A gleaming, diamond-laced leopard in a languid move on top a precious bracelet stares unblinkingly at you. Ruby encrusted dragonflies wink on ear rings. Rich emeralds circle the eyes of an owl pendant that sits pretty and polished. A gem-encrusted horse arches its back gracefully on your wrist clasp—jewellery designer Megha Malik of Resa Fine Jewellery creates an artistic sweep through her limited edition collection that centres around startling motifs from the animal kingdom“Nature has always been my inspiration, with its unlimited bounty of colours and forms,” says Megha.
“My initial thought of bringing in animal motifs came from the Parisian brand Cartier, that makes extensive use of panthers in its trinkets. I decided to give the animal forms a twist by using the oft-ignored forms in butterflies, parrots, crabs, snakes and owls. This did involve a great degree of detailing and precision but the effort has been well worth it, “ she says with an air of satisfaction.
What unleashed her creativity was her complete freedom with the colour palette. “The best part about curating animal motif jewellery is the realm of colour combinations you can use, as opposed to designing traditional jewellery,” explains Megha.
Of course, being a mother who loves travelling with her children, has taken her to multiple zoos and underwater explorations, across the globe. And her experiences find rich expression in every piece in her new collection. “Each beautiful piece is to be relished and cherished as the colours are inspired from natural skin colours and patternsfrom the jungles,” she adds with a smile.
Megha has brought in a realm of rather uncommon designs. Apart from the feline forms, she has played up the delicate appeal of butterflies with exquisite meenakari making an appearance in the delicate, jewelled wings. Then, there are studded spiders jockeying for attention, and even the humble housefly perches quietly, having undergone a glamorous makeover.
Diamonds, emeralds, rubies, tanzanites and sapphires dart through the forms in riveting cuts. Some are convertibles, like a jewelled brooch that can be easily slipped on as a cocktail ring, or drop earrings that quietly morph into studs with the working of a clasp. “I feel that is a must in every working woman’s jewel caddy,” points out Megha with a smile, adding, “You need to possess an earring that can fit both into your daywear and evening wear routines easily.”
The beastly tales don’t come cheap—-prices range from `1,50,000 up to `15 lakh, depending upon the type of stones used, the intricacy of the design and the pattern of the piece.Megha launched Resa as a contemporary jewellery brand in 2011. “I have always been inclined towards jewellery and fashion since I was a child,” she recalls.
“You simply cannot drag me away from the windows of jewellery stores when I am inside a mall,” she laughs. Her family realised the importance of her passion and powered her dream. That is how Resa was born, to create unique and classy designs for modern woman, who multitasks seamlessly, just like the creator.
“I am always looking at innovating and creating something new, though vintage pieces hold their own magic,” she says. Prod her about her favourite piece of jewellery in her cupboard and she quips,
“It’s a simple gold bangle that my grandmother gave me.”