The wedding celebrations for Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant were no less than the Indian version of the Met Gala. From A-list performers to starlets serving as bridesmaids, and politicians in attendance, the affair saw a gathering of notable figures from different corners of the globe. With any opulent wedding, and especially so with this grand Indian affair, the jewelry, and the sheer abundance of it, had to be the most spectacular congregation of precious baubles ever seen at a wedding. Take for instance, Radhika Merchant, who changed three looks and sported three fantastically blingy jewelry sets to match each occasion perfectly. Or the groom, who arrived at the venue adorned with a 720-carat emerald brooch. There were vintage heirlooms, custom sets, and rare pieces that would leave you in awe. But beyond the hefty price tags that accompanied the jewelry worn by practically every guest in attendance, here are some of the finest and unique pieces that graced the wedding.
Bride Radhika Merchant (now Ambani) donned polki jadau jewelry from Jaipur Jewels for the Garba Night. The statement piece was a set of a choker and a round necklace featuring five ‘paan’ shaped pendants, each adorned with Zambian emerald drops. The entire necklace set weighs approximately 407.14 grams. She paired this with their ‘Karan Phool Jhumar’ earrings. For the reception look, Radhika Merchant wore a metallic gold corset top from the Alta Moda Sardegna 2024 collection of Dolce & Gabbana paired with a couture sari from Anamika Khanna. The Alta Moda segment of the traditional Italian design house is an extension that elevates high couture to the next level. You will find the 1%-ers of the world purchasing these rare, and extremely intricate and expensive pieces for special occasions. All custom-fit for their clients, sometimes, the designers themselves would arrive with their inch tape to see the clients for fittings. Her corset featured gold-on-gold embroidery, and she also wore a diamond necklace, earrings, and bangles.
The groom Anant Ambani sported an opulent panther brooch made by Heeramaneck and Son for his wedding ceremony. The design featured a panther (studded with diamonds) crouching on a 720-carat Zambian emerald. Wearing an extravagant ivory ensemble from Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, entrepreneur Natasha Poonawalla wore vintage headgear. It was originally worn by her grandmother to her wedding, sometime in the 1940s. The eldest daughter-in-law of the family, Shloka Ambani, wore a sentimental family heirloom to one of the pre-wedding rituals. Draped in a ‘Paan’ Tissue saree from House of Masaba, she wore her grandmother’s antique gold necklace that resembled a traditional Gujarati Kaliganthi necklace, which was paired with matching earrings and bangles.
Mother of the groom Nita Ambani wore a 100-carat yellow diamond necklace for the wedding. The five-strand necklace crafted with solitaires was made by jewelers Kantilal Chhotalal, and took 1000 hours to create. She paired this with yellow Nizami earrings, a yellow pear diamond tikka, and even diamond hairpins. Crafted with diamonds and gemstones by Birdhichand, Isha Ambani wore a waist-length gold choti around her ponytail at the after-haldi bash. For the wedding ceremony, she wore a necklace named ‘Garden of Love’ crafted by Kantilal Chhotalal. It took 4000 hours for the artisans to complete this design, and it features rare pink, blue, green, and orange diamonds shaped like a garden.
Deepika Padukone’s necklace for the wedding ceremony was originally used as a bazuband that belonged to Indian royalty. It is said to be crafted during the era of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the first Maharaja of the Sikh empire. Reflecting its belonging to the Sikh dynasty, the star wore this heritage design with a red and gold suit from Torani. Shah Rukh Khan wore an antique Victorian brooch for the ceremony. With old European cut diamonds set in white gold, the actor wore this piece by designer Falguni Mehta. Her creations were also worn by Ananya Panday and Isha Ambani during the recent wedding festivities.
While the men at the wedding opted for brooches or watches to make a statement, Hardik Pandya’s choice was a bit unconventional. Cricket star Hardik Pandya recently returned to Mumbai after winning the T20 World Cup and showed up to the Ambani wedding in style wearing a heart-shaped necklace by Mahesh Notandass. In contrast with all the opulent jewelry, Janhvi Kapoor took a minimalistic approach. Wearing the Dew Drops necklace and earrings, along with Jade Vines bangle from ZOYA’s ‘Rooted’ collection – her picks featured custom-cut turquoise emeralds and diamonds. In another look, she wore a blouse inspired by jewelry from Shri Paramani Jewels. Creating a design based on her South Indian roots, all motifs and workmanship were done in gold. There are reimagined necklaces on the blouse, including a mango motif.
On the wedding day, ‘Keeping up with the Kardashians’ star and SKIMS co-founder Kim Kardashian wore a necklace, hand chain, and maang tika by Lorraine Schwartz with her Manish Malhotra saree draped with a skinny dupatta. She also wore a traditional Indian bindi designed by Lorraine Schwartz and an elaborate diamond necklace with her ivory Tarun Tahiliani outfit. For Day 2, Kim Kardashian wore another striking red ensemble, this one designed by Gaurav Gupta. She paired this look with an emerald headpiece featuring teardrop gems from Lorraine Schwartz along with matching earrings, a ring, and a bracelet.
