Varuna D Jani, an award-winning jeweler ahead of her time, understands that it’s not only about investing but there is also a need of styling and personalization of jewellery. She is known more as an ‘adornologist’ than a ‘jewellery designer’. Belonging to a jeweller family, Varuna imparts knowledge and gives her recommendations on jewelry that suit individual personality.
Varuna D Jani's creative streak led to launching her signature label "Varuna D Jani" in 2006 and her own flagship store in 2008. Keeping the Indian Global Woman in mind, Varuna has an exemplary range of luxury jewellery, which suits every woman. What makes her unique is that "Varuna D Jani Fine Jewelry" is the only Personalized Jewelry brand in India.
Believing in the concept of ‘New Luxury’ of ‘Personalization and Customization’ Varuna extends her trademark personal touch to every single client who walks in to buy Varuna D Jani jewellery. Giving each client her personal time is what makes Varuna D Jani stand out in a class of her own and a jeweller ahead of her time.
Her attention to detail and exquisite craftsmanship have led to her winning various acknowledgements like three awards in 2008, as the "Woman Super Achiever" by the Asia Retail Congress 2009, "The Brand Leadership Award" and "The Best Wedding Jewelry of the Year". She was also the only brand to be nominated in 8 categories in 2010 in the Retail Jewelry Award. Winner of the ‘Best Wedding Jewellery 2011’ at the Indian Retail Jeweller Awards 2011, ‘International Achievers Award, 2010-2011 in Business Excellence’, awarded in Singapore in June 2011, ‘Indian Achievers Award, 2011 for Emerging Company’, awarded in New Delhi in May 2011. Varuna also recently bagged the Power Brands Leadership Award in Dubai in August 2012 for ‘Rising Jewellery Entrepreneur of the Year 2012.’
Her unique take on jewellery and personal consultations have rightly earned the title of an ‘adornologist’ a term coined for this unique jewellery designer and consultant.
In an interview with Rough&Polished, Varuna revealed her passion for jewellery designing even as a child and her initiation into the business eventually.
Some excerpts:
Varuna, can you give us an overview of your family, your childhood days and your choice to turn a ‘jewellery designer’. Was it a conscious decision based on inclination towards creativity or because it was the natural thing to do, given that your family background is jewellery business?
Coming fr om a family of jewellers, from the time I have understood the world I have always been surrounded with jewellery. At the tender age of eight, I would accompany my father to work to be with him. At that time, he was building a great brand. At this age, children sketch cartoons but I would sketch jewellery designs. The passion for jewellery developed at this tender age, but I didn’t realize it until 2006 when my father called me back this time for real to work for him. I was amazed by how naturally it came to me my passion for jewellery and adoring came through in all my designs, whenever anybody needed help I was always there guiding them to wear the right piece of jewellery. I joined work officially in 2006, but I think the passion has run deep since the age of eight.
Did your initial days in business throw up challenges or was it smooth sailing? Can you recall any interesting episodes? Do you think the family support is essential to be a success in a new venture, eventually?
I think creativity is something, which is developed over a period of time; of course a person has to be creative by nature but just like person creativity also develops, matures and grows with age. In 1991, after my marriage, I shifted base to Dubai; the country is the hub for international jewellery populated with the best brands in the world. This exposure fed my passion and my imagination. Everywhere I would go I would capture all this ingenuity in design and develop my art. This international exposure combined with passion for jewellery helped me connect my creativity with commercial acceptance. It also helped me pinpoint the need gap in the Indian market and identify what the Indian woman is looking for. I also learnt that interaction with clients was a key to understanding what they wanted and more importantly, what they needed. This interaction with the clients, international exposure and my creativity all put together created the brand Varuna D Jani.
Are you trained /qualified in the ‘designing’ aspect of jewellery? Wh ere does your inspiration stem from, especially for your contemporary designs?
I was always very good in conceptualizing and free hand designing. I am more of a creator who creates things on sketches. I do not have the patience to actually sit for a class. To come up with the entire themes, the designs and the aesthetics on how a paper design would look on a woman is a God given gift.
