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 India is the country of such cult items as
lotus and fanciful architectural ornaments, songs of sweet and forever-lasting
love and freedom. All these themes are symbolized in Indian accessories, in
liking for jewelers to large semi-precious stones, delicate metal laces, harmony
of mismatched and riot of colors. The peculiarity and vividness are two
concepts to fully characterize the style of the jewelry art of India. Every
modern admirer of jewelry items dreamed even once in life to try on the purple
Indian dress – sari, decorate the hands with a plenty of gold bracelets, twist
the ankles with the delicate laced chains, and use the «bindi», a tiny
accessory in the middle of the forehead and feel like an exotic princess.
The history
of Indian jewelry
The history
of Indian jewelry is tightly connected with the development of the culture. The
evolution was depicted in literature, in paintings, frescos with compulsory
elements of decoration.
The first
jewelry was used four thousand years back B.C. That jewelry was unique
presented in the tiny beads of gold, silver and other materials connected as
long chains. With the improvement of the development of precious stones around
300 year B.C. the versatile glimpse of diamonds was added to the cold metal of
accessories. The golden jewelry with semi-precious stones was evenly liked by
both men and women. So, in India
there is the habit for men to wear earrings and bracelets. This is somewhat the
indicator of manhood and the adherence to particular caste. The jewelry was the
only item for a woman to take on her escaping from the previous married life
and the number of plenty of bracelets proves this fact.
It does not mean at all that the jewelry should be made from the expensive components.
On the contrary, the diamonds can
ideally match the rough copper, coral beads, ivory and various non-precious
stones and metals. Though, there are two particular types of Indian jewelry which
differ in performance technique and materials used.
Minakar and
Kundan
Minakar is
the technique of manufacture of jewelry accessories with application of enamel
coating. The gold is the base for cross jewelry, and the silver is often the
luxury item for various caskets and frames for pictures. The color gamut of the
enamel is varied and sometimes the rainbow of colors is seen on the smallest
spot of jewelry. This is the laborious and labor-intensive work and thus, there
are three family schools of Manickar style in India engaged in manufacture of
such items, though the jewelry accessories are still exclusive and thus,
costly.
Kundan is
the technique of jewelry manufacture from gold of 22 or 24 carats incrusted
with precious stones. The zest of Kundan jewelry is the unique fastening of
semi-precious gems and minerals with the help of golden foil.
Mena Kundan
is the triumphant blend of two styles in a single jewelry item. One side of the
jewelry shows the lavish colors of enamel while the others boast with the prosperity
of precious metals and gems. A velvet band is put under the jewelry to avoid
contact of enamel with the skin.
Design of
Indian jewelry
There is no
margin for the variety of Indian jewelry. Apart from the traditional earrings,
rings, bracelets and necklaces, the popular are the ankle chains, tow rings,
bindi jewelry and tika for the head, studs and rings for nose piercing,
sarpechi as the accessory for hats. The sources of inspiration for Indian
jewelers are the kingdom of animals, birds and plants. The motif of lotus
images, jasmine, leaves of particular herbs like pipala, the sacred tree of
life, fruits, sun and stars. Sarpechi is made in the shape of peacocks, brilliant
diamonds, rubies and emeralds. The jewelry tkhali is too popular in the south
of India
which is used for wedding functions. The accessory is presented as the golden chain
with plenty of symbolic pendants and the major phallic element.
The Indian
jewelry is the source of information about the wearer; this is like reading
something in the book. The special necklace called mangalsutra tells about the marital
status of a woman, the bracelets allows to find out how many children she has
and of what sex, and the material tells about the adherence to the particular
caste. So, golden bracelets for ankles are designed for women from higher
society.
Designers
inspired by motifs of India
Eastern
countries are the places to inspire the jewelers of the world. The reputed Jewelry
House Carrera y Carrera launched the juicy collection Taj Mahal with the
variety of precious stones, gold and feathers. So, the earrings and pendants in
blue shades are made from the white gold, incrusted with diamonds and topaz of
the blue color and vivid color feathers painted in rich sky-blue.
The history
of the brand Cartier is inseparably connected with India
for over many long years since 1926 when Louis-Francois Cartier and the Indian maharaja
Bhupinder Singh
of Patiala met
each other. The collection of jewelry Inde Mysterieuse is stunning for the rich
shapes, details, match of various materials and fairy tale beauty. Cartier
incarnated Indian motifs in jewelry and applied the ancient technique of precious
gems faceting which is known as Tutti Frutti.
Thus, the diamond
necklace is made from three-layered «threads» with the pendant of the juicy green
emerald at 37,8 carats of briolet shape which is rarely used by Indian
jewelers. The jewelry from the collection Inde Mysterieuse is distinguished
from the plenty of large color gems, including massive brooches and rings with
carved amethysts and sapphires, heavy tourmalines and diamonds as pendants.
The reputed
floral motifs are seen in collections of such jewelry houses as Boucheron, Leon
Hatot or Brumani. The necklace made with elements that resemble the branches of
the sacred tree, the flower of lotus from white and yellow gold, incrusted with
the diamonds and pink sapphires.
The theme of
animal kingdom is perfectly demonstrated by the jewelers of Cartier as Bengal tigers from yellow gold and platinum, incrusted
with diamonds and black onyxes, while the designer Jean Boggio created rings
and pendants with the image of elephants.
Ladies prefer exotics
Not only Indian
maharajas and princesses prefer massive necklaces, rings and bracelets but also
first ladies and Hollywood celebrities are willing
to own such jewelry. The jeweler Pieter Erasmus got inspired with the book
about the Indian history White Moguls to create the amazing jewelry – the necklace
for Michelle Obama, the First Lady of USA. The pearls from the bottom of river are
stringed to metal threads perfectly matched with Swarovski crystals.
The famous singer
Gwen Stefani is the admirer of foot bracelets of various techniques from golden
miniature chains to massive metallic bands with engraving. She prefers wide accessories
with ornamental patter with Sanskrit writing as the necklaces.
The Indian jewelry
force thee miniature jewelry of strict lines out more and more. The lack of rich
colors in modern cities and the speed of life allow the person to pay attention
to holidays, riot of luxury and colors and flamboyance. The jewelry styled Indian
maharajas make the dull weekdays more vivid and rich and allow touching the
magic of East and feel the life as a Queen.
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