Back in the day, there were a few names that held the trust of hopeful brides and determined mothers, who set out to shop jewellery, in the capital. Endless hours were spent at the jewellers to pick sets as each detail was painstakingly scrutinised before taking a call. It was the Hazoorilal brand that adorned necks amongst the glitterati and it was the luxurious statement you needed to light up an occasion. 

The brand has maintained its standards of exquisite jewellery for 65 years or more. It is why their name is No.1 when suggesting baubles to add to the coffers. Founded in 1952, Hazoorilal was the first to open a store in Defence Colony. Later, Hazoorilal by Sandeep Narang built its base in Greater Kailash. They expanded their reach in the capital with a store in ITC Maurya by 2015, and one in DLF Emporio, Vasant Kunj, by 2016.

With the Hazoorilal name brandished on billboards across town, the reputation remains unrivalled since the early decade. Yet accessorising the capital’s swish set wasn’t the final goal, as the brand was soon seen on the international red carpet too. Running the show from his state-of-the-art flagship store in GK-1, director Sandeep has an insight into the tectonic shifts that led to the great transformation.

“We are serving the third generation of clients, and it’s a matter of pride as it’s their implicit faith in us, which sustains our motivation, to keep innovating and creating masterpieces,” he mentions. “We cherish the fact that our clients keep coming back to us,” he adds. The royal family of Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi being Hazoorilal wearers is proof of their unique aesthetic, teamed up with an interactive client experience.

Sandeep believes a change in the construction of any business is necessary for growth. “The jewellery industry has with time developed into a structured and organised sector. To keep up with the changing times you must have something unique to keep the interest alive,” he states. He is the only brand in India to introduce the Lily Cut and Orchidea Cut diamond.

Sandeep being a connoisseur of diamonds and precious gemstones, the brand is flourishing with new designs in diamond jewellery. Sparkling diamonds juxtaposed with the vivid blue of the tanzanite is one exemplifying glitz at Hazoorilal. They offer intricate temple jewellery with a traditional aesthetic as well, alongside avant-garde creations like this one. Sandeep specialises in solitaires and recognises quality when he sees one. It explains why the quality of jewellery in the brand comes with an unimpeachable repute.

Hazoorilal’s significance in the Delhi circuit could be best defined by the relationship between Tiffany’s store and Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Looking at a diamond with its multiple facets that shine as it catches hold of light, has a fascinating allure to it. It makes you stop and stare at the mesmerising window displays. And you ponder on the much-popularised relationship between a diamond and a girl. 

The film was shown to have an almost revered ritual with jewellery, which highlights the fact that the timeless object is a testament of not just style, but also a wish to acquire such a rare object; a quotient that only a person who enjoys the finer things in life like Sandeep, would be able to reveal to the world. He is an ardent admirer of art and travels extensively for inspiration. While selecting solitaires and unique gemstones for the brand, he often takes back collector items both for his personal and professional decor. You can see the reflection of his aesthetic in the state-of-the-art furnishings at the flagship store offering tasteful opulence to spectators.

He redeems jewellery to be beyond the superfluous and his taste of grandiosity offers both modern and traditional designs. But he also has his own take on style for the millennials as well as the aged. As somebody who understands art and style, he gives a voice to the brand. It is true that jewellery is ultimately an heirloom, but it is the one accessory that does not have the age-defining characteristic, and Sandeep agrees. “Age of a woman does not justify her choice of jewellery. Each one has her own way of defining style, so this is something personal as there is an emotional vulnerability to jewellery selection,” he claims. 

For the wedding season, he has an array of offerings with complete know-how of what each occasion requires. He knows the wants of a modern bride who is aware of her personal style. “Wedding jewellery is undoubtedly polki, uncut diamond sets complete with matha patti and haath phools,” he confirms. But there is more to offer. “For other occasions, the bride can opt for diamonds and precious gemstones, like rubies and emeralds in combination. And for the trousseau, we have new concepts with precious gemstones, enameled motifs, and diamonds put together,” he explains. 

When you delve into the brand’s star-spangled past, you notice the emphasis on using unique stones. They took risks that certainly paid off, as luxury focuses primarily on factors like exclusivity, which is a surety with the brand. They were one of the first to dabble in coloured diamonds for a market that preferred traditional jewellery for occasion wear. 

While Hazoorilal specialises in implementing offbeat design arrangements using different stones, this time they have something more to offer in terms of variety. The newest collection to hit the market, Bijouterie, offers a holistic shopping experience. They hoped to address their clients’ need for myriad tastes when shopping for occasions like weddings. “We have three major sections diverging into diamonds, polki and gold jewellery. And each involved its own course of work,” he explains. “The initial stage of procuring gemstones of different colours, shapes and sizes to getting the designs in sync — all are extensively time-consuming. It took more than two years to get the complete collection going the way it should,” he says. Their expertise in diamond jewellery, polki, kundan, and gold jewellery, is proven time and again by their in-house team of designers.

Although the industry may be riddled with plagiarism where designs are blatantly copied and reproduced, there is one thing that simply cannot be xeroxed. Quality is the distinguishing factor in the jewellery business. Sandeep travels the world in search of inspiration. Apart from that, he sources some of the most unique gemstones available to the travelling eye. It is the quality he introduces within jewellery that makes the brand’s identity glittering, albeit bulletproof armour, against such practices. 

 They were one of the first in India to procure and present certified diamonds to their clientele. It hits back on one of their defining features, which was to focus on client experience. “It further instilled trust as it’s the most transparent method of buying solitaires. It created the required awareness which was understood and appreciated,” he says. 

Yet in a time when luxury fights to prove itself amidst a commercialized world, Hazoorilal by Sandeep Narang celebrates the grandeur of each output from their atelier. “We need to keep up with the changing times to maintain the ethos. Luxury is not acquired; it is inborn and one has to evolve to make it available for those who have a panache for the same,” he explains. 

Hazoorilal is credited with the reputation of a jewellery house that offers a solution for every occasion. Their repertoire communicates the ongoing narrative of design in the jewellery business, where modern sensibilities meet traditional. To mix cultural references with modernity for Sandeep was ambitious, albeit a notable feat. His grip on both design and the business makes him a force in the industry. His vision is to expand the eponymous label in accordance with his father’s guiding design philosophy to international markets and continue to innovate and strive for new benchmarks in quality, creativity and design.