The Vault: Rabal

Zara Iqbal of Rabal Jewlery unlocks her vault

Zara Iqbal, a graduate from University of Arts London unlocks her vault for us.  She speaks about how she started her career in jewellery making, her favourite pieces and the one jewellery trend she wishes dies.



How and when did you become interested in jewellery?

Jewellery is and has always been my first love. I first dabbled into it right after graduating from University of Arts, London where I took a course in jewellery designing, but I think my love for jewellery was cultivated by my mother who I have always seen wearing demure and classy pieces. I think nothing quite captures the essence of femininity as a well-crafted piece of jewellery: it’s beautifully delicate and unbreakable at the same time.

What are your favourite pieces of jewellery?

I’ve always been fond of bracelets. We have a family heirloom, a mother-of-pearl bracelet that has been passed down from my maternal great-grandmother, to my mother and now to me. It’s a beautiful rendition of tradition and excellent workmanship, and I chose to wear it on my wedding!



Share a story with us about how you acquired one of your favourite pieces.

I have always been inspired by peacock themed jewellery — the colours, the designs everything. To me, the peacock has traditionally been a great representative of the subcontinent. So I sought something that would depict the colours or the design, and I managed to find a statement piece like that in Sri Lanka.

Is there any piece you are emotionally attached to?

One of the first sales of Rabal was a pair of our peacock tassel earrings that are still quite popular. I started out with those earrings and I feel they are quite close to my heart. Every time I sell a pair, it reminds me of where I started from and where I’ve reached. It’s a great feeling.



Where do you draw your inspiration from?

Well, I’m an artist and an Aries; my inspiration is therefore mostly from nature. Everywhere you look around yourself, you see the beautiful creation of God and His artistry in the great blend of colour and form. I find myself working mostly with earthy tones — gold, greens and blues.

What is your signature piece or style?

I would have to say kundan is Rabal’s signature style. Nobody quite does kundan like we do. We pay great attention to detail, the finish and the design. The end product has to be perfect to pass our test.

What is one thing a client should keep in mind when purchasing jewellery?

Make sure that you are getting what you pay for. Vendors can use a poor quality metal and coat it with gold paint, and sell it to you saying that its gold-plated-copper. Make sure that you are buying from a trusty or reputable seller.



One jewellery trend you wish dies?

Chunky nose rings. While the delicate and thin wire nose rings are another story, it’s the chunky ones I think women should avoid.

What is one jewellery trend you wish desi brides would incorporate more?

The classical 13 stringed jhoomar in my opinion gives the bride a royal feel like nothing else does. Incorporating it with a teeka, I think puts forth the best version of a classic desi bride.

Is there anything on your radar that you want to introduce in the future?

Rings, rings and more rings. We want to experiment with semi-precious and precious stones, especially Neelam. You will be seeing a lot of blue tones going forward.

What’s next for Rabal?

Taking Rabal global is next on the agenda. We want to expand Rabal to foreign buyers, and take the tradition and culture of Pakistan to the connoisseurs of jewellery everywhere in the world. We want to play what little role we can in putting forth a great image of Pakistan.