My jewellery journey

It all started five years ago when I visited one of my associates to discuss about a magazine.

I found that she was creative and when I complimented her on her paintings she also showed some costume jewellery that she made.

I was totally in awe because those things I have seen only in emporiums and in big stores.

I asked her if she teaches how to make jewellery and she said no. 

I returned disappointed for two reasons. One because she said that she did not teach. The other because I could not afford to buy that piece of jewellery. It was priced exorbitant.

Those gemstones and findings were haunting me.

Being research oriented, I started searching the internet. Did not know where to start!

First I was searching for sterling silver findings ( I know now that the name is findings, earlier I did not know. There are so many jewellery jargons that you need to know before learning to make jewellery)

I found so many shops in Jaipur that sells that. The website of the seller was colorful and I found that the bead caps (again I did not know that they were called bead caps and seed beads) my friend had used in her jewellery, was there in the shop!

I was so thrilled. My journey started there. For more than a year I spent time reading about jewellery and the business. Not a clue where to buy what. 

More research led me to shops situated in my city where they sell beads etc and I started making fashion jewellery. I also gave it to one of my friend who owns a shop. The very day evening she called me and said that one of my piece was sold and it was a customer who does not buy that easily. I was thrilled! Not very long I could continue in the fashion jewellery.

I did not want to continue in fashion jewellery because the trend changes so fast and the materials that you stock becomes obsolete very fast.

And you spend a whole lot in buying them. So I wanted to move into silver jewellery making. Again a search and a quest! Again a year passed in researching for information.

One of my another friend runs a shop. Since she said that she designs and makes all the jewellery, I asked her if she can teach. She was skeptical and said that I have to work in heat and all that and its difficult. It was her way of telling 'No'.

Then I read about the courses in Mumbai and went there and learned both basics of manufacturing in silver and enamelling. Travelling to a new city, staying in a shared accommodation with unknown people, leaving your kid at home in your native, spending a lot, going through lots of doubts whether you are going in the right direction all together was frustrating.  But then learning the art of jewellery was the only solace that I had. The course was not so intensive but I learnt that jewellery making has to be learnt in years and not in months!

To top it all, there is a bazaar in Mumbai where you find all the jewellery findings and gemstones at a wholesale price!. My friend took me there and since it was getting late we did not go to the wholesale gemsstone place. She forced me, but I told her that its getting late and let us go. We were travelling back in taxi and her husband called panicky and asked where we were. We said we are travelling back to the city. 

He then told that the place that we were supposed to visit to buy the stones, was just bombed! We were away from danger just 20 mins! The timing! if we had gone we would have also been in that exact location!

Sometimes I feel maybe God wanted me to excel in jewellery making one day. That was the reason we escaped.

Today I am confident that I can make jewellery in both silver and gold. 

I want women who are interested to make jewellery to learn easily and not run around like me. So I have started to teach basics of jewellery making.