MYANMAR may be particularly gem-obsessed these days, but the love of pretty, shiny things spans cultures worldwide.

»In just two months She Shines has become an international shrine to fine gems and jewellery.

Ma Soe Nan Thi’s She Shines shop is an international shrine to precious stones and fine jewellery. Designed by Chinese architects, manned by Thai jewellers and featuring styles from Malaysia, Hong Kong and elsewhere, the shop merges the best of Mogok with a sense of global fashion.

She Shines opened in Bahan township in Yangon just two months ago, but the shop has been 16 years in the making. Ma Soe Nan Thi has been studying gems since she was in eighth standard, when her parents hired a private tutor to teach her the basics of gemology.

She received a diploma from Yangon University and has since undertaken an independent study of both the international gem market and the precious stones themselves. The 30-year-old designer has visited jade mines in Myanmar, jewellery shops in Hong Kong and silversmiths in Thailand.

Recently, she traveled to Mogok, Myanmar’s premier city for raw rubies, and saw the region’s mines.

“Accompanied by some teachers, I hung around the mines to learn how to determine the quality of jewels and bargain the prices,” she said.

“I also visited some countries in Asia like Hong Kong, Malaysia and Thailand to learn about the jewel markets and assess which jewels were most popular in each country.”

Ma Soe Nan Thi says her travels have provided inspiration for her designs, for which she uses gems from Mogok in Mandalay Division and Mong Hsu in southern Shan State. More than 1000 pieces are on display at She Shines, all designed by either Ma Soe Nan Thi herself or one of three Hong Kong trained designers she employs. Prices reflect the shop’s high standards, ranging from K100,000 to K50 million. A staff of 35 mans the factory, office and showroom, including the 10 Thai silversmiths Ma Soe Nan Thi has employed to help set up shop.

Ma Soe Nan Thi says business has been decent for the past six weeks, but as she looks to the future she holds higher expectations. She says she wants to put more emphasis on the foreign market and introduce a wider range of gems and jewellery.

“Recently, the condition of the jewel market has been quite cold in line with the economic situation here, but once the tourism industry grows, there will be more tourists looking for Myanmar-made jade and rubies,” she said.
With her dream shop finally opened, the jeweller has no intention of slowing down.

“We’re planning to open another shop in two year’s time,” she said.