| The jewelry of India knows no bounds in its | | | | right into the still pliable kundan. |
| offerings to the modern world. This is because | | | | Kundan jewelry is also one of the old types of |
| India must be one of the most prolific countries | | | | jewelry in India because the style on which it was |
| when it comes to making jewelry, whether it be | | | | made was used only way back when claw |
| the simple enjoyable ones or the highly delicate | | | | settings were still yet unknown in the country. |
| ones that are intricate in its designs. There are | | | | Then, kundan jewelry had its precious stones |
| just many types of Indian jewelry that even the | | | | were only set in gold and it wasn't only until the |
| young could find what they want among its | | | | nineteenth century that claw settings were |
| offering of beads and shells in interwoven colorful | | | | introduced and used by the jewelers in India. This |
| threads. One of the most highly regarded Indian | | | | was during the Rajastahan empire when kings |
| jewelry nowadays is the kundan jewelry. | | | | paid their jewelers handsomely for the exquisite |
| Kundan jewelry is made of gold that is highly | | | | kundan jewelry that they made that called for |
| refined and is known as kundan in India. Indian | | | | excellent craftsmanship. |
| jewelers also have another meaning of the word. | | | | There are now a lot of kundan jewelry available in |
| For them, kundan is not only the gold that is | | | | the market and they could even be bought online. |
| made into a jewel but also the type of setting on | | | | There are spectacularly designed kundan jewelry |
| which they set the precious stones. Kundan | | | | necklace sets that come with earrings. The most |
| jewelry is not made of real solid gold. Its center | | | | common are those that have uncut diamonds and |
| part is made of lac or a natural resin made from | | | | other precious stones set in gold. Among the |
| hardened tree sap. The jewelry pieces that | | | | commonly used gems in kundan jewelry are |
| makes the whole kundan jewelry, which are | | | | emeralds, rubies and sapphires. This kundan |
| usually justified into hollow separate halves, are | | | | jewelry, though, is often just a replica of the |
| usually handled by separate jewelers or assistant | | | | original one made in the eighteenth or |
| jewelers for its shaping before they are fitted | | | | seventeenth or nineteenth centuries. The original |
| together through soldering. Holes are then bored | | | | pieces could sell for as much as $200,000 or |
| into the separate halves of the kundan jewelry, | | | | more per set. |
| once they are fitted together to make the | | | | Buying kundan jewelry nowadays may have been |
| pattern designed by the jeweler. These holes are | | | | made more attainable for those who have deeper |
| where the stones are set. Any engraving is done | | | | pockets as compared to the olden times when |
| before the hollows of the kundan jewelry are | | | | only kings and queens could afford them. Having |
| then inserted with lac. Because the lac could still | | | | kundan jewelry replicated and sold at lower prices |
| be seen through the holes in front, the highly | | | | is a welcome alternative for those who could not |
| refined kundan gold is poured on the setting to | | | | afford to buy the original antique pieces. |
| cover the lac and only then is the stone pushed | | | | |