Altair started with a simple belief: that buying fine jewellery should feel like a collaboration, not a transaction. Eight decades of heritage in the diamond trade shaped how we think about stones. That expertise goes directly into every piece we create.
The Altair Atelier begins with a conversation. Your choice of stone, your vision, your moment. We guide you through the entire process from selecting a diamond to approving the final setting, with complete transparency on material and craftsmanship costs.
All pieces in this lookbook can be recreated as exact commissions, adapted to different stones, metals, or sizes, or used as a starting point for something entirely new.
Altair is the brightest star in the constellation Aquila —
brilliant, singular, and precisely located.
Just as no two constellations are alike, no two Altair creations are ever the same. Each jewel is crafted with precision, elegance, and meaning, tailored to the wearer, designed to shine with a rare and personal brilliance.
Eight Decades in the Diamond Trade
1945
Kirtilal Laxmichand Jhaveri starts the family's diamond trading business from a small room in his house in Gamdevi, alongside partners Jormal and Ratilal Jhaveri.
Early 1960s
The firm moves into office space at Prasad Chambers, marking its transition from a home-run trading operation to an established presence in the trade.
1970 – 1985
The business expands beyond trading into manufacturing, building the foundation of expertise that would carry through generations.
2013
The 4th generation enters the business, training in diamond and jewellery manufacturing in Surat.
2015
Manufacturing begins independently, alongside buying from major global manufacturers to meet customer demand.
2025
Altair is founded, bringing eight decades of trade expertise into a single, customer-first jewellery house.
2026
Altair launches.
Altair started with a simple belief: that buying fine jewellery should feel like a collaboration, not a transaction.
Too often, the process is opaque. Stones graded in language designed to confuse, prices that bear no relationship to cost, and pieces that could belong to anyone. We set out to change that.
We believe in openness at every step. The stone, the setting, the price. Nothing is obscured. Through enduring relationships with the world's finest manufacturers, we offer jewellery of exceptional quality and craftsmanship. Every stone is hand-selected. Every setting is considered. The result is a jewel built around the person wearing it.
Founder's Note
Why Altair Exists.
I joined my family's business straight after NYU and spent the next decade in the B2B side of the diamond industry, getting stones polished and selling them to dealers. I was still one step removed from the people actually wearing them.
The turning point was when a woman came to us wanting to remake her wedding jewellery into an heirloom for her daughter. She'd believed for decades it was 18k gold set with fine white diamonds. When we tested it, it turned out to be gold-plated silver, set with low-quality brown diamonds.
We didn't want that happening to anyone else. That's why Altair exists. You'll get exactly what we've promised, or better. Never anything less.
The Altair Atelier is an invitation to co-create. You bring the occasion, the feeling, your vision. We bring eight decades of diamond expertise, a precision manufacturing partner, and an obsession with getting every detail exactly right.
The Process
01
Consultation
We begin with a conversation — in person, over WhatsApp, or via video call. Tell us about the occasion, your aesthetic preferences, and what you have in mind.
02
Design
Sketches, reference images, and a full CAD design. We produce a wax or resin mould for your approval before a single gram of gold is used. You see exactly what you are getting before it is made.
03
Stone Selection
We present diamond options matched to your brief, walk you through the 4Cs and our grading rationale, and help you understand what you are looking at before any decision is made.
04
Creation & Delivery
Crafted in our Mumbai workshop. Delivered with full documentation within the agreed timeline.
What to Expect.
Complete transparency on cost — you see the diamond price and the making charge. No mystery. No inflated retail markup.
Our hero cuts: oval, round brilliant, radiant, long cushion, pear, marquise, and trilliant. Accent stones include trapezoid, cadillac, and shield cuts.
Settings are typically prong, reflecting our preference for designs that let the diamond breathe. Bezel, pavé, and channel settings available on request.
We believe every buyer deserves to understand exactly what they are purchasing. This guide distils over eighty years of trade expertise into practical knowledge, so you can make decisions with confidence, not just trust.
