Tarang Arora, CEO and Creative Head, Amarpali Jewels
“We must go beyond online imagery, creating deep emotional and visual connections. In jewellery design, we learned to think, feel, and research beyond the internet—relying solely on mood boards generated from online images isn’t the way forward.”
Can you share the story of Amrapali Jewels’ inception and how it has evolved over the years?
Our brand, or rather company, was founded in 1978. It all began with two students, both from a history background, who wanted to pursue something related to their passion for history.
My father came from a family of doctors and advocates, with a strict professional setup. My grandfather envisioned him as an IAS officer, given his academic brilliance. However, my father had different aspirations.
His business partner, my uncle, came from a family with an emerald trading background—his father was an emerald dealer. Though he had some exposure to handicrafts, both he and my father were drawn to history. They started a small company focused on creating handicrafts, never intending to venture into jewellery.
Their journey took an unexpected turn when they began supplying handicrafts to museums and stores in Delhi. During this time, they came across an opportunity to supply garnets. Curious about this gemstone, they returned to Jaipur to learn more. Their research into gemstones and coloured stones led them to jewellery, which they found to be more personal, soulful, and deeply rooted in history—far beyond what they could achieve with handicrafts.
The brand’s name has an interesting origin. While searching for a name, they watched the Bollywood movie Amrapali and were captivated by the character—a courtesan who took days to get ready and prepare for her performances and later became the first female disciple of Lord Buddha. The beauty of her story resonated deeply with them, inspiring the name Amrapali.
Our brand’s journey highlights the power of evolution and learning. You never know what might inspire you—a movie, a moment, or an unexpected opportunity. In this case, two young men watching a film went on to create a globally recognized brand.
From the very beginning, their vision was to craft one-of-a-kind jewellery, inspired by Indian tribal craftsmanship and entirely handcrafted. My father once shared a philosophy with me when I joined the business: instead of selling an old tribal necklace as a single piece, he preferred to take it apart and create 20 unique earrings. This way, rather than one owner, 20 people could carry the brand’s legacy, each becoming an ambassador of Amrapali.
How do you ensure that each piece of jewellery tells a unique story and resonates with your customers?
For us, the ultimate goal is to create brand ambassadors for our jewellery. If you compare both of our brands Amrapali and Tribe, you’ll see two distinct strategies. When it comes to brand value, especially in our core brand, we avoid traditional advertising. You won’t find us marketing through mainstream media. Instead, everything has been driven by word of mouth and a highly personalised approach. Our boutique managers and salespeople are the true ambassadors of the brand—they’re the ones who communicate our values and educate customers about the product. By investing in educating our team, we ensure that the brand’s message is effectively passed on.
The internal communication within our company is just as important, if not more so, than our external communication. Too often in the jewellery industry, a company spends heavily on marketing but neglects to properly inform its internal team. The salesperson on the floor must be knowledgeable and able to communicate the essence of the brand to the customer. After all, when a client walks into our store in Mumbai, Delhi, or Bangalore, they are engaging with our people—not just a product. The relationship between our salespeople and clients is at the heart of our brand.
On the other hand, Tribe follows a different approach. Here, we focus on design language and price accessibility. We aim to deliver value through unique designs, and our marketing strategy aligns with that goal—emphasising style and individuality. While we do use photoshoots and traditional marketing strategies for Tribe, the focus is on offering something that appeals to a broader audience.
A key aspect of our core brand is exclusivity. We ensure that the majority of our pieces are one-of-a-kind. This is vital because for our clients, particularly those who invest significant amounts, it’s unacceptable to see someone else at a party wearing the same piece. Clients who spend large sums on jewellery are typically part of exclusive circles, and the last thing they want is to see another person wearing the same item. This emphasis on individuality sets our brand apart.
Meanwhile, Tribe represents a different emotion altogether. Accessibility is key here. We want our customers to be able to shop easily—whether online, at the airport, in malls, or in stores. The goal is to make beautiful jewellery accessible to a wide range of people.
In contrast, with our main brand, we intentionally limit accessibility to preserve the sense of exclusivity. Balancing these two approaches—one focused on exclusivity and the other on accessibility—is something we’ve perfected over time.
What trends do you foresee in the jewellery industry, and how is Amrapali Jewels preparing for them?
I don’t believe in trends, the market is far more complex now. There are so many different demographics and client segments, each with distinct preferences. In the past, trends were more universal, with everyone following the same path. Today, things are different. For instance, my team and I were recently discussing the colour mocha as the 2025 trend, and I agree that it will be important. However, if you look closely, you’ll see those coloured stones, particularly tourmaline, have gained significant traction. In the past year, we’ve seen how tanzanite has also grown in importance. Coloured stones, in general, are definitely on the rise.
That said, diamonds are still strong in the market, but they present a unique challenge, which is why coloured stones are becoming more prominent. What I find particularly exciting is that this is the time for stones beyond the big three—ruby, emerald, and sapphire—to shine. Spinel, aquamarine, and tanzanite are gaining popularity, and tourmaline, especially, is seeing a surge in interest. While the media coverage around the Ambani wedding certainly boosted tourmaline’s visibility, this trend has been growing for the past five years in the Indian market.
