Hello Gorgeous,

We haven't spoken in a while, and I'm writing to you now from a hotel lobby. I've been meaning to post this entry for a couple of months now. So many moments I wish I could stop and share with you IRT. So it was absolutely necessary that I take this time to put pen to paper or fingertips to keys and share something that happened a few months back that truly resonated with me. I must say that time has flown by and the days seem to take over before I can even get a grasp on what is happening around me, do you ever feel this way?  As some of you may know or perhaps not; I also have a full time career in the medical field as a health practitioner. The medical field is a very demanding career yet it is one I am passionate about, I dont know that there is anything better in life for me than nursing someone back to health or even more rewarding to know you are changing someones life making it the best moment, best day, best week possible. With all of this said the days don't seem to have enough hours. I am not only a practicing nurse but also a jewelry brand owner and designer. Both are like art to me, but my true love and twin flame is running VH, designing and trying to build this brand from the ground up. 3 years later and I am still as passionate as I once was about diamond-free jewelry, the nuances of trying to grow something bigger than myself. I am excited to be back with you. Xx

We haven't spoken in a while, and I'm writing to you now from a hotel lobby with coffee next to me, my laptop open, and the sound of people walking by. Yesterday, I was wrapping a collab package for an influencer, and started to think of what to include on the thank you note. This time, I was struggling for the right words. I pulled out one of my handwritten thank-you cards, which I always try to add in with every box.

Usually, I write a few sentences from the heart to personalize each package, but it feels much more deliberate and weighted this time. Not only was it something for me to express my gratitude, but also, I also wanted it to be one that spoke for our narrative and what Viviana Halil really is about.

So I stopped. I laid down the pen and inhaled deeply as I gazed at the pieces in front of me, their silent glimmer and the significance of their meaning. I asked myself, something I hadn't done in a while:

Why did I launch this brand?

The answer seemed so easy in the beginning. I wanted to make jewelry that was elegant, sustainable, equally beautiful as a diamond and that traveled well, and that exuded carefree luxury. 

However, as the minutes went by, I found myself delving deeper, way back to the very original purpose of this brand.

That's when I thought of her face, my mother. Every time I work on something that I love, I can still feel the warmth of my mother's smile and presence. In that moment, I knew this was more than just jewelry; it was about love, legacy, and memory.

There’s a distant memory that still feels close enough to touch. I once wore a borrowed sapphire ring. It was of a deep dark blue with a halo of diamonds. The way this ring gleamed in the light caught my mothers attention.

She saw it in an instant. Her warm, curious eyes always reflected pure love for beauty and beautiful things. She grasped my hand and rotated it just enough to allow the gem to reappear in the light. She said, "I hope one day we can have such a beautiful piece." With all the sincerity my younger self could muster, I assured her that I would get her one like it eventually.

Between us, that ring and that little lovely moment became a silent vow.

Although not rich, my mother was a woman full of grace. This single parent worked two, even three jobs to keep us going. Never once did she complain to me. Even with her hands tired from coming home late, her spirit was never affected; she still had time to talk about the days or make me laugh.

In retrospect, that was probably the first time I grasped what luxury is really all about. It's about effort, not excess. After long shifts, she would still look groomed, and the jewelry was never missing always her signature touch, with hair in place, and a tint of lipstick. She felt radiant without the diamonds. She was brilliant because of the strength, discipline, and quiet confidence that shone from her.

From her, I got my independence, work ethic, and the quiet resolve that drives all I do now. It's the same spirit I put into Viviana Halil: the notion of beauty being something you wear to honor yourself and remind yourself of your own light, not something bought to impress others.

She comes to my mind each time I think of creating a new piece always focused on brilliance and the sparkle that rivals the look of diamonds. Her excitement permeated the room, and her face lit up that day. Every piece I make carries on the promise I made in giving her a present that reflected her unique style.

Years later, I was already in the midst of my nursing career when, in December 2021, my mother suddenly died, the day before Christmas Eve.