The 4Cs are the universal language of diamond quality, standardised by the GIA. Understanding all four and how they interact is essential to buying well.
Cut
The most important C. Cut governs brilliance, fire, and scintillation. How a diamond moves in light. A well-cut stone will outperform a larger, poorly-cut one every time.
Colour
Graded D (colourless) to Z (light yellow). The higher the grade, the less colour the stone carries. For most settings, a near-colourless stone faces up white and is visually indistinguishable from the top grades.
Clarity
Graded from Internally Flawless to I3. The practical benchmark: eye-clean. A stone where inclusions are invisible to the unaided eye performs identically to a flawless stone in daily wear.
Carat
Weight, not size. Two diamonds of identical carat can look very different depending on cut proportions. Always evaluate spread alongside carat weight.
Every diamond cut carries its own character. These are the cuts we return to most at Altair.
Round Brilliant
58 facets engineered for maximum light return. The benchmark against which all other cuts are measured.
Oval
All the brilliance of a round, elongated. Appears larger than its carat weight. One of our most requested cuts.
Radiant
Cropped corners with brilliant faceting. Combines the clean lines of an emerald cut with the fire of a round. Exceptional for fancy yellows.
Long Cushion
Soft corners, brilliant facets. Romantic without being delicate. Sits beautifully as a centre stone.
Pear
Pointed at one end, rounded at the other. Directional and distinctive. The point should always face away from the hand when set in a ring.
Marquise
The longest-looking cut relative to carat weight. Sharp at both ends, commanding in a solitaire setting.
Trilliant
Three-sided, brilliant-faceted. Most often used as an accent flanking a centre stone, though striking as a solitaire.
Rose Cut
A flat base and domed top with facets that create a gentle, diffused light. Soft and warm, quite unlike the sharp brilliance of a brilliant cut.
Lab-grown diamonds are physically, chemically, and optically identical to mined diamonds. The only difference is origin and therefore price. Both are graded by the same gemological laboratories on the same 4C criteria.
At Altair, we offer both with full transparency. Our Atelier line uses natural diamonds sourced to the highest standards. Our Studio line uses lab-grown diamonds held to the same quality benchmark, at a fraction of the cost.
The right choice depends on what matters most to you: the geological rarity of a natural stone, or the ability to allocate more budget to cut quality and size with a lab-grown equivalent.
A diamond certificate is a third-party, objective grading report.
GIA is the oldest and most conservative grader, often considered the industry standard for natural diamonds. IGI is widely used for lab-grown stones and graded consistently with GIA's standards. At Altair, IGI certification is available on request.
When reviewing a certificate, look closely at the cut grade (for rounds), the clarity plot (the map of inclusions), and fluorescence. Faint to medium fluorescence is generally neutral and can sometimes enhance the appearance of lower-colour stones.
The setting holds and presents the diamond. The choice of setting style dramatically affects how a stone looks, how much light it receives, and how the piece wears over time.
Prong
Maximum light exposure. Classic and versatile. Our default at Altair.
Bezel
Metal surrounds the stone completely. Clean, architectural look. More protective. Slightly reduces brilliance.
Pavé
Small accent diamonds set flush across the band or shoulders. Continuous diamond surface, maximum light from multiple points.
Channel
Stones set between two parallel metal rails. Sleek and secure. No prongs, no snag risk.
Diamonds are the hardest natural substance, but settings are not. Routine care ensures your piece retains its brilliance and structural integrity indefinitely.
Clean with warm water, a drop of mild dish soap, and a soft toothbrush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners for pavé settings. Vibration can loosen smaller stones. Have prongs checked annually by a jeweller.
Store each piece separately in a soft pouch or box to prevent surface contact. Remove before swimming, exercising, or applying perfume. Chlorine and oils are the primary enemies of gold alloys.
All Altair pieces come with a complimentary annual check-up at our Mumbai studio.
Your inquiry has been received by the Altair Atelier. We believe fine jewellery begins with a conversation, and our team is already reviewing your vision.
Aditya or a member of our founding team will reach out to you via your preferred contact method within 24 hours to begin.
