Anil Arjandas
Founder of Anil Arjandas Jewels
Anil Arjandas founded his jewellery brand in Spain in 1999, aged seventeen, after making a bracelet he wanted to wear himself. Working within his family’s watch and jewellery business, he combined leather, oxidised silver and black diamonds in designs that became the foundation of Anil Arjandas Jewels. More than twenty-five years later, his pieces are worn by collectors whose enthusiasm for watches mirrors his own. In this interview, he reflects on committing to one business, creating from personal taste, and the family relationships that keep his ambitions in perspective.
You started designing at seventeen, within your family’s watch and jewellery business. At that age, were you imagining a life like the one you have now? What did you want for yourself?
I was definitely ambitious, but I couldn’t have imagined everything that would come later. What I knew from a very young age was that I wanted to do things my own way. I never liked following the crowd, and I always had very strong ideas about what I liked and what I didn’t. More than dreaming about success or a certain lifestyle, I wanted the freedom to create something of my own. And I think that, in a way, I’m still exactly the same person today.
Your first bracelet was something you made because you couldn’t find anything you wanted to wear. When did you realise your own taste could support a business, and what did you have to learn to make that happen?
I think it worked precisely because I wasn’t trying to sell anything. I made that bracelet purely for myself, without following any rules, just the desire to create something unique that I had never seen before. When I saw how much people wanted it, I realised there could be a business. But the biggest lesson was never to lose that freedom and instinct that made it special in the first place. Even today, I don’t design something thinking about whether it will sell. I create what I genuinely love, and I think that’s what makes the brand different.
Looking back, which decision changed the course of your life most? Did you understand its importance at the time?
Definitely deciding very early to focus completely on my own brand. I saw its potential and chose to put all my energy into it rather than spread myself across different things. And yes, I understood how important that decision was. I didn’t know exactly where it would take me, but I knew that if I wanted to build something truly unique, I had to give it everything.
Who has had the greatest influence on how you live, beyond your work? What have you picked up from them over the years?
My family, without a doubt. They’ve taught me to work hard, stay grounded and appreciate what really matters in life. I can get very absorbed in my work and new ideas, but they’ve always reminded me that there’s much more to life than business. At the end of the day, enjoying life with the people you love is what makes everything worthwhile.
What do you enjoy spending money on today, and has that changed as you’ve become more successful?
Watches, art, clothes, accessories, travelling… I like quite a lot of things, honestly! Success has given me more freedom to enjoy them, but what’s interesting is that almost everything I spend money on also inspires me. A watch I buy, a detail on a bag, a piece of clothing or somewhere I travel can become the inspiration for a new collection. So it’s a beautiful circle. I enjoy these things, they make me happy, and at the same time they keep feeding my creativity.
After more than twenty-five years building the brand, what still makes you ambitious? Has what you’re working towards changed?
What really motivates me today is seeing some of the world’s biggest watch collectors wearing my jewellery. These are people with extraordinary collections worth millions, who can afford almost anything in the world, yet they choose my pieces and remain incredibly loyal to the brand. For me, that’s one of the biggest compliments I could receive. It makes me want to keep creating, keep surprising them and keep offering something they simply can’t find anywhere else. After all these years, knowing that people with access to everything still choose what I create is an incredible motivation.
What is your motto for life?
Be happy, make the people around you happy and live in peace. I love what I do and I’m very ambitious, but I’ve always believed that health, happiness and the people you love are much more important than money or success. At the end of the day, that’s what really matters.