Our Story
‘As long as we are persistent in our pursuit of our deepest destiny, we will continue to grow. We cannot choose the day or time when we will fully bloom. It happens in its own time’. Denis Waitley
JUNNAY London was founded with one objective in mind- to create wearable pieces of jewellery that are beautiful, elegant, fresh, intriguing, yet transcends fashion trends. Jewellery is meant to give its wearer pleasure and ignite memories and create memories and that is what a JUNNAY piece does.
The name was carefully chosen. JUNNAY is a West African word for treasure; a jewel; something of immense value. Traditionally spelt ‘juneh’.
Led by the vision of our Founder, Arley, and based on her passion and creativity, our pieces reflect our design aesthetic and style, which is why we travel the world to carefully source gemstones from trusted suppliers across Europe, Asia and Africa. Combining various tones of 18 carat gold, sterling silver, diamonds and precious gemstones, we create unique wearable pieces of jewellery. Our inspiration very often comes from interior design and architecture to fashion and design, as well as our African roots.
“I hail from a long line of gold and silversmiths; five generations and counting. I have also had the privilege of growing up in both Africa and Europe. The differences and the similarities of these cultures have shaped my life in so many ways and it is these influences that are inherent in my jewellery designs. I am an aesthete or what my late mother described as ‘having the eye’. Art and design have always been an area of great interest to me. My older siblings are excellent artists and I used to spend hours admiring their work- mostly in pencil and/or charcoal. I started designing from a very tender age; from clothing to accessories. Everything had to look ‘right’.
As a child, I watched my mother adorn herself with the most beautifully crafted gold jewellery; there were the gorgeous chandelier earrings and drop necklaces. Mummy had a small ‘trunk’ full of these pieces she had amassed, all in 24k yellow gold. Come Sunday, she would allow me to borrow a pair of earrings as I got ready to attend church service. I was always admonished not to lose them; I guarded them with my life.
My first piece of jewellery was a handmade bracelet and a matching necklace. It was sold before I had even completed it. Several other pieces followed. But I kept the orders small to enable me to give the pieces the attention to detail that has since become synonymous with the brand.” Arley
Here at JUNNAY, we take care of every aspect of the manufacturing process. From the design concept, selection of materials, model making, casting and setting, right through to the final polishing. Every stage of the production process is carried out under the direct supervision of a team of carefully selected and highly experienced designers, artists, and artisans within the jewellery industry to ensure an exceptional finish.
Should you require a piece from any of our collections in a bespoke colour or dimension, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to provide you with further information through our bespoke design service.
JUNNAY London