If I have to point out what my USP, I would say that it is my design aesthetics and my entire study of creating pieces of jewellery that suits the woman. This is something, which I have learnt over a period of time by interacting with clients because I create products that adorn women and accentuate their best features because every woman is different and so should her jewellery be.
Where are your stores located in India? Any plans to enter the international markets? Being a high-end jeweler, what is your typical client profile?
Varuna D Jani Fine Jewellery, my flagship store is located in Mumbai. I take each day as it comes and each day comes with its own challenges. Although I have only one flagship store, my clientele helm from all over the country and the globe. The journey so far has been a great learning experience; exploring and creating a niche for my brand. Who doesn’t want a store in every city, but with expansion come its own challenges and I’m trying to work out a way I can expand while ensuring that my personal touch can always be accessible to my client as I always aspire to give the best experience to my customer making them want to come back again for sure! Let’s see what the future has in store for me, with new opportunities for innovation and expansion.
What is your signature style? Can a jewellery connoisseur recognize a ‘Varunajani’ piece from its unique characteristics?
The aim is to always how to make a woman look sensuous, to make her look versatile and glamorous. By versatile I don’t mean wearing a different piece every time but how she can wear the same piece of jewellery in different ways and look different every time this is how my VOW collection with the modular collection came into being. Varuna D Jani jewellery is created to suit a women’s personality. Personality lasts forever and thus Varuna D Jani pieces, too, are timeless, versatile, and classical and can be worn from by anybody whether 20 or 60 years of age.
Does the diamond content play a major part in your pieces? And, what quality/size/shape of diamonds are more in demand with your Indian clientele? You offer readymade pieces only or can they be customized too?
I love to craft my innovations with The Hero - a Diamond which is a woman’s best friend. It is timeless versatile, classic and spells sophistication. I love to experiment with diamonds and coloured stones that can add the glamour quotient in any jewellery piece. The mix of colour in any jewellery piece matches an individual’s personality. If you use too much of one colour then you can carry it when you are young but not later. Indians love diamonds and being an adornologist I recommend the right design, which will enhance the personality of the woman it is adorning and accordingly create or customize the jewellery.
With beautiful jewellery flooding the market, what’s your take on couture jewellery in India at present? Is there possibility to experiment more in the ‘design and finishing’ aspects, given the changing tastes of jewellery connoisseurs?
Western designs are very classic and elegant. We have moulded the classic with style leading to classic redefined jewellery. Indian heritage blended with modular designs have bought a new category of Vintemporary jewellery - Vintage plus contemporary. Jewellery connoisseurs love classic jewellery. Classic never goes out of style; as such, jewellery is timeless, versatile and can be teamed with casual as well as traditional attires. The designs can be innovated and twisted to give a whole new appeal to the look making classis with a twist, a style statement. Today’s woman is modern and full of life. She is the showstopper who believes in making a style statement and does not shy away from experimenting. Hence, it is very essential to cater to the growing demand for best and innovative designs.
Do you think it is essential for a creative person to get trained technically/professionally before taking ‘jewellery designing’ as a career? Your ‘Pearls of Wisdom’ to the fresh designers/newcomers to the industry would be?
Definitely, there is a lot of experimentation happening in the market with customers wanting to try something new and exciting every time. It is challenging to create newer pieces and these are the challenges, which help in enhancing the brand and giving the best to one’s esteemed clientele. Professional training definitely helps in getting insights in the technical details, market situations, detailing, etc. But I believe there is nothing like natural talent honed by passion and experience. Experience helps in evolving ones creative streaks over the years. Designers should definitely safeguard their interests but at the same time not withhold their creative streak. Keep coming up with inventions and new innovations. Today social media serves as a very strong platform to showcase your creations and you are also watched by the world which helps to ensure you send the right messaging across. Passion and perseverance is the way to go!
Aruna Gaitonde, Rough&Polished, India
