For Oloof and Dujanah Jarrar, working together has always felt natural. Growing up in the UAE, the sisters spent much of their childhood together before going on to follow strikingly similar academic paths – the same undergraduate degree at New York’s Parsons School of Design, the same master’s programme at Columbia University and, eventually, the same instinct to build something together. So, when they decided to channel their partnership into creating a new fine jewellery brand, it felt less like a career pivot and more like an inevitable next step. Having launched this February, House Janolo is an exciting entry into the region’s fine jewellery landscape complete with strong regional roots, global perspective and a commitment to individuality – all achieved at the freshfaced ages of just 23 and 25. Informed by the sisters’ lives split between Abu Dhabi and New York, it reflects two perspectives shaped by different environments but shared experience, offering a fresh, considered approach to design.

“It’s funny – we grew up side-by-side, both moved to New York, and studied the same degrees. But none of that was ever planned, it just happened naturally,” Dujanah explains. “I think that says a lot about how aligned we are at our core.” Despite their shared background, Oloof and Dujanah don’t think or work in the same way, instead describing their working styles as fundamentally different – something they see as a strength rather than a challenge. “Despite the amount of time we’ve spent together, we approach things from opposite angles,” says Dujanah. “We challenge each other constantly and often arrive at decisions in completely different ways.” Those differences, they believe, were defined during their years they spent living between different countries, where contrasting paces and expectations shaped how they now approach decisionmaking. “Abu Dhabi taught us patience, grounding and how to build something with intention,” she adds. “New York pushed us to move faster, take risks and trust our instincts. Exposure in those two environments taught us how to hold multiple perspectives at once – when to slow down, when to push forward, and when to let the other lead. That balance deeply shaped how we collaborate.” That same clarity carries through to how they think about jewellery.

For the sisters, pieces are designed with the idea that they should communicate something about the wearer without requiring explanation. As such, colour, form and material are treated as deliberate choices rather than decoration. “Instead of thinking, ‘oh here’s another brand entering the space’, we were much more interested in what the brand would stand for and what it would communicate from first glance,” shares Dujanah. “When someone wears House Janolo, we hope they feel comfortable in their own skin. Maybe even a bit like a badass, in a quiet, self-assured way. But just as important is what they don’t feel the need to say. There’s confidence in not explaining yourself.” That intention also informs how the jewellery is made, with House Janolo working exclusively in 18k gold, and each piece handmade using a combination of traditional techniques and contemporary craftsmanship. Production is kept small by design, allowing the sisters to remain closely involved in every stage of the process and to prioritise quality over volume. As for their choice of gemstones, they are all natural and responsibly sourced, with the majority coming from Sri Lanka, India and Thailand, and each one personally selected by Oloof and Dujanah themselves.

Individuality in stones matters as much as appearance, with variations in tone, inclusions and irregularities understood not as flaws, but as the details that give each piece its character. “Weight matters to us – not just for how a piece feels when you wear it, but for how it holds its form over time,” explains Dujanah. “Our gemstones are all natural, hand-selected, responsibly sourced and hand-cut. We’re drawn to stones that are often overlooked but carry rich histories and a wide range of tones and personalities.” In practice, this means resisting the polished uniformity that defines much of fine jewellery today, with Oloof explaining they are very intentional about using the word inclusions, not imperfections. “Everything today is filtered, edited and polished to look perfect, and after a while that becomes numbing,” she says. “We want to show what people don’t usually get to see. Those natural characteristics are what bring a stone to life. They tell a story – not just of the stone itself, but of where it came from and the hands that brought it out of the ground,” she adds. The brand’s debut collection, Wild Beginnings, takes its cues from the natural world, with pendants, bracelets, rings, and brooches designed to be worn every day, and intended to be layered, stacked and styled intuitively rather than saved for specific occasions.

“In simple terms, Wild Beginnings is rooted in the belief that what we wear can function as armour,” says Dujanah. “Like wild beings, our exterior is our first and strongest line of expression and protection.” Highlights include the Citrine Orchid Pendant, an emerald-shaped pendant set with a 96.37-carat citrine in a bezel setting, and the Euphoria ring – an octagonal statement piece centred with an emerald-cut spinel and accented with diamonds, tsavorite and enamel detailing. Alongside the debut collection, House Janolo has intro- duced its House Signatures, a permanent selection of designs created to become part of daily life. Familiar forms are subtly reworked through details such as floating stones, hand-cast gold, enamel accents and asymmetry, resulting in pieces designed to be worn repeatedly rather than rotated in and out. “We think modern women don’t always take full advantage of the freedom they have to define what their own ‘uniform’ looks like,” says Oloof. “For us, uniform isn’t about sameness. It’s about choosing what makes you feel like yourself and showing up in that every day.”

As the brand looks ahead, the focus remains on building something that lasts, both in terms of design and the relationship with its audience, while staying true to the values that inspired its creation. “We want to continue surprising people, introducing ideas that feel unexpected while staying connected to the community that’s grown with us from the beginning,” says Dujanah. Longevity, she adds, matters as much to the wearer as it does to the brand, with the woman they imagine wearing House Janolo in years to come someone confident in her choices, comfortable dressing for herself rather than approval, and interested in collecting pieces over time. “That’s the future we’re building toward: a house that grows with its wearer, evolving while staying true to its character.”

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