Sixth Generation Gems

Hudson Yards resident Madhuri Parson’s custom jewelry is created with an eye on beauty and sustainability.

Related residents receive a complimentary 45 minute jewelry consultation with the designer herself, Madhuri, along with 10% off of madhuriparson.com*. Residents can set a private appointment by emailing info@madhuriparson.com.

Growing up in Orange County, California, Madhuri Parson has fond memories of admiring her mother’s jewelry collection.

In Indian families, “it’s like our artwork, families pass (jewelry) down.” explains Parson.

For Parson, there was quite a lot of jewelry to pass down. She’s the sixth generation in a family of jewelers from Jaipur, India. And while she grew up in the U.S., every summer from the age of 11 she would travel to India with her grandfather and visit one of his workshops. The spaces, she recalls, were filled with exquisite jewels.

“I thought they were Skittles–rubies, sapphires, emeralds,” Parson says of the childhood recollection. That’s part of what “triggered my spark and passion and energy,” for jewelry making.

It was these formative experiences that eventually led Parson to start her eponymous jewelry brand–after stints working in the industry for David Yurman and Kate Spade–in 2011.

She quickly found success with her jewelry, with high end retailers like Bloomingdales, Moda Operandi and even Harrods of London carrying her pieces.

But, says Parson–nearly 15 years in–she’s found herself in a post-pandemic world focusing more on creating custom jewelry for clients, as well as diving even deeper into sustainable jewelry design practices.

“I am constantly evolving the DNA of the brand, as well as my relationships with my artisans and my customers,” says Parson. “Ninety percent of the clients who work with me come back to me. They can feel safe coming back to me.”

That close relationship she has with her clients is inspired by her family’s jewelry business in India. There, she says, wealthy families had their own private jeweler. “They became your friend. They work directly with the family,” says Parson.

That’s what she does here in New York as well. Her white glove service starts with a client meeting where Parson can learn about the person and their goal for the jewelry. She’ll then make sketches before any jewelry is made in real life. (Tip: Ask Parson to see the gorgeous sketches of her great grandfather’s designs she keeps in her own studio.)

When it’s time to create the actual jewelry pieces, Parson sources from the best, most sustainable gems and metals available from around the world. This includes gems from Tanzania, Hong Kong, Bangkok and elsewhere, while having the pieces primarily put together locally in NYC’s Diamond District.

In addition, her Surf Collection is made by artisans in Mumbai, another tie to her Indian heritage. The collection got its name from another childhood memory of doing seaside yoga every morning with her father growing up in California.

And as she zeroes in on sustainability a decade and a half into business, Parson has found perhaps the most luxurious way ever to upcycle. Her newest collection is a capsule collection made with gemstones passed down throughout her family’s six generations of jewelry making.

The glamorous yet repurposed jewelry is just another way her brand continues to evolve.

“I’ve really dived deep into my heritage,” says Parson. “And explored my spiritual side, which has translated into my work. (My jewelry exudes) kindness and warmth.”

The Related Life is written and produced by the Related Life Editorial Team. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest events, news, and announcements in your area, and tag us for a chance to be featured @therelatedlife and #therelatedlife.

*This offer is for a limited time only, is subject to change and may be discontinued at any time without prior notice. The 10% discount is valid for 24 hours from the time of the complimentary consultation