A two-year-old company that has won the hearts of thousands of Armenian women, hayUHIs, becoming an inseparable part of their hands and ears: it’s no surprise that our article is about “UHI” jewelry, founded by the couple Narine and Armen. In an interview, they shared the story of the brand’s creation, the Armenian market, the challenges they faced, the fashion industry, and their collaborations with celebrities.
Although the “UHI” jewelry brand was officially established in 2022, the couple had already been working in the industry for 15 years, collaborating with international companies.
“When I was 18, I handmade jewelry and sold it within my circle of friends, taking orders and working for a small audience. I still have some of the pieces I made back then, but most of them I gave to Narine, even though she wasn’t a jewelry lover at that time,” Armen shared.
When asked why “UHI,” Narine replied that it’s one of the most frequently asked questions, but the name itself became their business card, and it is “engraved” on several of their pieces.
Before creating our brand, we worked with foreign companies, particularly American ones, and had successful projects. When we founded the brand, our priority was the Armenian market and Armenian women. That’s where the idea was born,” said Narine.
The shiny and captivating jewelry undergoes a complex process. According to Armen, producing such brilliant and large silver pieces is a challenging and meticulous task. As the co-founders candidly shared, some of the jewelry is not suitable for sale due to frequent production issues caused by the lack of large machinery.
Creating such jewelry is challenging because silver itself is not a naturally shiny material. “To be honest, 50% of our production ends up being defective, and we don’t use it. These pieces are also hard to make without large machinery, as we don’t engage in mass production,” Armen explained.
The brand is known for its extravagant jewelry, with the silver finger ring being the most famous piece, worn by unique Armenian women. “Our business card has always been the finger ring. When we first posted the video, it immediately went viral and became a top trend. People had mixed feelings about it, as such jewelry hadn’t been seen before. This dual reaction is exactly what defines our brand. After that, we created matching pieces—earrings and glasses—and we continue to refine our designs,” Armen shared. As the founders explain, they never intended to create such a large brand or establish a strong market presence. Their Instagram page was initially created to sell their existing collection quickly, but as the brand’s philosophy and concept became popular with the public, they decided to continue their work.
“UHI” has not only won the hearts of young Armenian women but also captured the attention of public figures. When asked if extravagant jewelry is frequently bought, Narine responded, “Such pieces aren’t typically purchased for everyday wear or frequent use. Perhaps over a year, we’ll sell one or two pieces from this category, but in Armenia, only Lusine Tumanyan and Nazeni Hovhannisyan own such pieces. Celebrities and public figures wear our jewelry to red-carpet events, fashion weeks, and similar occasions. We also create custom pieces for artists, and these unique, one-of-a-kind designs become part of their music videos, highlighting their style.”
The inspiration behind the jewelry comes from Narine, who is both the first wearer and critic of each piece. During the interview, she shared a childhood memory of a traumatic experience related to jewelry: “I was just 5 years old when a woman painfully took my earrings off, claiming she would give me something better, but instead, she stole them. Even as an adult, I didn’t have much interest in jewelry, but now cuffs, rings, and earrings have become an inseparable part of my style. I can’t imagine myself without jewelry,” Narine said.
At the end of the conversation, the founders introduced the new “UHI” glasses, the first pair of which was created for Elina Janibekyan. Armen and Narine assure that exciting new projects are ahead, promising to bring a unique and original revolution to the Armenian jewelry market.