Adventure has always been my favorite classroom. Whether it’s wandering through a centuries-old bazaar in Jaipur, tasting wine in Napa, or getting lost down a quiet street in Tokyo, I find myself constantly learning. through the people I meet, the colors I see, and the stories the world shares
As I set off once again, meeting collectors, visiting ateliers, and chasing inspiration across continents, I carry a deep sense of gratitude Gratitude for the craft that lets me travel, for the friendships that welcome me in every city, and for the chance to keep seeing the world with fresh eyes
For me, travel isn’t an escape, it’s a return Each journey brings me closer to what I love most about creating: discovery The color of a distant sky, the curve of an unfamiliar doorway, the laughter shared over a late dinner. they all remind me that design begins not in solitude, but in connection.
And when I come home, I carry those moments with me, translating them into light, form, and feeling Each piece, in its own way, becomes a thank you to the world that continues to inspire me
CONTEMPLATIONS OF THE MONTH
THE FUTURE: REIMAGINED THROUGH TRADITION
I’m an eighth-generation jeweler; which means, in some ways, my path was chosen for me before I ever sketched my first design. But I’ve never been one to follow a script. I’ve always been drawn to the unfamiliar, the experimental, the rebellious. For a long time, I thought I had to choose between honoring my heritage and chasing the kind of innovation that lit up my creative spirit What I’ve spent my career (and adult life) learning is that the tension between those two forces isn’t a conflict, it’s a gift Every ArunAshi piece lives in the space between heritage and innovation They embody the past remembered, and a future promised I don’t design to break tradition, but to remix it To test its limits Through my designs, I can filter the techniques and motifs of my ancestors through a modern lens I can see what happens when you flip a diamond on its head and trust the light to find a new way through. For me, innovation isn't a trend to follow. It is a compass for every decision I make. One that allows me to zoom in on what matters, and zoom out to imagine what could be. And the further I prioritize innovation, the more I realize that I’m still standing on the shoulders of everyone who came before me I simply have my eyes firmly set on what’s next
BlackOpal
OPAL: THE MYSTIQUE OF OPAL
Opal has long occupied a unique space in human imagination. a gemstone born not of structure, but of fluidity. Formed when rain seeps into ancient rock and slowly transforms over millennia, opal is nature’s alchemy: a stone without symmetry, yet full of spectral fire Its colors are not fixed but alive, refracting in endless variation Across cultures, opal has been revered as a symbol of prophecy, magic, and transformation, an earthly mirror of the cosmic and the unseen
To the Greeks, opal granted foresight; to the Romans, it was the “cupid stone,” holding all the virtues of other gems in one In Aboriginal Australian lore, it was born of the Rainbow Serpent, creator of land and sky Wherever it appears, opal defies containment, embodying both chaos and harmony, the known and unknowable
In creation, opal invites risk. Its instability, both structural and visual, makes it a stone that resists repetition. This resistance is precisely its appeal. To work with opal is to embrace change, to allow chance into the design process Each stone becomes a conversation with mystery, a meditation on beauty that refuses to be defined
In choosing opal, the maker aligns with transformation, not as concept, but as practice It is a commitment to evolve, and to honor the poetry of unpredictability.
BLACK OPAL BANGLE A
LEGACY IN LIGHT
Black opal has long been a vessel of myth and meaning revered as a cosmic stone, shimmering with the colors of creation itself Ancient Aboriginal lore tells of a rainbow that touched the earth, leaving trails of fire behind, each one crystallizing into opal. In Greek legend, opals were believed to hold the power of prophecy, while for the Romans, they symbolized hope and purity Shakespeare called them “the Mother of all Gemstones,” captivated by their shifting light and emotion
The architectural echoes of the Rajput palaces, where arches frame sky and shadow, invoke a sacred geometry in dialogue with the opal’s unbound fire.
