Pearls of wisdom

Manizhe Ali speaks about her new collections that entail fine silver jewellery and engraved pieces

KARACHI:

Engraving ornaments with semi-precious stones and silver metal has been the forte of most jewellery designers, but Manizhe Ali has taken her love for accessories a step further and forayed into calligraphy. While her earlier collections did feature inscribed pendants and bracelets, her latest showcase is more in line with calligraphy on fine silver jewellery.

In an interview with The Express Tribune, the designer unfolds the story behind her recent collection that was detailed with gemstones such as Iranian ferozas, lapis, and carnelians. Speaking about the line, Manizhe shares “I bought this bag of Iranian ferozas from a man who had stored it in a warehouse for years and had forgotten about it. He was willing to sell them to me at a price that was lower than the average market price so I bought them. They’re completely exclusive because the mine that these stones were excavated from is closed now.”





It took Manizhe three months to design the untitled collection that primarily comprised pieces deaturing calligraphy. “While working around with alphabets, you think of alternative designs such as the mixing-and-matching of stones with calligraphy. This is how my collection came about and people began demanding for similar pieces.” Of her popular pearl pendant engraved with Bismillah, Manizhe mentions that she made one such piece and customers started ordering similar pieces, boasting variety in her collection. She explains that many requests for customised Ya Ali pendants also came in during the month of Muharram.

According to Manizhe all her jewellery items are completed with 92.5 silver and Rhodium is used to provide a high metal finish so that they do not fade easily. “My pieces are finished in such a way that they remain shiny and in perfect condition for a minimum of three years,” adds Munizhe. The price for pendants falls between Rs4,500 and Rs5,000 while the price tag for bangles and bracelets ranges from Rs5,000 to Rs20,000.

Although Manizhe is currently working from home, she has plans to stock her offerings at multiple brand houses in the near future. “For personal reasons I can’t advertise much, but I am looking into different possibilities to stock my pieces,” she says.





Set to unveil her 2016 collection in the next three weeks, Manizhe mentions that the offerings will feature her signature style but will tilt towards being more trendy than traditional. “The upcoming collection will be made from a lot of gemstones including pearls. My style will remain the same but the pieces will be different from the previous collection. The line will witness a lot of funky pieces for contemporary women.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 9^th,  2015.

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