Celebrities are no longer just lending their names and faces to endorse products, they are taking a larger skin in the game by turning entrepreneurs. The latest duo to join this bandwagon is producer Ekta Kapoor and designer Sussanne Khan. Renowned in their own realms, the close friends have turned co-founders of Ekatra Jewels. Entering the everyday fine jewellery and lab-grown diamonds space, it is carving a niche for itself with its unique collection.
Khan, who is also the creative director, worked on its ‘Oh My Gold’ collection that looks chunky on the outside but is incredibly light to wear. She reveals, “It exists in a lightweight form because of a construction technique we developed in-house: hollow gold, which gives a piece the presence and scale of far heavier jewellery at a fraction of the weight.”
Every design begins with a feeling or a story. From there it takes the form of sketches, then proportion, and finally samples. “I want every Ekatra piece to feel timeless, effortless and personal, something you wear today and cherish forever. I have no interest in jewellery that lives in a locker waiting for an occasion. If a piece isn’t wearable on an ordinary Tuesday, I don’t think we’ve finished designing it yet,” Khan adds.
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Offering IGI-certified and BIS-hallmarked jewels, Ekatra draws its name from a Sanskrit word that translates to coming together. Known for adorning several rings, Kapoor’s favourite so far is one in their signature cut, the Shristi Ratna, that carries 108 facets to signify cosmic harmony. She says, “It’s elegant enough for a boardroom yet meaningful enough to pass down to the next generation.”
In recent years, the lab-grown diamonds market has grown exponentially due to its accessibility, affordability and ethical production, and India is a key player in the game. The value debate around it and natural diamonds, however, still exists. To this, Kapoor says, “A lab-grown diamond isn’t a cheaper diamond, it’s a different craft with capabilities of its own. Every stone we set is Type IIa, the purest classification there is. That isn’t a compromise on luxury, that’s an expansion of it.”
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Headquartered in Mumbai, Ekatra Jewels is a digital-first jewellery brand that serves customers across India through its online platform. While Khan is currently focussed on creating fresh designs for the festive and wedding season, Kapoor wishes their co-founded venture becomes an Indian brand that the world chooses. “India has the craft, the heritage, and now the technology. What it has rarely had in this category is a global consumer brand of its own. That’s the gap we’re building into, and would like to be the ones to close it,” they sign off.
