Indian Jewelry Design

During my quest for ethnic tribal jewellery, the task of looking for an Indian jewelry design was probably one of the easiest of all. I actually just got some beautiful jewelry from India that I put in my store, Jewelry Jewelry Online! Though, I'm just starting out, I ordered jewelry from India months ago, and only just got it. Therefore, I realize I need lots of lead time when ordering from that part of the world. Still, be sure to take a peek in the store and see the beginnings of my handmade ethnic jewelry collection. And just about everything you see on my website, whether it be examples, or whatever, is available if you will contact me.

Click here to email me. I have become very fascinated with this country within the last couple of years. For one thing, India is now doing a lot of exporting into the U.S. and further, they have so many truly unique designs from within their culture. We probably do as much trade with the India Culture Today as we buy China gifts and toys. There is even an E-bay India written in English where you can find some pretty cool things and buy it right from the natives of India. Africa has quite a lot as well. It probably comes in third for having a variety of designs.

Not only is India known for the beautiful handcrafted Indian jewelry they make, the jewelry, itself has an extensive history. For instance, did you ever hear of Rajasthan Thewa or Jaipur Thewa (also called Theva) jewelry?

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I just love this story! Jaipur Thewa jewelry is from Tajasthan, which is the land of Royal Kings. It was started by a family in Marwar and passed on from generation to generation. I was really excited when I started reading about it since these are the types of things I look for to put in my store. I get so many emails from people with simple beaded necklaces and they all look the same. An Indian jewelry design that carries out the artwork of specific cultures and ancestry and tradition is exactly what I crave.

And such is certainly the case with Thewa. Jaipur Thewa jewelry is explained like this. It is a jewelry making process used by only a select group of artisans. This process is incredibly "top secret" and even protected by the government. There is only one jewelry making school that teaches artists how to make this type of Indian fine jewelry. It is, therefore, termed as a �unique art of mystery�.

If you notice in the design below, the gold is cut out and layered on the top of the pendant. This jewelry making process is so secretive, the artisans who do it won't even share the technique with their own family members. There�s also a postage stamp out commemorating this exquisite wonder of art and tradition.

Above all, the handcrafted Indian Jewelry in the Jaipur Thewa design is absolutely beautiful, though I've only seen photos of it so far and below is an example of what it looks like. I ordered some, but they haven't come in yet. Please email me of your interest in this type, or whatever type of jewelry you may be interested in. Since I'm just getting started with this endeavor, I'd like to hear of your suggestions.

Click here to email me.

Minakari & Kundan Indian Jewelry Design

Another incredibly unique Indian Jewelry Design that I have seen and worked with is called Minakari. This Indian Jewelry design came to India in the 16th century when the ruler of Jaipur invited five enamel craftsmen from Lahore to bring their artistry in Rajasthan.

The Minakari Indian jewelry design is accomplished by taking an ornament crafted in gold or silver and then drawing the desired design on it. It is then outlined with an engraver to make the enamel adhere firmly. After that, an enameler brushes the ornament on the engraved design with special colors called "meena" which are available in red, green, black, yellow, blue, etc. The glittering finish on the embellished pieces enhances the beauty by a play of light through the shades of transparent colors. The delicate floral designs with an imaginative blend of traditional patterns and colors give the Minakari Indian Jewelry design an especially distinctive ethnic look.

Back in the day when this was being made for royalty, more than one craftsman was often involved in the making of a single piece of jewelery. The "Chiterias" made the design, the "Ghaarias" did the engraving, the "Meenakari" were the enamelers and the "Sunar" was the goldsmith. These craftsmen received patronage from the nobles and the kings, and therefore, did not have to compromise their art for the sake of popular taste with their genuine Indian Jewelry. That had to be such a luxury, only afforded at that time and certainly not today.

