Designer jeweller – that’s what POONAM JOHARI likes to call herself. An architect by qualification, this third-generation entrepreneur belongs to a family of traditional jewellers, and is committed to taking the 80-year-old legacy forward—but on her own terms.
ne would have thought that opting to work in the jewellery business would have been a natural choice for Poonam Johari. But that was not the case. As a child, Poonam’s pet subject was maths and she also leaned towards the fine arts. This combination led her to study architecture. But five years of curriculum and a few months of internship was not motivation enough for her to continue in her chosen field. “Although the exercise laid a very strong foundation of design basics in me, I decided to change course and began helping my father in his jewellery business,” she recalls. “I was fortunate enough to get hands-on training from my father and worked under his guidance for almost three years.” To further strengthen her expertise, Poonam pursued a course in gemmology from Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and since then her journey has been peppered with creative moments almost on a daily basis.
Had the option of her father’s jewellery business not been there, Poonam reflects she may have done her Master’s in Structural Engineering. But that is another story.
She branched out on her own by launching Poonam Jewels almost a decade ago. “Aspiring to be more than just a family jeweller and carve a niche for myself as a designer jeweller, I started my brand Johari Poonam, which is just five years old.”
For a person who has always had a multidisciplinary education, her brand has always thrived on providing personalised and custommade designs – from designing affordable bespoke to heirloom pieces, her portfolio includes it all. Poonam is known for her one-off handcrafted pieces.
How easy or challenging is it to design for each individual client? She explains, “I am never short of designs and concepts and I believe in a unique expression for each of my clients. For me it’s all about how my concept is executed to reflect utmost finesse in crafting and workmanship. I have not restricted myself to only creating new pieces, but the expertise of my brand also lies in recreating old pieces with a modern touch. While re-designing the old, antique piece, restoring it is my main focus.”
Designing a piece of jewellery is linked to feelings and emotions Poonam experiences at the moment. Also, the other source of inspiration is reading up famous quotes, stories and poems. “Just as these express feelings, so does jewellery,” she says. “The piece has to speak to you. I believe that since jewellery is such a precious commodity, each piece created should have some style, substance and soul for it to communicate through generations. That is one of the core values that define my jewellery.”
Poonam’s creations are mainly in gold and her versatile couture and prêt collections are set with gemstones that complement the mood board. For cool hues, she uses tanzanites, tsavorites for tree-green shades, and aquamarines for more pastel blues. “I especially like labradorite, a feldspar mineral, for its greyish-greenish-bluish sheen. For more pastels on my palette, I like morganites, amethysts and green amethysts, and for warm hues I work with fancy-cut citrines. Baroque pearls are a staple for me. As for diamonds, I am partial towards rose cuts. The less brilliant rose cuts when combined with full-cut diamonds create a mesmerising play of brilliance.”
It’s no surprise, therefore, that Poonam’s first ever collection was Rose & Muse, featuring an aesthetic blend of rose cuts and full-cut diamonds. Within two weeks of its unveiling, the collection was sold out! “This exercise testified to my belief in the design and concept aesthetics.”
Typically, a collection can take up to six months to create, but Poonam keeps to timelines when working on bespoke assignments. Inspiration also strikes her when she sources an unusual fancy-shaped diamond or a gemstone, or an ancient temple jewellery piece. “I work with various permutations and combinations till I am happy with the final design.”
Other than the boutique in Mumbai, the brand also takes part in jewellery shows and holds trunk shows as part of its expansion plans. “The journey so far has been fantastic and yet very challenging; when one is successful, people’s expectations are high from you and that’s the challenge we have got to match up with all the time. I am lucky that my passion is also my occupation, and that my professional life is a reflection of who I am,” she rounds off.