India is known worldwide for its precious stones, its colours, it’s fine cloth, it's jewellery. Every year lots of people and tourists come to India to buy gems, precious stones, carpets, clothes, jewels. But most of all, there is a specific famous kind of magnificent jewellery that is appreciated worldwide: The Kundan Jewellery.
What do we mean when we talk about Kundan Jewellery?
When we talk about Kundan Jewellery, we refer to a kind of traditional Indian jewels - that can be Kundan Earrings, Kundan Necklaces, Kundan Bracelets, Kundan Rings, Kundan sets, etc.
More specifically a Kundan Jewel is a typical jewel made with precious Indian stones, or with coloured glass, or with sparky gems, and a gold leaf, that stands between the stones and its holder.
It is believed that the origin of the Kundan Jewellery belongs to the Royal Courts of the Rajasthan and of the Gujarat. The Kundan Jewellery represents one of the most ancient jewels made -but also worn- in India.
The Meaning of the Word Kundan
The word Kundan literally means highly refined gold; and actually they really do use highly refined pure gold to product this kind of jewellery.
The Kundan is also known as Bikaneri or Jaipuri Jewellery; it's a folk variation, where you can find a bright coloured glazing and drawings in the back, while the real Kundan concept is in the front.
The city of Jaipur in the Rajasthan was traditionally the main and most important place for Kundan jewels in India.
The Kundan is also known as Bikaneri or Jaipuri Jewellery; it's a folk variation, where you can find a bright coloured glazing and drawings in the back, while the real Kundan concept is in the front.
The city of Jaipur in the Rajasthan was traditionally the main and most important place for Kundan jewels in India.
During the years, the kundan jewels have been reproduced by the Royal Courts with lot of success.
Using silver instead of pure gold, they have also become frequently used by ordinary people, specially in the States of Rajasthan, Bihar and Punjab - where many specialized artisans emigrated and exported the precise art of Kundan Jewellery.
The Kundan is still part of the traditional trousseau of the brides, and in the film Jodhaa Akbar (2008, directed by Ashutosh Gowariker) we can see the actress Aishwayra Rai wearing Kundan jewellery.
What does it mean? Simply that this kind of jewellery represents an important role in the Royal Court of Rajasthan. In that film the Bollywood actress Aishwayra Rai, fills the role of princess Jodhaa, who wears Kundan Jewellery in many parts of the film.
We can see her wearing great Kundan set: not only kundan earrings, but also necklaces. Through those scenes, you can understand how much important Kundan jewellery was for the Royal Courts, specially when the actress wears this kind of jewellery during her marriage.
Kundan earrings and jewellery more in general are not only wonderful masterpieces: they mean a lot for the Indian tradition.
They mean so much also for the economy of India: we must remember that recently -in the 2006- the American Diamond and the Kundan Jewellery represented the biggest part of the value and volume of the Indian jewels market (about 73%).
How is Kundan Jewellery Made?
The Kundan earrings, but also kundan necklaces or similar, are made by setting thoroughly a shape, setting the diamonds and the precious multi-colour stones in a base, made of hard metal.
The process of manufacturing of the Kundan Jewellery is divided into many phases:
- First of all, the artisan works on a solid structure, called Ghaat;
- Then there is the process called Paadh: during that process an artisan pours hot wax into the Ghaat structure, moulded according to the draft he wants to obtain;
- Then there is the process called Khudai, during which the stones or gems are put into the setting;
- Now it's time for the Meenakari, the technique of decorating the jewellery: in fact during that process the artisan takes care of enamel the Kundan Jewel.
- After that, there is the Pakai process, that's when the artisan put gold foils, that hold the gems or precious stones from the base. How do they stand still? The artisan welds them using a particular technique.
- At the end of the manufacturing process, we have the Chillai process: the gems or stones of the Kundan Jewellery are polished. At the end they must be clean, shiny and without any signs of the previous welding.
As you can see, the process is very long, since it must be a precise work. The artisans must be very specialized and have precise skills.
It doesn't have a lot do with gold: the thing that plays the most important role in Kundan Jewellery is the stone.
It really is the main part of the jewel. India is known worldwide for its coloured wonderful Kundan Jewellery, and here's the reason: it's all about precise and hard work.
Every artisan has something special to put in the manufacturing process of Kundan earrings, and if you write the words Kundan Jewellery online, you will get wonderful pictures as examples of what that specific art means.
It's not just colour, it's not just gold, it's not simply: it's magnificent. Someone has said that Kundan Jewellery is ''neighbour's envy'' and ''owner's proud''.
And that exactly what having Kundan Earrings, Rings, Bracelets or Necklace means to a woman.
How to Wear Kundan Jewllery?
In India jewellery is not just about earrings, rings, or so: it's not just accessories. They are an essential in the Indian tradition, may be due to the fact that India has always been one of the greatest producer of precious stones, gold, and other materials- of the world.
And Kundan Jewellery follows this trend as well: it's a must, an icon.
Thanks to its magnificence many brides decide to wear Kundan Jewellery the most important day of their life: their wedding. You can find many Kundan Jewellery bridal sets online, and many include not only Kundan Earrings, but also Rings, Necklaces, Bracelets.
However as you can see from the picture above, you don't need to be a bride to wear it. What does it mean? That you can wear it whenever you want, not only in your wedding day.
Kundan Jewellery can be matched with the colour of what you wear: since they are made with very different kinds of glass, stones and gems, you will find the colour who fits with your outfit for sure.
In these pictures you can see some examples of different colours of Kundan Jewellery, but if you check online, you will find many others as well!
Kundan Jewellery is always a great idea, also when you're invited to a wedding: just choose the colour that fits your saree and you'll look simply beautiful.