Made by hand, one chime at a time
We start with metal tube, copper sheet and sheesham wood. Each chime takes most of a day to make, and none of it happens on an assembly line.
What goes into a Vayunaad chime
Brass पीतल
Hand-aged so it looks lived-in from day one. Brass gives a warm, bright tone and darkens slowly outdoors.
Stainless steel स्टील
Brushed to a soft satin. Stainless steel rings the longest and stays bright through rain and sun.
Copper तांबा
Hammered by hand into bells, then given an antique patina. Copper gives a soft, low clink.
Sheesham wood शीशम
Every chime has a square sheesham top, a wooden striker and a round sheesham sail that catches the wind. Sheesham is a dense Indian rosewood that stands up to sun and rain when it's oiled.
From raw metal to a finished chime
Cut
Pipes are cut to length from metal tube. For bells, copper sheet is cut into blanks.
Shape
Pipe ends are filed smooth. Bells are hammered into shape and fitted with wooden clappers.
Drill
Each pipe is drilled near the top, where it rings most freely when struck.
Finish
Steel is brushed, brass is hand-aged and copper is given its antique patina. The wood is oiled twice.
String and listen
We tie every knot, then hang the chime outside and listen. If it doesn't sound right, it goes back to the bench.
Vayunaad is a small studio, and you speak to us directly.
Orders come in on WhatsApp and are answered by Narendra Jain. Ask him anything: which chime suits your balcony, how long delivery will take, or whether he can send a video of your chime before it ships.
Follow @vayunaad on Instagram to see new batches as they come off the bench.