Minakari India Jewelry Design

Another interesting Indian jewelry design is called Kundan India and involves the setting of stones in gold, although rarely are they set in solid gold. The core of this handcrafted Indian jewelry is lac which is a natural resin. The pieces that make up the finished object are first shaped by specialized craftsmen and soldered together when the Indian jewelry design is complicated. Holes are cut for the stones and then the engraving or chasing is carried out. In the next step, the pieces are enameled. When the stones are to be set, lac is inserted in the back, and is then visible in the front through the holes completing the Indian Jewelry design.

Actually, in Hindi, "Kundan" means "pure gold." Now it's come to be the term used for setting gems without the use of bezels or prongs. It depends on the property known as "eutectic bonding" which allows thin layers of pure gold to weld themselves together at room temperature with pressure. The atoms actually merge to form a solid mass.

For instance, if a flat-bottomed stone is going to be set in sheet, a recessed base is cut for it with a graver. The stone is then put into place and pure gold foil is folded into a long strip. One end of the strip is forced into place in the opening around the stone with a burnisher. Then additional foil is wedged and burnished into the opening all around the stone until sufficient metal is in place to permanently set the stone and match the appearance of the surrounding gold plate. With burnishing pressure the foil layers become a solid with no heating.

The Kundan in India, is used to cover the lac and the stone is pushed into the setting. More Kundan is applied around the edges to strengthen the setting and give it a neat appearance. This was the only form of setting for stones in gold until claw settings were introduced under the influence of western jewelery in the nineteenth century.

Just when I think I've exhausted all possibilities of finding another type of handcrafted Indian Jewelry, one pops up in my email or during a "google search" when I'm looking for something else. I was really excited, though, to get the details on the Rudraksha Bead Mala. There is so much information on it, I dedicated another page to this handcrafted Indian Jewelry type. I've always seen these beads simply strung with a little tassel hanging from the end of them. I love the new designs shown below and the way they use the beads with the other gemstones.

Dhokra - Indian Jewelry Design Involving the Dhokra Metal Casting Technique

Still another Indian jewelry design I discovered on my jewelry search is the "Dhokra" design. This is the ancient art of metal casting. For more in-depth information about "Dhokra", click here. Handmade Indian Jewelry is usually worn by the Indians as a complete ensemble, and not as an accessory. It is thus quite acceptable to wear more than one necklace around the neck, many earrings in the ears, bracelets on the arms and the ankles, rings on the toes and fingers, ornaments on the forehead, in the hair, and so on. Any number is to be worn at the same time. So it is not surprising that the royal ladies of Rajasthan were decked out from head toe in jewels, so much so that it sometimes was a mystery as to how they could carry the weight of all the handcrafted Indian jewelry they had on.

There are many terms I stumble across when I am reading about genuine Indian jewelry.

The kinds of earrings worn are too many to enumerate, but I found it interesting that they have all these styles of handmade Indian jewelry designs. Just the main styles are the karanphool jhumka, literally the flower of the ear, shaped like a star.
The phool jhumka is like a bell shaped flower.
The toti is the image of a parrot.
The lathan is the image of a grape.
The papal patti is shaped like a pipal leaf.
Another special type of earring typical of handcrafted Indian Jewelry is one which runs along the entire shape of the outer ear with an earring at the top and a "jhoomka" attached to the lower half.

Sometimes, strings of fine pearls run from the earring into the hair, and pearls are also threaded through the hair in yet another handmade Indian jewelry design. (Reference: http://www.rajasthan.gov.in/Jewel.SHTM)

Many other items are becoming available on my quest for ethnic tribal jewelry and handmade ethnic jewelry such as my handmade Peruvian jewelry which is available in my store, Jewelry Jewelry Online. There are also some truly amazing ethnic jewelry designs that come from South America. Along with the Peruvian jewelry is the Tagua Rainforest Ivory, also from South America. For information on tagua rainforest ivory, click here, or to view some of the tagua collection, click here Click here if you haven't seen the jewelry from Peru that I'm always raving about! To view my partially done store, Jewelry! Jewelry! Online! click here! Contact me.

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