AARTI SONAWALA from Artnash is a fourth-generation certified gemologist, diamond grader and jewellery designer in her family’s diamond and fine jewellery business. We found out more about her background in gems and jewels, her design “discovery” process, and the highlights of her collections.
You’re from a long line of jewellery experts; what’s your journey been like?
I grew up in Antwerp, Belgium and completed my undergraduate education in Business Economics from Vesalius College in Brussels. While in college, I spent my summers in Los Angeles at the Gemological Institute of America, studying bespoke jewellery design and diamond grading. (I’m GIA-certified.)
After college, I went to Mumbai, India to work in our family-owned factory and learn about diamonds and jewellery manufacturing. I spent one year in each and every department, doing everything from sorting diamonds, learning how to make jewellery moulds and setting the diamonds, to stringent quality control.
I then moved to Houston, Texas, where my uncle had a wholesale jewellery business. Here, I learnt all about marketing, sales, promotions and business development. I finally moved back to Antwerp, where my father had his diamond trading business. So I joined him and started a wholesale jewellery business of my own!
How did you grow the Artnash brand in Singapore?
This story is from the July 2021 edition of EL Singapore.
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This story is from the July 2021 edition of EL Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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