This shift is helping to define the current trend: colour and investment-worthy pieces beyond diamonds. It’s important to remember that Indian buyers are still influenced by the idea of investing in their jewellery. When purchasing an expensive piece, the question remains: will it hold or increase in value? The data over the past decade shows that stones like spinel and emeralds have appreciated significantly, and this trend is bound to continue.
Interestingly, we’re also noticing a significant rise in interest in blue sapphires in India, especially among the younger generation. Over the past six months to a year, the demand has increased dramatically. The youth, especially, aren’t as concerned with the traditional belief about that these stones. Many young, are forging their own path in jewellery buying, and they aren’t bound by the same constraints.
What makes India unique is the diversity in how people buy jewellery. There’s a large segment that sees jewellery as a commodity, while others view it as an investment or value addition. This diversity means there’s a massive appetite for jewellery, whether for personal satisfaction or as an asset. The key is packaging it right and telling a compelling story.
In India, the concept of “trends” doesn’t quite fit because the market is so dynamic. Anything can work, depending on how it’s presented and the narrative behind it.
What is your most cherished memory from your time at GIA?
I remember my first test—I scored 68, then 72, and finally 70. That’s when I got called to the principal’s office, and was told, “You need to score at least 75 to stay in this class. If not, we might have to ask you to leave.” I had no idea about this rule. I was just a kid from Jaipur, newly arrived in London, trying to adjust and learn. There was so much going on, and at that age, you’re just living your life without fully grasping everything.
I still remember that first month and those first three tests. After that, I never scored below 75, I put in extra effort over the next two weekends and made significant improvement. That experience was a turning point.
But more than the tests, what I value the most from my time at GIA London are the friendships I made. I still maintain close relationships with my classmates. One of them, who I met at GIA London, has now worked with me for 12 years in my business.
I’m in touch with so many of my closest friends from that time—people from Delhi, Canada, Greece, London, and Hong Kong. It was such a diverse group, with different backgrounds, ages, and stories, all coming together to study the same subject. It was truly a special experience.
One of the most memorable things from that class was the diversity of our group. I was the youngest in the class, and the oldest was a woman from Taiwan. She was the sales head at Bulgari, and one of her most important clients was none other than Amitabh Bachchan. She told me, “I have this Indian client—very well-spoken, a huge celebrity, I was taken aback and said, “Are you kidding me? Your client is Amitabh Bachchan?” It was such a funny and humbling moment.
We were a group of people from all corners of the world, with different experiences, and we were all learning and growing together. It was a fantastic learning environment.
And of course, I remember the Friday tests. We had to be precise, and I learned a lot from those early challenges. It was a great foundation for everything that followed.
What advice would you give emerging jewellery designers looking to make a mark in the industry?
I would say that the most important thing is to keep things original, which is something we’ve completely lost sight of. And when I say “we,” I mean myself included—I’ve realised this and have worked my way back to it. I’ve had design teams who, after being given projects, would do their research and come back with mood boards and images. But when you look at their research, there’s a striking amount of overlap. One team member, researching sea life, would incorporate Amazonite or seashells into their designs. Another team member, researching Shiva and tantric symbols, would come up with similar elements. The research is essentially heading in the same direction.
The problem here is that we are all using the same platforms—browsing the internet—and getting the same results. Different people, working on separate projects, are starting their creative journeys from the same point, which stifles originality. We need to stop relying on the internet for inspiration. Instead, we need to reconnect with nature and start doing our research outdoors.
I recall when my design team was working on the “I Love Wildlife” collection, focusing on Ranthambore. They were stuck, thinking only of the tiger, the obvious focal point. So, I sent them to Ranthambore for two nights. When they came back, they were full of ideas, because they had experienced it firsthand. They began to feel the place and see the nuances—the emotions that can’t be captured from a simple image on Google or Instagram. That trip allowed them to create designs, like the one featuring a tiger sitting under an umbrella that wouldn’t have emerged if they hadn’t felt the place and its atmosphere.
This is what we need to do: go beyond just finding imagery online. We need to create an emotional and visual connection with the subject. When I was learning jewellery design, we were taught to think deeply, to feel our surroundings, and to do research beyond the internet. What we’re doing now—relying on mood boards created from online images—isn’t the way forward.
For example, when researching Ranthambore, the tiger may be central, but there are so many other elements in that environment—different flora, fauna, and textures—that contribute to the design. If we focus solely on imagery, we miss the depth of what is really there. True creativity comes when you experience and feel something firsthand, not just visually.
In my experience, when designing, it’s about your interpretation of what you see around you. For example, I once saw a piece of jewellery from Jaisalmer—a men’s earring with three balls adorned with spikes. The inspiration for this design came from the cactus in the region, a simple yet striking symbol. The beauty of this design lies in its authenticity—staying true to what is seen in the environment. That’s the essence of great design: taking something simple, like a cactus, and interpreting it in your own way.
What’s also crucial is the role of the craftsman in this process. What I design may not look exactly like what the craftsman will create. It’s a collaboration between the two of us—my ideas and their craftsmanship come together to bring the design to life. This collaborative interpretation is what makes the piece truly special. Ultimately, a design needs to be rooted in genuine experience and interpretation.