For generations, heirlooms in India have followed a predictable rhythm; jewellery tucked away in vaults, ornate silver polished for festivals, or a grandfather’s watch handed down in a velvet box. But luxury today looks very different. Across India’s homes, a quiet shift is unfolding: people are choosing accessories and objects that reflect personal style, craftsmanship, travel, and memory. These are not the conventional trappings of inheritance, but modern heirlooms, pieces that are lived with, displayed, enjoyed, and eventually passed on.



This new era of heirlooms is defined less by category and more by character. They are objects with soul. They evolve with time, they gather stories, and they hold more sentiment than status. The most unexpected part? Many of these heirlooms don’t even sit on the body, they sit in homes, on shelves, by workstations, or in travel bags. And increasingly, men and women are choosing them with intention. Few objects embody this shift as beautifully as the classic trunk. Once a symbol of travel, trunks today have transformed into sculptural, functional family treasures. The handcrafted trunks of Louis Vuitton remain the gold standard – monogrammed canvases, brass hardware, meticulous stitching, interiors customised for books, bars, jewellery, scarves, or simply memories. A LV trunk in a living room becomes a perpetual fixture, a piece of art that gains depth with each passing year. Goyard’s chevron-patterned trunks, lighter and more understated, have become the choice of those who prefer quiet luxury. These trunks rarely leave the home-they become part of the home. And someday, they will become part of someone else’s home too.






The rise of collectibles has given birth to an entirely new category of heirlooms –objects that store or display other precious things. Watch cases and winders are at the forefront of this movement. As more Indians embrace fine watch collecting, the accessory ecosystem has become equally coveted. Hand-painted watch cases are now cherished not just for utility but for their longevity. A family’s watch trunk often outlives the watches themselves; the watches change hands, but the trunk remains the constant story-keeper, passed lovingly through generations. Even a single-piece Louis Vuitton hard-sided winder becomes a sentimental object, carrying the memory of the first luxury watch a parent ever owned. Homes, too, are witnessing a new wave of heirloom-worthy accessories. Humidors, once reserved for European salons, now appear in Indian homes as statement objects.






Brands craft them like art-exotic woods, marquetry, precision hinges, lacquered finishes. Whether they hold cigars, letters, keepsakes, photographs, or simply sit as decorative pieces, these humidors carry a quiet sense of legacy. And they’re not alone. Crystal objets from Lalique and Baccarat, hand lacquered trays, sculptural desk sets from Hermès, marble boxes, and artisanal pieces from Loewe’s craft ateliers are increasingly chosen not just as décor but as potential inheritance-objects that bring beauty today and meaning tomorrow. Travel has also shaped the modern heirloom. A Rimowa aluminium suitcase, dented and burnished from years of journeys, holds more memory than metal. Families now treat these suitcases like travel diaries-objects that have crossed continents with them. The patina is not damage; it is history. Similarly, leather weekenders from Berluti, travel folios from Smythson, or even cashmere travel blankets from Loro Piana evolve with age and become part of family storytelling. When passed down, they evoke not the glamour of luxury, but the intimacy of shared milestones-honeymoons, first jobs abroad, childhood holidays, and airport rituals that mark life’s transitions.





What makes these objects special isn’t their price, brand, or exclusivity; it’s the kind of meaning they accumulate. They represent a broader cultural shift away from buying more to choosing better. They mark moments instead of seasons. They are touched every day, not stored away for special occasions. Above all, they remind us that luxury is not defined by how loudly an object announces itself, but by how quietly it stays with us over time.



In an age where everything moves fast and trends fade overnight, the desire for permanence feels almost radical. Modern heirlooms-trunks, humidors, watch cases, crystal objects, travel companions-answer that longing. They carry memory, identity, and stories that will outlive us. And unlike traditional heirlooms, they don’t wait to be used; they invite daily interaction. The beauty of this new heirloom culture is simple: it celebrates living with the objects you love. And when the time comes, those objects will carry forward not just your taste, but your stories. In the end, that is the most timeless luxury of all.





Contributed by: Atul Hegde, Founder YAAP



Images Courtesy: istock