Romancing the stones

There is no lack of jewellery for those who like to accessorise. Whether it’s a silver neckpiece, wired jewellery or fabric entwined rings, ‘Trimadhura’ has it all. Started by three sisters, Ramya, Sharada and Rachana Ramanan, the online venture is a product of their passion.

According to Ramya, who makes all the jewellery, the start-up was conceived because the three have an intrinsic love for crafting and designing accessories. She was initially in the UK and would make and sell her work there. “Whenever I came down here, I would bring my work for my sisters. They were impressed with it and said I should start selling the items. That’s when we three decided to work on ‘Trimadhura’, where I make the pieces and my sisters help come up with the designs,” she says.

Although one of the sisters, Rachana, lives in Houston at the moment, they never ignore the start-up.

    “We talk and discuss designs as frequently as we can. As we do it for the love of designing and not for commercial purposes, it is a pleasure. All three of us have an eye for beautiful things.” Ramya works mainly with metals with silver, bronze and copper. “My favourite technique is wiring, although I do whatever a customer likes. I also use a Japanese form of braid-making called ‘Kumihimo’, macrame and knotting. I like cutting and knotting.” She once made a bracelet in silver with Swarovski crystals for a bride.

     “It was the pleasure on her face which was amazing to witness. I love creating customised pieces the most because I get to work with the customer. And I’m on tenterhooks until a customer approves of the design and tells me they like it,” she says. She also uses semi-precious stones and beads.

She has spent much time trying to figure out what people like and is trending. “When I was in the UK, the first place I exhibited was at my kid’s school. I was a little disheartened because it didn’t do very well. Then I realised that people there like more brightly coloured and shiny items.”

The sisters do it more for the love of the craft than anything else. Says Ramya, “Around five to six years ago, I began collecting beads, wires and more. I kept them for a later time. Eventually I got around to making jewellery by looking at YouTube videos, reading blogs and magazines. I know I’m not going to be a millionaire but I enjoy doing this.”
 
    What kind of designs does she like making? “If I see something beautiful around me, like a flower or a leaf, I capture a picture of it in my head, come back home and draw it. I see whether it can be made into a pendant, ring, bracelet or earring.

Visualising a design in my head before making it is important.”