"Srinika" — a head-turning timepiece sparkling with 17,524 diamonds and 113 blue sapphires set in 14-karat gold — recently captured a Guinness World Record for the "Most Diamonds Set on a Watch." The cuff-style, luxury accessory weighs 373.30 grams (13.1 ounces) and is completely wearable, according to Harshit Bansal, founder and CEO of Renani Jewels, Meerut, India.
The timepiece's impressive diamond count surpassed the previous record holder by 1,666. A watch designed by Aaron Shum Jewelry Ltd., Hong Kong, had held the title since December 2018.
Renani Jewels explained on its website that "Srinika" is not just a watch, it is an emotion.
The piece was inspired by ancient Indian mythology. "Srinika," means "flower," which is in the heart of Lord Vishnu. It also signifies Goddess Lakshmi, the Supreme goddess of good fortune.
The watch contains 17,512 natural diamonds with a total weight of 53.98 carats in E-F color and VVS-VS clarity, 12 treated black diamonds totaling 0.03 carats, plus a 0.72-carat natural diamond solitaire of D color and VVS clarity. International Gemological Institute (IGI) was tasked with certifying the authenticity of every gemstone.
Guinness World Records posted an item about "Srinika" on its Twitter account and challenged its readers to spot the 12 black diamonds in the design? In the photo, above, we've zoomed into the face of the watch so you can see how the black diamonds were used as hour markers. The large solitaire is set just beyond the watch bezel in the 3 o'clock position.
"We and the whole team have worked really hard for months, and this watch was created with so much passion and greatness," Bansal said. "One should always seek for new challenges in life. I look forward to new technologies that we can merge with traditional methods of jewelry making. I believe that this technology will make the impossible, possible."
Bansal told Guinness World Records that the main challenge faced by his company in designing the piece was procuring a vast number of diamonds with the same color, size, shape and clarity.
The company was also required to provide documentation to Guinness World Records that all the diamonds in “Srinika” were sourced from producers certified by the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), which prevents so-called "conflict" diamonds from entering the mainstream market.
Renani Jewels is no stranger to Guinness World Record accolades. Back in December 2020, the company introduced us to “The Marigold – The Ring of Prosperity,” which earned a record for the “Most Diamonds in a Single Ring.” The eight-layer ring featured 12,638 natural diamonds.
Credits: Images courtesy of Renani Jewels.