Why the Jewelry Industry Forgot How to Talk to Real People

by Kushagra Malhotra, Co-founder — FIAN

I grew up around jewellery.
My grandfather and father worked in the world of real, precious jewellery — the kind with vaults, velvet boxes, and values measured in carats. I saw firsthand the beauty, the skill, the legacy. But I also saw something else: how distant and untouchable it could all feel to the everyday person.

When we launched FIAN, it wasn’t just to join the industry. It was to shift the conversation.

Together with my brother Sushant and sister Isha, FIAN became our shared passion project — a way to bring jewellery back down to earth, without losing an ounce of its magic.

The industry's identity crisis

Walk into most traditional jewellery stores and you’ll still see it — the quiet, glass-encased world of “serious luxury.”
You feel like you need an appointment, a savings account, and a milestone big enough to justify being there.

The industry has spent decades perfecting the art of looking exclusive — but in doing so, it forgot how to be inclusive.
It forgot how to speak to real people.

People who want to celebrate small, everyday moments — not just diamond-studded declarations.
People looking for charm necklaces, meaningful gifts, or customizable jewellery that reflects their own story.

What are people really buying?

Jewellery has never just been about what it’s made of.
It’s about what it means.

A ring for your first job.
A necklace you bought after a heartbreak — because you chose yourself.
A charm bracelet from your sibling, just because.
A gift to mark a moment that mattered to no one else but you.

These are the stories FIAN is built around.
Stories of identity, individuality, and modern milestones that matter just as much as weddings or anniversaries — if not more.

Bringing luxury closer to you

At FIAN, we wanted to keep everything that makes traditional jewelry special — the craftsmanship, the emotion, the timelessness — and leave behind the parts that felt out of touch.

So we made a choice:
• Hypoallergenic 925 silver jewellery, not overpriced solid gold
• AAA-graded zircons that catch light and attention, without needing a vault
• Pieces designed to be worn, stacked, gifted, and lived in

We wanted premium quality — without the premium ego.
Because the future of jewellery isn’t about status.
It’s about story.
It’s about who you are — and who you're becoming.

Why it matters

Luxury is changing. It’s less about flexing wealth, and more about expressing self-worth.
And story is what we've always had — in our family, in our brand, and in every FIAN piece we create.

We didn’t set out to make jewellery just for special occasions.
We set out to make jewellery that makes the everyday feel special.

So if you’ve ever felt like traditional luxury wasn’t speaking to you — or if you're building something that challenges the “shoulds” of your industry — I’d love to hear your story.

Because jewellery shouldn’t just sparkle.
It should say something.