Rubans Jewellery: Founder Story, Signature Pieces and Care
Rubans is an Indian fashion jewellery label founded by Chinu Kala in Bengaluru. Its pieces are mostly plated brass or alloy, known for kundan, temple and oxidised styles.
In short
- Rubans is an Indian fashion jewellery label based in Bengaluru, founded by Chinu Kala, with Amit Kala named as co-founder.
- Rubans is not solid gold: a title such as 22K gold-plated describes the plating, and the base is usually brass or alloy.
- The company is Fonte Fashions India Private Limited, and a 2025 press release says Ananta Capital bought a majority stake.
- Only a small part of the range is labelled tarnish free, mainly its plated stainless steel pieces, so treat the rest as jewellery that needs dry, careful storage.
- Wipe a piece with a soft cloth after each wear, store it flat in a box and keep perfume away from it, as the Rubans care notes advise.
Rubans is an Indian fashion jewellery label founded by Chinu Kala and based in Bengaluru. It is known for kundan, temple and oxidised styles plated over brass or alloy, which gives you the look of heirloom jewellery without solid gold. A 2025 press release says Ananta Capital now holds a majority stake.
Below: how the label began, why its founding date is oddly hard to pin down, what its statement and bridal-style pieces are, how the sizes read in inches, and how to keep plating looking good in a humid summer or a dry, heated winter. Its full shelf is on the Rubans brand page.
Who founded Rubans, and how did it begin?
Chinu Kala founded Rubans, after a working life that started very young. In interviews with The Better India and the Free Press Journal, she describes leaving home at 15 with almost nothing, selling household goods door to door and later waiting tables in the evenings. She has said those years of rejection taught her most of what she uses in business now.
She married Amit Kala in 2004 and moved to Bengaluru. Entering the Gladrags Mrs India pageant, and the modelling work around it, made her notice how much jewellery does for a look. A corporate gifting business came first, in 2008. Then came fashion jewellery, from a retail space of about 6 by 6 feet (1.8 by 1.8 m) in a Bengaluru mall, a spot she says took months of chasing to get.
When was Rubans founded?
Most interviews say 2014, though the brand's own page says its first store opened in 2012, and a later press release says 2017. These accounts come from different moments and may be counting different things, so here is each one with who said it.
| Year | What happened | Who says so |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Fonte Group formed, starting with corporate gifts | Rubans About page; Free Press Journal |
| 2012 | First Rubans jewellery store, in Bangalore | Rubans About page |
| 2014 | Business starts from a small kiosk in Bengaluru | The Better India; Free Press Journal |
| 2016 | The year inside the company number printed on its site | Rubans site footer |
| 2017 | Given as the founding year | Ananta Capital press release, 2025 |
| 2023 | Appears on the TV show Shark Tank India | Indian Retailer |
| 2025 | Ananta Capital takes a majority stake | Ananta Capital press release |
Who owns Rubans?
Rubans belongs to Fonte Fashions India Private Limited, and a press release from August 2025 says Ananta Capital, a Mumbai private equity firm, completed the purchase of a majority stake in it. The release names Chinu Kala as founder and Amit Kala as co-founder, and gives no percentage.
Before that came the TV moment many people know the label from. Indian Retailer reported in April 2023 that three Shark Tank India judges, Namita Thapar, Vineeta Singh and Aman Gupta, took a deal valuing the company at 100 crore rupees (1 billion rupees). Other reports name only two of them, so treat the details as press accounts and not as settled record.
What is Rubans known for?
Rubans is known for moving between Indian and Western jewellery under one name, with new designs arriving often. Its About page describes an in-house creative team turning out designs every month, and the Free Press Journal reports 10 to 12 collections a year. Its site sorts pieces by style, which is the most useful way to read the range.
| Word on the label | What it means | Where it works |
|---|---|---|
| Kundan | Flat, glassy stones in a raised setting, here a fashion version | Sangeet, wedding functions, Diwali |
| Temple | Goddess and floral motifs from South Indian tradition | Ceremonies, silk sarees |
| Oxidised | Silver plating darkened so the pattern stands out | Cotton, block prints, daytime |
| American diamond (AD) or CZ | Clear cut stones that sparkle like diamonds | Receptions, cocktail evenings |
| Mehndi gold | A deeper, matte, slightly olive gold finish | Mehendi, sangeet |
| Geru polish | A reddish, antique-looking gold finish | Red and maroon outfits |
If kundan is new to you, our guide to kundan jewellery and jhumkas explains how it differs from polki and meenakari, and how real gold kundan compares with the fashion kind. The wider jewellery shelf has other labels to compare.
