Karina Choudhrie (pictured), the London-based jewelry designer who’s well established in high jewelry, will debut two fine jewelry collections at this week’s Couture show in Las Vegas, the first time she is exhibiting her work in the United States, though she’s been anticipating this moment for years.
“I cannot wait to experience this amazing jewelry community and, of course, the Vegas energy,” Choudhrie tells JCK in an email interview.
Some may recognize Choudhrie’s name from her high jewelry brand K&Co, which she’d established in 2007. Now she has brought her fine jewelry and high jewelry lines under the Karina Choudhrie Jewels banner.
“I spent years working on bespoke designs and honing my craft. My business was all word-of-mouth, and I was fortunate to have consistent requests,” says Choudhrie. “After designing for others for 15 years, I felt ready to launch my own collection, and last year, that dream became a reality. I see my fine jewelry as an extension of my high jewelry art world.”
Choudhrie got her start designing for a Beverly Hills jeweler, before a commission from a private client in the Middle East led to multiple pieces, and she became obsessed with how high jewelry blends her love of art with the skill of jewelry-making.
To share aspects of her high jewelry with a fine jewelry audience and differentiate Karina Choudhrie Jewels from other brands, the designer says she concentrates on “extraordinary workmanship” and meticulous sourcing. (Insider tip: If you want to see Choudhrie’s high jewelry, she does plan to have a selection at Couture.)
“I still love working at the very high end, creating one-of-a-kind jewels that tell a story, but my philosophy is that fine jewelry can be designed and celebrated just like high jewels,” she says. “My collections are made in the same atelier as some of the top jewelry maisons, and I insist on using only the finest-quality materials and natural-colored stones.”
Choudhrie’s primary focus for 2024 is bringing her Icon and Vitamin Pink collections to U.S. consumers. She says she’s played with new silhouettes, scale, and colorways for these jewels, and there will be more surprises coming throughout this year and into the next.
“I have always dreamed of launching in America,” Choudhrie says. “ I have never been ready like I am now. The United States is an incredibly important and influential market where some of the world’s key retailers are based, and it’s a hub for media. The U.S. has provided opportunities to so many designers, and historically it’s where some of our industry’s most influential jewelers have had their stage.
“There is a delicate balance between designing work that is impactful but also practical. I strive to do both,” says Choudhrie. “My vision is about creating wearable art, using natural color with inclusions and all the beauty that goes along with Earth’s treasures.”
Born in Mumbai and raised in Dubai, Choudhrie received her gemologist certification in California. She hopes her journey from novice to student to expert who is “new” to the industry will inspire others interested in getting into the jewelry world.
“If you believe in your product and you surround yourself with the right people, you can learn the process. It just takes time, commitment, and perseverance,” she says.
(Photos courtesy of Karina Choudhrie Jewels)
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