It’s not unusual for children to grow up following their elders in the family business—after all, when you’ve been steeped in the traditions of a certain craft or profession, it seems only natural to continue what your parents and grandparents have begun. However, some go above and beyond in taking the best of what they’ve learned from tradition and adding individual inspiration to create a new vision. Orianne Varsha is one such person.
Born and raised right here in Calabasas, Orianne grew up in the fine jewelry trade. Both her grandfather and her father were jewelers. She took up formal study of the profession at the Gemological Institute of America, the world-renowned nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the fields of gemology and the jewelry arts. There she specialized in jewelry design and gemstone education.
Having grown up as a third-generation jeweler, Orianne learned a love of the craft from her father, but she brings her own unique design sense to her creations. She has mastered the art of using precious metals and gemstones in pieces with a modern, fashionable flair. However, a lifetime in the business also showed her a less attractive side of the trade—the way jewelry prices are often inflated in the retail jewelry market. She knew there had to be a better way than a process that often left customers feeling confused, intimidated, or unsure that they were really getting a fair deal.
Orianne felt strongly that fine jewelry should be affordable for everyone, not just those who can manage the often-steep markup at traditional jewelry stores. To that end, she co-founded Posh Closet, an online site for fine jewelry, luxury watches, and other high-end goods. The mission of the site is to bring authenticated high-fashion items to buyers at a fraction of their normal retail price, to make owning fine goods accessible to all.
This makes the site the perfect venue for her eponymous line of fine jewelry. You can find many of her latest pieces there, at prices set according to Orianne’s philosophy—transparently, based on their actual certified value. A recent visit to the site revealed pieces as varied as an emerald-cut blue topaz pendant set in sterling silver surrounded by white sapphires, a bracelet of pear-cut rubies surrounded by diamonds set in yellow gold, and emerald and diamond bezel drop earrings set in platinum—all at prices sixty percent or more below retail. From up-and-coming stones like morganite and tanzanite to classics like diamonds and sapphires, Orianne works with a full spectrum of precious stones and metals to produce her eye-catching designs.
Orianne’s professional expertise, passion for design, and dedication to bringing fine jewelry to the widest possible audience through PoshCloset.com are a fine example of entrepreneurial spirit carrying a family’s traditions into the future. Her current work carries her family’s knowledge from its Calabasas origins into a marketplace open to customers from around the world, who no doubt appreciate her drive to make fine jewelry affordable for all.
Founder of Posh Closet, Orianne Varsha