Silver is making a comeback in the world of gifting. From weddings to personal milestones to corporate occasions, it’s proving to be versatile, premium, and timeless. Tapping into this shift is Tichu, a Jaipur-based label that sees silver not just as a commodity, but as a canvas.
What sets Tichu apart is its design-first approach. Each piece is rooted in meaning and storytelling, instead of being defined by weight or utility. Founder and Creative Director Smriti Bohra started the brand out of her own struggle to find thoughtful, lasting gifts for men, a gap that grew into a label for unisex jewellery made with intention.
Drawing on Jaipur’s craft heritage, while embracing bold, minimal forms, Tichu creates jewellery that feels fresh and relevant, yet timeless enough to become modern heirlooms.
Smriti Bohra
In Conversation With Smriti Bohra
BTB: You and Anouska (Smriti’s Daughter) both have had diverse backgrounds before coming into the jewellery business. Could you share more about your transition and how your background influences your work today?
Smriti: For both of us, creativity actually started in very different places. I began with textiles, and Anouska with pastry arts. Those early disciplines shaped so much of how we think and create today. Jewellery wasn’t really part of the plan for either of us; it found us, almost by accident. But when it did, it felt like a natural continuation of everything we’d already been doing.
For me, textile design laid the foundation: understanding form, pattern, and rhythm. The intricacy of weaves, the storytelling in motifs, the way you work with materials; all of that still influences how I approach silver. What started as two separate journeys in design and craft eventually merged into jewellery, giving both our pasts a new language.
BTB: Continuing your family’s jewellery legacy while launching Tichu must have brought both overlap and contrast. How did that transition shape your vision, and what lessons from both experiences inform your work today?
Smriti: Carrying forward a family legacy in jewellery while building Tichu has been both grounding and liberating. The legacy gave me a deep respect for craftsmanship, which is where I first understood the discipline behind the art. With Tichu, though, I wanted to take jewellery somewhere more personal and expressive, something that feels bolder, more contemporary, and in tune with my own rhythm. That contrast has been my greatest teacher. It’s shown me how to think in many directions without being tied to just one, and how to bring a new language to something already rich in craft.
BTB: Tichu is one of the few Indian brands to focus on high-end men’s and unisex silver jewellery. Why was it important for you to blur those traditional gender lines?
Smriti: For us, jewellery has never been about gender. We felt men deserved the same attention to the expression of self-love. With Tichu, we wanted to challenge ourselves by not confining ourselves to one gender but being led by individual confidence. Silver felt like the perfect medium: strong, cool and timeless. Blurring traditional gender lines wasn’t a strategy; it was a natural response to the kind of pieces we were visualising, ones that anyone could wear, connect with, and make their own.
BTB: Tichu operates in the high-end segment of silver jewellery. As a growing business, how do you communicate the value of your pricing to today’s customer?
Smriti: All of our designs aren’t trend-led creations, but timeless forms that carry quiet luxury through their materials, craftsmanship, and meaning. More than jewellery, each piece is a small work of art, and when people connect with that, the value speaks for itself.
BTB: What does a typical day look like for you, managing both Tichu and Jewel Emporium?
Smriti: Everything I do is rooted in Jewels Emporium, whether it’s Maesterstrokes or Tichu; each piece carries a part of me. Tichu is where I get to be more experimental, intuitive, and fast-paced. From sketching ideas to working closely with artisans, reviewing samples, or brainstorming with Anouska, it’s a space that lets me explore and push boundaries. Balancing both is a constant dance between me and myself, finding a flow to my rhythm.
BTB: Tichu donates a part of its proceeds to Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (Jaipur Foot). What inspired this decision, and how do you see the brand’s role in giving back?
Smriti: Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (Jaipur Foot) has been doing incredible work in restoring mobility and dignity to thousands. Supporting them felt deeply aligned with our values; it’s about helping people move forward in life. As a brand, Tichu aspires to grow its impact. What we’re doing now is just the beginning; we hope to do much more.
BTB: What do you feel the industry can do better to support businesses like Tichu, especially those working with craft, design-led silver, and niche positioning?
Smriti: Brands like Tichu often operate outside the mainstream jewellery narrative. What the industry can do better is create more visibility and value around alternative luxury. Support could come in many forms, platforms that highlight independent voices, retail spaces that aren’t driven solely by volume, and media that goes beyond trends to spotlight real work and meaningfully give recognition. And most importantly, we’d love to see silver celebrated for its own beauty and strength, rather than being seen as ‘lesser’ than gold. It’s time for silver to stand in its own light.
BTB: What advice would you give to other generational businesses looking to carry their legacy forward while still carving a distinct identity?
Smriti: Generational businesses carry the deep strength of legacy, but with that comes the responsibility to keep it alive relevantly. I like to think of legacy as my grandmother’s old saree, timeless, rich, full of memories, but still open to being styled your way. Our business has been lovingly woven over nine generations, each adding its own thread of craft, care, and character. And now, seeing both my children working alongside us, I relate to this deeply.
