Our story
Adornment is one of our oldest ways of telling a story - older, some would say, than language itself.
Before we had the words to describe who we were, we had the way we chose to decorate ourselves. I didn’t invent that instinct; I just have my own small chapter in it.
A name to live by
"Nefer" is an ancient Egyptian word which means beautiful, good, and perfect. It’s the same root behind the name Nefertiti - a queen I’ve been drawn to since I was 16 after watching Egyptian history documentaries. I’ve always admired her certainty and how she refused to be anything less than herself.
I loved what it represented so much, I had it tattooed on my hand when I was in college. It’s a reminder I still come back to, especially when I’m creating.
"Anyone with artistic ambitions is always trying to reconnect with the way they saw things as a child."
- Tim Burton
I often think about this quote because it reminds me of the way I've always looked at the world.
When I was in fifth grade, my sister and I started learning to make jewellery from a lovely aunty who lived near our house. Creative pursuits were never really optional growing up, thanks to my mum, who painted beautifully in the early part of her life. I made pieces constantly, mostly to give away. Long before I understood craftsmanship, I felt the joy of making something with my hands. Looking back, I think that's where Nefer really began.
My first sale at age 10
My first sale was a pair of earrings, sold to the architect who built our house, for ten rupees. It sounds like nothing, but it felt like everything. Someone had looked at something I made and decided it was worth paying for. I chased that feeling for a long time through every experiment and every piece I gave away for free, because the money wasn't the point, being seen was.
Craft is the quiet language of care
Years later, after graduating, I went on to work in jewellery houses, learning from artisans whose hands had spent decades mastering their craft. It taught me something I'll always carry with me: beautiful jewellery takes time and patience. Craft really is the quiet language of care.
Today, every piece at Nefer begins differently. Sometimes it's a memory I want to hold onto, other times it's a gemstone that catches my eye while wandering through the tiny lanes of Jaipur or Mumbai. I spend hours searching for pearls and coloured stones, often without knowing exactly what they'll become. I've found that the best ideas are rarely planned.
Nefer is my way of bringing all of these experiences together. We create jewellery in sterling silver, handpicked freshwater pearls and semi-precious gemstones that are made to be worn often, not just saved for a "special occasion". I prefer to make fewer pieces that feel deeply considered than a mass of things that don't.
I've never believed jewellery should feel complicated. Wear one piece or wear ten. Layer them. Mix metals. Pair pearls with coloured gemstones. Collect pieces because they remind you of a place, a person or a version of yourself. Wear them because they feel like you. I've always been far more interested in individuality than perfection.
More than one pair of hands
Every Nefer piece is made by hand in Jaipur, alongside artisans whose skill deserves far more credit than my own. I work closely with them at every stage until a piece feels exactly right. Jewellery has been made in Jaipur for generations, and to me, it still feels like the city where it genuinely belongs.
When jewellery becomes personal
My favourite piece of jewellery is my mother's twenty-one-year-old silver ring. I wear it almost every day because of the life it's lived with her before it became part of mine. Perhaps the real beauty of jewellery is in the life it shares with you. That's what I hope Nefer becomes for you, for whatever your life is doing next.