What are its signature statement and bridal pieces?
Its signature pieces are full necklace and earring sets, oversized jhumkas and head jewellery, all made to be seen from across a room. Some titles use the word bridal. That is the brand's word for a style. These are plated pieces, so think of them for a mehendi, a sangeet, a guest look, or a bride's second outfit while the family gold stays in its locker.
Necklace sets with presence
Long temple strands, pearl multi-strands and choker sets, some with a maang tikka included.
If you only want one set
A floral gold-plated choker with a round ruby-red centre stone and small matching studs. It sits close to the neck, so it leaves a deep blouse neckline clean and does not fight with a heavy dupatta.
- Plated over brass, with cubic zirconia stones
- Small studs, so no weight on the ears
- Goes from a silk saree to a plain black dress
Earrings that do the work of a necklace
A shoulder duster is a long earring that reaches the shoulder, while a chandbali is a crescent, named for the moon. With either, skip the necklace altogether. Some jhumkas come with a chain that hooks into the hair, which takes some of the weight off the lobe. You can browse more on the earrings shelf.
Long, layered and crescent earrings
Check the length on each one. The longest here run about 6 in (16 cm).
Head jewellery and bangles
A maang tikka hangs along the parting and rests on the forehead. A matha patti is wider and follows the hairline too. Both look more modern than you may expect with a low bun and a plain outfit. The traditional jewellery shelf holds more of these, and the bangles shelf has the stacks.
Tikkas, a matha patti and bangle stacks
Mirror work and kundan catch evening light well.
How do Rubans sizes read in inches?
Rubans lists sizes in centimetres, and the figure usually describes the piece as it lies flat, not how it sits on you. These are typical figures from listings on this store.
| Piece | Listed size | In inches | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long necklace | 60 cm | 23.6 in | Falls well below the collarbone |
| Choker | 19 to 28 cm | 7.5 to 11 in | Looks like the front only, so check the closure |
| Shoulder duster | 15 to 16 cm | 6 to 6.3 in | Reaches the shoulder |
| Big chandbali | 11 to 12 cm | 4.3 to 4.7 in | Reaches the jaw or below |
| Maang tikka | 11 to 19 cm | 4.3 to 7.5 in | Longer suits a higher forehead or a hair parting set back |
| Bangle | 5.7 cm across, 17.9 cm around | 2.25 in across, 7 in around | Indian size 2.4 |
Many Rubans rings are labelled adjustable, which removes the US, UK and EU size question. If a ring gives a fixed size instead, measure one you already wear before choosing.
Is Rubans jewellery good, real gold or anti tarnish?
Rubans is a good choice for a big look at a function, and the wrong choice if you want something to keep forever. It is not gold jewellery. A title such as 22K gold-plated describes the colour and the plating on top, not the metal underneath. Across 300 Rubans listings we read on this store, the base metal was mostly brass or alloy, with some copper and a few in stainless steel.
On tarnish, the honest answer is mostly no. Only 8 of those 300 titles use the words tarnish free or anti tarnish, nearly all plated stainless steel, and those are the brand's own words. The listings do not give plating thickness or say nickel free. If metal has bothered your ears before, our kundan and jhumka guide has a section on that, so read it before buying long earrings.
| Choose Rubans if you want | Think twice if you want |
|---|---|
| A big look for a function or a party | A gold piece to hand down |
| A matched necklace and earring set | Something to wear in the shower or the sea every day |
| Current styles that change through the year | Stated plating thickness or metal purity |
| Both Indian and Western pieces from one label | Fully handmade heirloom work |
Is it legit? It is a real company: the About page names its group and its stores in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Cochin, and a company number sits in the site footer. The site also says every piece is handpicked and quality checked. That is the brand's claim, and each card here shows its own listing's rating so you can judge piece by piece.
Plated steel and everyday pieces
The tarnish free labels here are the brand's own. A slim layered chain or a band ring suits a work week.
How do you care for Rubans jewellery?
Wipe it after each wear, store it flat in a box and keep sprays away from it. Those are the lines on most Rubans care notes. We would add one more, keep it dry, which matters if you live somewhere humid such as Singapore or Dubai, or move between heated rooms and cold air.
- Dress first, jewellery last. Spray perfume and hairspray, let them dry, then put on the piece. The care notes specifically warn against sprays.
- Wipe it before you put it away. A soft dry cloth removes skin oil and make-up, which sit on plating and dull it.
