10 reasons (crazy and relevant) for founding NOYRA.
1) Niffler Tendencies
Remember that incredibly adorable creature in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (yeah, the one with the incredibly talented Eddie Redmayne <3), who gets attracted to shiny things, especially jewellery and hoards them, yep that's me (also unlike Niffler, I pay for my shiny stuff). For the longest time I can remember, I have have loved jewellery and all kinds of jewellery. Whoever has seen me in college or my professional life, knows that Meher is that one person capable of wearing a crazy statement piece even for a T-shirt. I still do wear neckpieces over a t-shirt, but with time, evolving taste and knowledge of the craft, they just have gotten better. :)
2) Let me fix your piece
I've always believed jewellery (whether it is worth 5 lakhs or worth 5000) to be an emotional investment. So if you've invested in the piece, and it does face some damage due to wear and tear, it needs a little more loving and care. That's why at NOYRA, I believe in offering repair services, which includes replating and re-beading. Also, I love repairing too. If you have a piece from another brand that needs to be refurbished, I'd be happy to give it new life with the sensibilities I use at NOYRA.
Image Courtesy: Clicked by a NOYRA artisan
3) Customisation: Yes, you can design your jewellery
Honestly, this one comes straight from the heart, custom-made jewellery is an entirely different sensation altogether. Owning a piece that you know will only be owned by you and not replicated is a great feeling. One feels important and incredibly loved. That is why at NOYRA, I am more than happy to customise a piece as per your liking and preferences and I'd do it with all my heart because I myself am a big fan of customisation. And honestly, sometimes existing designs become very restrictive and I don't have a 'One design fits all' strategy. That's why if you like a piece at NOYRA, and it has the possibility of being customised, always remember, for customisation it's always a big YES at NOYRA.
Image Courtesy: Meher Jetley
4) Allergic Reactions
I love jewellery, but what I don't love is my skin reacting to bad alloys and plating issues. I have faced way too many allergic reactions, and it's always due to the presence of nickel or lead. Another solid reason for founding NOYRA. Because I make sure each piece is made using the best metal possible (that is why I mention tested silver) and the plating is 100% nickel and lead-free. Because jewellery should make you look beautiful as well as be kind on your skin.
Image Courtesy: Lusha Jetley
5) Lack of transparency
Ok, so this one is personal. I have always been a research brain and love asking way too many questions. So when I don't see enough information about a product I fall in love with or the information is way too wishy-washy, I don't pick it up. Jewellery brands in India are similar. The lack of information of what plating has been used, or where it's made or what stone has been used is missing. That is why while founding NOYRA, I made sure I give out as much information as possible about the product I design so that people make a well-informed choice. Design should have some depth rather than just look good.
Image Courtesy: Meher Jetley
6) Authenticity
When I say I use lab-tested stones, it's guaranteed that the stone is 100% genuine, otherwise, I won't mention that the stone is lab tested. At NOYRA, we will always give you way more than you demand.
Image Courtesy: NOYRA stone vendor
7) Creating beautiful things that make people happy
I don't know if it's my people-pleasing nature or because the pandemic has really taken a toll on us all, I just want to bring a smile to anyone's face I meet. And the best way I can do it is through designing jewellery that automatically makes the person happy. Trust me, my patrons enjoying their rare NOYRA original is far more valuable for me than any superstar ever adorning the piece (though that wouldn't be so bad, wouldn't it?). I want to make the normal person battling 10,000 battles in life happy because they deserve to be happy. If I can achieve that with NOYRA, I have achieved my goal.
Image Courtesy: Anmol Arora
8) Absence of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) in customer service
I've worked as a salesperson, and here are a few things I've learnt from that experience:
1) Always gives the customer what they want.
2) Under-promise over-deliver.
3) Listen to them and then offer your suggestions (don't pile on them to extract more money, they'll run away, if I was in their shoes I definitely would).
4) Keep your unnecessary comments to yourself, because the customer knows what they want. Know when to stop.
5) Your customer is intelligent and a human being with emotions, so treat them like one. Don't see them as cash cows.
6) Always, I repeat, always FIND A SOLUTION that favours your customer when there's a problem. And go out of the way to make the experience as comfortable as possible.
That is why at NOYRA, I use EQ while designing and also when dealing with customers. I need to listen, empathise and find a solution, then only can my product and my service improve. More than investing in crazy marketing activities (I honestly don't have budgets that big), I invest in creating quality pieces that help me build trust and faith with my customers.
Image Courtesy: Meher Jetley
9) Loyalty, Loyalty, Loyalty
NOYRA is like a child I have birthed, that's the attachment I have with the brand. So I can't see myself parting with a piece to a person who won't be loyal in some capacity towards the brand. I know there are tons of ways in today's times to become an overnight success, with no guarantee of gaining trust and loyalty.
For me, at NOYRA, the loyalty of my customers is something I truly cherish. It's because they took that leap of faith and trusted me. For a first-generation jewellery entrepreneur, that act of trust in itself is so encouraging.
Words by NOYRA patron, Ms. Sanam Tripathi.
10) Love for craft and handmade processes
For those who don't know this, I studied in NIFT, Gandhinagar. And Gujarat is one state which is so rich in handwoven textiles and handmade processes, that the whole thing gets ingrained in you no matter how much you try to resist it. Even though I studied Fashion Design, with a partiality towards Textiles ( I honestly loved creating fabric), I have always had a special place for jewellery and its craft.
That is why while founding NOYRA, I made sure that I start my journey from Jaipur, the hub of jewellery.
Image Courtesy: Meher Jetley