The Heritage Collection: Jhumkas and Mangalsutras

We’re finally at the finish line. After months of designing and crafting, we’re excited to announce Víya’s very own jhumka and mangalsutra pieces as part of our Heritage Collection.  

Of course, you're probably wondering what inspired our designs—and what sets them apart from traditional pieces from back home. Well, it’s quite simple. We wanted our mangalsutras and jhumkas to actually be worn, not sit on your dresser collecting dust. That meant changing things up and bringing tradition into the 21st century.

Let’s start with our mangalsutra designs. From the beginning, we knew the core elements we wanted to include. This wasn’t our first rodeo when it came to mangalsutras—we’ve not only designed my wife’s, but we’ve also crafted a few for our lovely Víya brides.

In the past, we used traditional mangalsutra chains, which featured black auspicious beads throughout. Beautiful as they are, these chains often made the necklace hard to pair with non-traditional outfits because of the abundance of black beads. So, we focused on designing a more delicate, minimalist chain that would be far more versatile. We reduced the number of beads into two signature patterns. The first is a single-bead style, where beads are spaced roughly an inch apart. The second is a two-bead pattern, grouping two beads together with the same spacing. By minimizing the bead frequency, we were able to draw more attention to the pendant.

Our main source of inspiration for the pendants came from our Everyday Collection. We’ve always loved the dainty, minimalist feel of those pieces. By experimenting with a variety of shapes and setting styles, we were able to carry that same energy into these designs.

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Jhumkas, on the other hand, were a challenge of their own. To be honest, we had never designed a pair for any of our brides before—but that didn’t stop us from trying. After going through the jhumkas owned by my mom and my wife, we figured out what we loved—and what we didn’t. Just like traditional mangalsutras, classic jhumkas tend to be ornate and larger than life. So, to make them versatile, we had to rethink not just the design details like settings, shapes, and patterns, but also the size. By slightly shrinking the form, mixing micro pavé with bezel settings, and incorporating two-toned gold, we were able to give jhumkas a more contemporary feel.

We want you to embrace your heritage and wear your pride on your sleeves—or in our case, around your neck and on your ears. Whether you’re at work taking meetings, going on a date, heading to dinner with your girlfriends, or showing up to your best friend’s wedding, our mangalsutras and jhumkas are here to come along for the ride.


- Manav Vaghashiya