and that reflects in my designs.<\/p>\n

Silver offers so much more freedom to experiment, to work with different, heavier designs. I can also electroplate it the best gold micron plating possible.<\/p>\n

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Hundreds of hexagons form the surface of the Mosaic choker, each individually carved, sized and polished by hand. Their differing angles create a surface that changes with movement. The necklace, made with mother-of-pearl and a 24-karat gold finish on silver, took nearly 80 man hours to construct.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You use recycled silver for your collections. How challenging is it to source, smelt and refine recycled silver before transforming it into jewellery? Is the finished jewellery 925 sterling silver, and how do you ensure its purity and quality? Does this also increase production costs?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I have my studio in Jaipur, and it is not challenging to source and smelt and refine recycled silver in the city. The finished jewellery is 925 sterling silver. My casting vendors work with export houses as well, and they ensure the right certifications, and the right lab testing for the metal we use. Also, it doesn\u2019t increase the production cost much.<\/p>\n

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An open band in 925 silver, plated in 24-karat gold, is set with natural pearls and zircon pav\u00e9, its clean lines finished to a high polish.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Your designs are contemporary and concept-driven, drawing inspiration from ideas such as Kintsugi, mosaic, and more. How do you translate these concepts into wearable jewellery? <\/strong><\/p>\n

My inspirations come from everyday life; from my childhood, travels, reading, or art forms like sculptures, architecture, ceramics, and lighting. I consume all sorts of, you know, art forms, my bad.<\/p>\n

The next is to convert the concept into a wearable form, which comes to me intuitively as I can’t design on command. For instance, I was working on the concept of kaleidoscope for two years, figuring out the right form, how to make that concept wearable and feminine. until we hit the right chord. That process is beautiful as it teaches us so much. My craftsmen, too, keep brainstorming along with me.<\/p>\n

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On Daisy Shah: The Irodori choker crafted in 925 silver, and inspired by the kaleidoscope. On the choker\u2019s mirror-polished surfaces reflect the zircons held within.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

How have consumers responded to your unconventional design language? <\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s just been one year since we’ve been out there, and we are still reaching out to people who want to understand the process behind any creation.<\/p>\n

We’ve had customers who absolutely love the design language and the quality that I’m trying to give in silver and semi-precious stones. While the discerning client \u00a0understands, for the new customer it’s the aesthetic that draws them in. We still have a long way to go.<\/p>\n

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Crafted in 925 silver, the two-finger Irodori ring draws cues from the kaleidoscope.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You believe in slow luxury, with a focus on considered design and craftsmanship. How do you communicate this philosophy to consumers? <\/strong><\/p>\n

We’re a made-to-order brand and create around 30 pieces a month. It’s a conscious decision as I like to be\u00a0 involved in every process, right from chatting with the customer on WhatsApp and helping them with choosing a piece to telling them about the story behind that piece, or why that piece is special to me.<\/p>\n

I personally handle customer queries and that builds so much trust and connection rather than just going on a website and buying a piece.<\/p>\n

I also upload videos on Instagram explaining the design process behind it: philosophy, the ideation, the conceptualization, the experiment, the failures.<\/p>\n

We don’t rush. Every craftsman at the studio works on a piece from start to finish, so they are accountable for it and have a sense of pride. They are excited when we deliver an order, and they are more excited than me for the customer feedback.<\/p>\n

How is MH\u0100RI reaching its customers? Do you export your jewellery, and if so, which international markets are responding well to your designs?<\/strong><\/p>\n

We sell online and take direct orders on WhatsApp. Instagram is our main channel. Recently, we showcased in three multi-designer boutiques in Delhi. And I plan to increase that number in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad. Although we don’t export yet, we have a few clients in Dubai, Singapore, and the U.S., whom we ship to.<\/p>\n

Silver jewellery is often seen as a more accessible alternative to gold. Do you believe it can command the same design-led appeal and emotional value as fine gold jewellery? <\/strong><\/p>\n

Design-led silver jewellery and fine gold jewellery are two\u00a0 distinctive markets.<\/p>\n

In the silver segment, \u00a0consumers can explore amazing designs with high-quality finish. Second, high gold prices are driving people more towards silver.<\/p>\n

My price points are accessible and even a Rs.15,000 MH\u0100RI earring can be more valuable to a consumer just because of its original design.<\/p>\n

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Made in 925 silver with 24-karat gold micron plating and an adjustable fit, the Nova ring translates a cluster of stars into a cocktail ring. Zircons are arranged across the form to catch light at different points.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What is next for MH\u0100RI? Are there new materials, techniques, design concepts, or international markets you are keen to explore?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Currently, I am exploring silver and wood such as ebony, sandalwood, beech wood, sheesham, and rosewood. Then, ceramics and silver, too.<\/p>\n

With wood, we are exploring different techniques like pyrography, marquetry, inlaying \u2026 and finally, with flexible wooden corsets, which are linked together and they fit the body like a soft dress. We will be exploring so much more of wood and silver and inlaying those corsets and bustiers, using pyrography on them, and using gold leaf work on them. I will be exploring Dubai by next year, and the European market a bit later.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What happens when silver breaks free from convention? At MH\u0100RI, it becomes a backdrop for ideas that challenge the familiar. Drawing on art, architecture, travel, and everyday discoveries, MH\u0100RI\u2019s Founder and Designer Alay Somani transforms abstract concepts into sculptural, maximalist jewellery that feels distinctly his own. Crafted in Jaipur using recycled silver and semi-precious stones,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":38661,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[99,104],"tags":[],"thb-sponsors":[],"class_list":["post-38660","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-design","category-features"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBeyond the Expected: The Art of MH\u0100RI - Solitaire magazine is a International jewellery magazine - India\u2019s leading B2B gem and jewellery magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow\" \/>\n<meta name=\"googlebot\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"bingbot\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/gjepc.org\/solitaire\/beyond-the-expected-the-art-of-mhari\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Beyond the Expected: The Art of MH\u0100RI - Solitaire magazine is a International jewellery magazine - India\u2019s leading B2B gem and jewellery magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What happens when silver breaks free from convention? 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