Veatge Handcrafted Fine Jewelry

Aug 23 2018

I was first introduced to Veatge while I was browsing Flea at Silver Street several months back. I met with the lovely Krishna- who is the brand’s creative director. She preceded to show me her best sellers and other unique jewelry. Her pieces are simple, yet are refined and statement-worthy.

Veatge (pronounced way-aaa-je) is Catalan for “journey.” Catalan is a language that is spoken in parts of France and Spain.

Krishna Chavda’s journey began as a teen. She was working with her father and uncle in their fine jewelry business in India, where she was born and raised. The business mainly dealt with 22k bridal Indian jewelry. She goes on to explain, “I wasn’t really into the traditional designs, as they were only for special occasions. One day I found a tiny shop in the old part of my town, it had beautiful glass beads and gemstones and I was completely mesmerized by the colors and those unique beads, I bought a handful and made necklaces and chokers for myself. All of a sudden, I was a cool kid in the school. (Yes, chokers were trending big-time 25 years ago, and it came back in last few years). Collecting beads and making jewelry was always a hobby, I never thought about making a career in it. After migrating to the USA and working in the corporate sector for several years, I realized the crazy markups in the jewelry industry, and it felt like spending an entire paycheck for a well-made fine piece of jewelry. I also briefly worked at a Turkish jewelry store during my college days, which gave me a good understanding of women’s choice in the western countries.”

After migrating to the U.S., her goals were different, she wanted to be independent and travel the world. She then settled in Houston, and began sorting out her future. “After finishing Masters in Business Administration I started working as a Financial Analyst at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and then later moved to Houston’s oil and gas industry. My time was mainly spent with numbers, large data, and spreadsheets. It wasn’t until my daughter was born and I stayed home with her, when the major shift in interest happened,” she explained.

While she was staying home with her newborn daughter, she decided to take up silversmithing class. Then, an idea dawned on her. “I was already making jewelry and gifting it to friends and family. But inspiration didn’t come until my husband pointed out that I COULD actually create a business I wished existed all along – a new direct to consumer concept in fine jewelry that provides a single platform for unique high-grade designs from around the world at fair prices. With a little bit of bootstrapping, combined with his business expertise and my creativity, together we launched Veatge. The name aligns well with my personal journey of connecting back to my roots and a passion that I never even knew I had.”

Krishna goes on to explain her brand, “Veatge is known for fine jewelry that is minimal, modern and made to last. You can pick a piece of Veatge jewelry, and tell that it is made with high-quality materials by skilled hands. We work directly with trusted manufacturers who share our values and have been in business for many years. All our jewelry is made using only precious metals (sterling silver, 14kt gold, 18kt gold vermeil). We are merging technology and fine jewelry and creating a unique brand experience, with price points that are affordable and easily accessible through our website – this is what sets us apart from our competition.”

When asked about her favorite pieces from her brand, she replies, “I love to wear jewelry depending on the occasion and time of the day. I keep it simple with dainty pieces such as opal ring and studs during daytime and nighttime is all about statement gold jewelry. Dome Ring and Abstract Wire Hoops are a staple. I also wear hammered hoops in silver with three circles ring, you can never go wrong with them when you are in a hurry.”

You can find Veatge through the website, as well as through pop-up markets. They will be doing a pop-up in Dallas later this year. Be sure to sign up for a newsletter, or follow them on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.