In art, this duality recalls Klimt’s ornamental mysticism or the surreal balance of Gaudí’s curves, beauty as both structure and sensation
The bangle becomes a meditation on dualities: hidden and seen, ancient and modern, chaos and control. It carries not just the brilliance of the stone, but the mythology of perception itself
OPAL ARCHES
BUTTON EARRINGS
ECHOES OF EMPIRE
Echoing the grandeur of Mughal courts, these earrings draw from a visual language where geometry, light, and devotion intersect The pointed arch, iconic in Mughal architecture, symbolized both aesthetic refinement and sacred ascent. That same architectural elegance is reimagined here, not in marble or tile, but in brushed gold and light-infused gems At the center, opal serves as a conduit between past and present a gem long believed to carry the colors of the universe and the wisdom of change.
The surrounding Fancy Color Diamonds, with hues of earth and ember, recall the pietra dura inlay of Mughal palaces, where semi-precious stones were meticulously set into marble to tell stories of paradise and power. Their arrangement becomes a tapestry of reflection and reverence, a nod to artistry once reserved for emperors
This piece becomes a quiet dialogue between epochs between the ethereal and the grounded, between memory and invention. A contemporary heirloom, radiant with inherited meaning
BLACK OPAL EARRINGS:
MESSENGER OF LIGHT
Rooted in myth and shaped by natural rarity, these earrings evoke the ancient story of Iris, the Greek goddess who bridged heaven and earth on a rainbow path Her presence signified divine connection, harmony, and transformation. The opals, flickering with red and green fire, echo that celestial arc, ephemeral yet powerful, a message carried in light In many cultures, opals were believed to hold within them the essence of all gemstones, symbolizing vision, truth, and emotional depth.
Surrounding them, fancy yellow and orange diamonds radiate warmth like the first light of dawn, ancient symbols of rebirth and clarity The emeralds, from the fabled Swat Valley mines of Pakistan, add yet another layer of meaning. These stones, long associated with wisdom and divine favor, shimmer with the mystique of sacred lands
Together, these elements form a composition not only of materials, but of myth and memory. a tribute to beauty that speaks across time and culture.
Sphene
SPHENE: A DANCE OF LIGHT AND FIRE
Sphene is a stone of paradox rare, radiant, and easily overlooked by those who only seek the obvious Known also as titanite, it refracts light with a dispersion higher than diamond, scattering spectral fire with a brilliance that defies its modest reputation It is not a gemstone that insists; it invites Its hues lime, gold, olive seem to flicker between elements, never quite settling, always in motion.
Geologically, sphene is born in environments shaped by metamorphosis and upheaval terrains where pressure rewrites form That origin story becomes metaphor: from chaos, clarity Its softness requires care, its rarity demands respect Yet for those who know how to look, sphene offers something more an intimate kind of magic, the kind not meant for everyone
Arun chooses sphene because it resists convention It is a gemstone that embodies risk and reward, the kind of beauty that cannot be controlled only revealed In his hands, it is framed to amplify its spectral truth, but never contain it
Sphene does not perform It transforms. And in doing so, it speaks to those who understand that brilliance is not always loud it’s layered, unexpected, and unforgettable Just like the stories Arunashi seeks to tell
SPHENE RING:
GATEWAY TO THE FUTURE
The Sphene Ring is an ode to passage both architectural and personal. Inspired by the grand arches of Indian design, the ring’s form recalls gateways that once framed the thresholds of temples and palaces structures that signified movement from the ordinary to the sacred, from present to possibility Here, that symbolism is distilled into something intimate, wearable, and alive
At the center burns a rare sphene, a gemstone known for its remarkable dispersion splitting light into spectral flashes of green, gold, and fire Its brilliance doesn’t announce itself all at once; it unfolds slowly, with motion and attention Surrounding the gem, a constellation of diamonds echoes ancient inlay work while anchoring the ring in the present, creating a dialogue between tradition and invention
sphene is a gemstone of emergence formed under pressure, radiant in flux. The Sphene Ring is not a declaration; it is an invitation. To move forward. To shift perception To step boldly through the next arch
