| Kundan jewelry is an Indian craft that put into | | | | waistbands, anklets, earrings, armlets, and |
| fusion the brilliance of precious stones, metal, and | | | | earrings. Actually, as a fact, ornaments are made |
| enamel in the custom Rajasthani style. Emeralds, | | | | supposedly for every part of the human |
| topaz, garnets, rubies, moonstones, amethyst, | | | | body-sixteen types of body adornment called |
| diamonds, bloodstones, sapphires, and corals are | | | | solah shringar. This brings back into mind old times |
| typical examples of stones that are frequently | | | | of luxurious lifestyles and grand magnificence. In |
| used in jewelry making. These stones are then | | | | Rajasthan, the largest state of the Republic of |
| shaped carefully, cut, and polished to let their | | | | India, enamel has long been used in numerous |
| shine show. These then are set in pure gold base | | | | ways in jewelry making. The evident fine |
| designed with exceptionally complicated patterns. | | | | handiwork seen in Kundan jewelry makes it |
| Then the so far unfinished product is given an | | | | popular among women, not only in Asian |
| enameled ground to protect the gold from | | | | countries, but among Westerners as well; |
| possible wearing out caused by friction against the | | | | although, caution should be taken in looking for |
| skin. This process also gives highlight on the | | | | authentic pieces. As the availability of online stores |
| extent of the stones' luster. Only those with keen | | | | rapidly increases, there would also be those who |
| eyes would notice that a Kundan jewelry should | | | | are selling pieces, claiming to be real things, but in |
| not be compared and mistaken for the artificial | | | | actuality are just cheap imitations of the craft. |
| Kundan, which uses glass and colored tinfoil under | | | | Still, it should be worth noting how Kundan jewelry |
| the stones to mimic the polish of the real work. | | | | is taking great attention from the fashion world, |
| Much of the beauty of Kundan jewelry is derived | | | | specifically on the area of women's fashion |
| from its value and authenticity, thus to make a | | | | accessories. Pieces done with highly intricate |
| replica of it is would be defeating its essence. | | | | designs and carefully watched over with |
| Kundan jewelry can also be done in silver, | | | | high-quality workmanships are available for special |
| replacing the radiance and warmth of the gold | | | | occasions such as weddings, formal gatherings, or |
| with the classic grace of white. Kundan jewelry | | | | simple casual evening night outs. Kundan jewelry is |
| could have varying designs-animal, bird, floral, lunar, | | | | considered to follow one of the oldest |
| and solar designs. In the southern part of India, | | | | jewelry-making traditions of India. The Kundan |
| Kundan jewerly designs are more inclined to | | | | jewelry is said to have been made, not only for |
| nature-dainty motif of the melon, rice grains, | | | | humans, but also for deities as well-even |
| mango, and cucumber seeds, etc. In other parts, | | | | ceremonial elephants and horses. The materials |
| such as the in then west and the north, the | | | | used for making Kundan jewelry had to be from |
| Mughals stands to be the biggest influence on | | | | the finest materials-say, the gold used should be |
| these jewelry designs. The Kundan jewelry pieces | | | | of high quality. People before used jewelries as |
| can be formed into rakhras (those worn in the | | | | forms of investment; thus, to go for pieces of |
| forehead), necklaces, chokers, bracelets, | | | | lower quality makes little, if any, sense. |