- Store each piece flat in a box. Keep pieces apart, so stones do not scratch plating and pearl strands do not knot.
- Fight the damp. In humid weather, a small zip bag with a silica gel packet inside the box helps. Avoid the bathroom shelf.
- Skip water and polish. Do not soak kundan or pearl pieces, and do not rub oxidised silver with a metal polish, because the dark pattern is the point.
- Take off the steel too. Even on a piece labelled waterproof, take it off for swimming, as chlorine and salt are hard on any finish.
How do you wear Rubans outside India?
Pick one hero piece for each outfit, then match it to the function and the weather. In a cold country your coat and scarf cover a necklace for half the evening, so earrings often do more. Long earrings also catch on knitwear, so put them on after the coat is off.
| Where you are going | What to wear | With |
|---|---|---|
| Mehendi | Mehndi gold jhumkas or a mirror necklace | A bright lehenga or printed kurta set |
| Sangeet | Shoulder dusters, no necklace | A sharara or a pre-draped saree |
| Wedding ceremony, as a guest | A temple or kundan set | A silk saree or heavy suit |
| Reception or Diwali party | CZ chandeliers and a stack of bangles | A deep jewel tone or black |
| Office or brunch | A slim steel layered chain or small oxidised jhumkas | A kurta with trousers or a shirt |
For the outfit side, our guest guide, function by function and the wedding guest edit go through each event. The silver pieces below are the easiest to wear with what you already own: a white cotton shirt, a black kurta, or even denim.
Oxidised silver for daytime and denim
A dramatic mirror necklace, a neat choker, small jhumkas and a pair of bangles.
Questions people ask
Who is the founder of Rubans?
Chinu Kala founded Rubans, and a 2025 press release names Amit Kala as co-founder. Her story, including leaving home at 15 and working in door-to-door sales, comes from interviews with outlets such as The Better India and the Free Press Journal.
Is Rubans an Indian brand?
Yes. Rubans is an Indian fashion jewellery label headquartered in Bengaluru, and its About page says it also runs stores in Hyderabad and Cochin. The company behind it is Fonte Fashions India Private Limited.
Is Rubans jewellery real gold?
No. Pieces labelled 18K, 22K or 24K gold-plated have plating over a base metal, which is usually brass or alloy. They suit parties and functions well, but they are not investment jewellery.
Is Rubans jewellery anti tarnish?
Most of it is not labelled that way. In our read of 300 listings on this store, only 8 titles used tarnish free or anti tarnish, nearly all plated stainless steel. Those labels are the brand's own, and we have not tested them.
Is Rubans jewellery legit?
Rubans is a real, registered company with named founders, physical stores according to its site and years of press coverage. That tells you the business exists, though not how a given piece will wear. Check each listing's rating, material and size before you decide.
Does Rubans make bridal jewellery?
Some sets carry the word bridal in their titles, often with a matching maang tikka. They are plated fashion pieces, so many people wear them for functions around the wedding, or as a guest, and keep gold for the main ceremony.
About the numbers
- Rubans, About Us page and site navigation, read 3 November 2026: Fonte Group formed 2008 with corporate gifts; first Rubans store in Bangalore in 2012; stores in Hyderabad and Cochin; in-house creative team, designs every month; ethnic and western ranges; handpicked and quality checked; styles listed; company number in the footer.
- The Better India, profile of Chinu Kala, August 2019: Left home at 15; door-to-door sales and restaurant work; married Amit Kala in 2004 and moved to Bengaluru; pageant finalist; founded in 2014; a 6 by 6 foot retail space that took months to secure; works with designers across the country.
- Free Press Journal, interview with Chinu Kala, updated November 2022: Corporate merchandising from 2008; small kiosk in 2014; Indian and Western designs; 10 to 12 collections a year; Amit Kala a director.
- Indian Retailer, funding report, 4 April 2023: Shark Tank India deal with three judges at a valuation of 100 crore rupees.
- Ananta Capital press release, distributed by PNN and carried on PTI, 11 August 2025: Majority stake in Fonte Fashions India Private Limited; founded in 2017 by Chinu Kala, with Amit Kala as co-founder; started from a single mall kiosk; no stake percentage given.
- TiaBow product details, 300 Rubans listings, read 3 November 2026: Base metals listed (brass, alloy, copper, stainless steel); 8 titles naming tarnish free or anti tarnish; lengths, bangle diameters and care lines used in this post.
- Google autocomplete, US, read 3 November 2026: Questions people type: is rubans jewellery good, anti tarnish, legit.
