Expansion for Henna Jewellers
By Mary Brittain
Henna Jewellers is a well established business with big ideas which is rapidly making a name for itself in Green Street, east London as well as on the worldwide web through its fast expanding ‘Bands for Hands’ brand.
Mazafar Chaudhary of Henna Jewellers, is an energetic man who is clearly passionate about what he does. He has been running the business successfully from its current location for the past 15 years and it continues to go from strength to strength.
“I’m a very practical person and I knew I wanted to make jewellery from when I was very young,” he says. His family was eventually persuaded of his commitment and he left for Pakistan to learn traditional jewellery making skills. Here he spent time in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore learning everything from filigree work to diamond setting.
“It is common practice for apprentices to be told to practice setting lentils into copper; in place of stones. But coming from a family of jewellers going back generations, I had the good fortune of being put straight onto gold, and I have to say I managed to ruin a fair few things before I got it right!” says Mazafar.
Getting things right is absolutely key to his philosophy. He is extremely well-placed to recognise top quality workmanship when he sees it. His family connections mean that he also has an excellent and reliable source of supply. He has a team of professional goldsmiths, designers, polishers and diamond setters working for him in London.
His boutique store, on the junction of Plashet Road and Green Street, is a magnet for those seeking not only a fresh take on traditional bridal jewellery, but also contemporary diamond jewellery.
The shop has recently been refitted to house his extensive range of gem-set bridal sets. The space has also been expanded to create a separate display area for the company’s growing diamond jewellery collection.
When it comes to diamonds, Mazafar is again well placed to offer his customers the very best. Having studied to achieve a DGA qualification from The Gemmological Association and Gem Testing Laboratory of Great Britain, he handpicks all the diamonds he sells himself and can guarantee their authenticity. Something he believes to be absolutely essential. “If you are making a claim for something, you must be able to support it,” he says.
www.bandsforhands.com
‘Bands for Hands’ – Mazafar’s established online brand is proving to be a highly successful showcase for wedding and engagement rings in all types and carats of precious metal, including the recently introduced palladium, which is proving an attractive option. Online prices range from around £50 – £1800 and the site is widely used by consumers of all nationalities and backgrounds looking for stylish and affordable designs.
Bands for Hands has been designed to make buying simple and has an excellent system giving customers complete control over the product they are interested in. For example, the Wedding ring section allows you to choose the shape, metal, size, width and weight of the ring. But that’s not all. The customer can choose to personalise the ring by adding text for engraving, the type of surface finish they would like, right down to the choice of packaging, to create the ideal ring and a shopping experience to remember. “We do find that if people are buying more expensive pieces that they may choose to visit the shop to see the item before they buy it and we encourage this for a more personalised service. Customers may wish to buy online without any personal contact and with no problems whatsoever,” he says.
Sophisticated bridal designs
“Our designs have an impressive pedigree and are the result of years and years of experience and development. We aim to create a look which is sophisticated and uniform. Unlike those of our competitors, our designs feature repeat sequences in their patterns which gives them a regular look which is very pleasing to the eye,” says Mazafar.
Another attraction for brides-to-be is Henna Jeweller’s ability to create bespoke designs which will actually tone in with their bridal outfits. “Our Bridal designs can be customised using real gemstones, ‘polki’ and cubic zirconia to complement the fabric and colours the bride has chosen to wear. This means she will have something truly unique, designed and made to suit her specific preferences and own style,” explains Mazafar.
The designs are certainly exquisite and have many eye-catching features. These include tiny rhodium plated balls, to give a glint of white, as well as enamel work details incorporated amongst the obligatory fine filigree work in rich, 22ct gold. All designs have matching bracelets, bangles, earrings and other accessories available to match.
A recent TV commercial campaign by Henna Jewellers, which is proving extremely popular, shows many styles of bridal sets worn by beautiful brides. Each advert shows the bride wearing an outfit and the respective matching bridal set with the colours incorporated in it. This is the company’s first foray into television, but it is unlikely to be their last. Mazafar is committed to an on-going promotional campaign with magazine and directory advertisements, free product catalogues and internet search maximisation all part of the programme.
“My philosophy in building up the business has been to try and look for the holes in the market and to provide those things that are missing from my competitors’ ranges. For example I have recently introduced a range of silver rings for devout Muslims who may perhaps wish to wear a wedding band but cannot, for religious reasons, wear gold,” he says.
Both Henna Jewellers and ‘Bands for Hands’ are undoubtedly brands to watch. Both are young, rapidly developing and set for future growth. “We have great plans for the future and I shall continue growing all our collections to provide even greater choice for our customers. This coupled with the high levels of quality and service we offer will, I hope, keep them coming back to us for more,” he says.
Visit Henna Jewellers at Unit 5, 306-308 Green Street, London E13 9AP T: 0208 548 9875