The essay in which I took ~15 years worth of an obsession with sparkly things and ended up hurtling down a rabbithole. The definitive read on high jewellery in India.
As someone who grew up in India, I found it fascinating. We often assume exceptional craftsmanship is enough, but this piece is a reminder that craftsmanship builds the product, while storytelling builds the brand.
And perhaps the biggest lesson is this: the world doesn’t always reward the best work. It rewards the work people have been taught to value.
What an astonishing piece. Impressive depth of analysis. I'm a Jhaveri and learned more about the history of jewelry branding from this one essay than from anyone in my entire lineage. Bravo, and thanks for the illuminating read.
As someone who grew up in India, I found it fascinating. We often assume exceptional craftsmanship is enough, but this piece is a reminder that craftsmanship builds the product, while storytelling builds the brand.
And perhaps the biggest lesson is this: the world doesn’t always reward the best work. It rewards the work people have been taught to value.
That’s a lesson that extends far beyond jewelry.
p.s. always love reading your pieces
What an astonishing piece. Impressive depth of analysis. I'm a Jhaveri and learned more about the history of jewelry branding from this one essay than from anyone in my entire lineage. Bravo, and thanks for the illuminating read.
This is very detailed and well written. Excellent flow and brevity. Hats off to you for this one, Harnidh!