Nothing about life felt triumphant, though she left at the pinnacle of my career. My heart was an empty cavity, but my days were full. I passed ghost-like through the world, while people went to and from their jobs, striding past holiday lights, and other families laughed. I did not know how I was going to live without her.

So, I decided to run.

I started traveling in 2022. It was not planned, at first. Maybe in the hope that movement would ease the silence of loss, I booked one flight and then another. I watched sunsets that set whole heavens aflame, treading cobblestone streets and sitting in those cafes that smell like rain and roasted espresso. Wherever I went, though, she was there: in the warmth of sunlight streaming through panes of glass, in the gleam of jewels glinting from storefront windows, in the laughter of strangers.

Every vacation became a love letter to the woman who couldn't be with me but was there in everything beautiful I saw.

Every morning, no matter the country, I’d get ready like she taught me. I'd put on my lipstick, do my hair, and wear jewelry that made me feel alive. Her words, "Never leave the house unless you feel beautiful," would come back to me with every stand in front of a mirror, even when my heart was heavy.

It had nothing to do with vanity. It was about being present and reminding myself that I was still here despite my loss. That time, I realized that heartbreak may coexist with that beauty. That every city, every dress, every moment of power I was able to put together, I could carry her through.

I learned that grief heals through motion and rediscovery, not in the stillness of silence. I began to find myself again, not as the daughter who lost her mother, but as the woman she had taught me to be, somewhere between airport terminals and exotic sunsets.

And with each new city, I took her legacy a bit further.

Yet, with all of those journeys, something still nagged at me.

Be it from a department store or an online website, every piece of jewelry I bought seemed to lose its sparkle too quickly. What had once shone in the light would turn into yet another forgotten trinket in the bottom of a bag as the stones would become looser and the metal would dim.

One evening, unpacking from yet another trip, I remember sitting on the floor in a sea of clothing, tangled necklaces that had just made it through a week abroad, half-open bags. I remembered trying to untangle one, a delicate chain I had loved, and having it break. I put it on my palm and stared at it for a long time before running it out to the garbage.

I should make my own jewelry..

It was just a passing thought, a product of exhaustion and annoyance, not an announcement. Yet it lingered somehow. I couldn't shake it the next morning. With every passing calm minute, the thought echoed louder as it followed me from my coffee cup to my inbox.

It could have been my mum's voice. Or it could've been instinct. I don't know, but something told me that this was something I needed try.

So I listened.

In a few weeks, that passing thought became a calling that I couldn't ignore. Viviana Halil was born from her soul, not from a business plan or strategy. It is from the pain of loss that a drive to create something enduring emerges.

I began crafting jewelry that could bring out the feeling of that sapphire ring my mom used to like: timeless elegance, resilience, meaning. Every curvature was a trace of emotion; every design, a memory.

They were not diamond-encrusted status symbols this time, however. They were created on purpose, diamond-free delights ranking with conventional fine jewelry on all counts of beauty and heart. Jewelry designed to be worn throughout your life, not for one occasion, would not fade or break after one journey.

I put my all into every aspect, finding the perfect materials, refining finishes, and working late at night on crafting this brand. I remembered the women who shared my desire for luxury without sacrificing style or elegance.

Every polished stone and design felt like a healing fragment, as though I was reconstructing not only jewelry but also myself.

Viviana Halil developed into more than just a name. It developed into the link between workmanship and love, memory and creation. A renewed promise for all women who have beauty, tenacity, and narrative in their hearts— just like my mother.

Finally, before I wrap up, I'd like to share with you the note I put inside the influencer box that sums it up:

"Thank you for allowing Viviana Halil to be a part of your world. Each piece, inspired by my mother's love of beauty and jewelry is based upon my mission: Luxury without compromise, Beauty that rivals diamonds, Crafted with intention. May these pieces become part of the memories you create, the moments you treasure & the stories you tell."

Xo,

Viv Halil