Mayur Kaan ..... The Peacock Earrings.

Indian Jewellery has the most versatile and unique cache of ornaments compared to anywhere else in the world. 

One of the most favourite icon's of Indian jewellery is the national bird of the country... The Peacock. 

Since the Mughal Era the peacock has been used as a central image in jewellery all over India. The Mughals were particularly fascinated with this large majestic bird. It was an icon used by Mogul Art in every sphere of art and architecture, be it arches, domes, thrones, paintings, mosaics embroidery, furniture, and jewellery. 

The famous Golden Peacock Throne the pride of the Mughal Empire in India was built by Emperor Shah Jahan bearing witness to the Mughal obsession for this Majestic bird.

The jewellery Karigars of that time excelled in Meenakari a skill of using different colours beaten into gold which added a kaleidoscope of different shades to the ornament. 

This expertise of Meenakari was especially useful when designing jewellery with the Peacock emblem.  

The male Peacock is a magnificent bird with an elaborate plumage. There are around 200 elongated bronze green-blue  feathers with an 'eye' in each one of them. It has a metallic green  and a glistening sapphire/turquoise blue long slender neck. The magnificent tail is either a long train of spectacular colours or when expanded in dance, it is a conspicuous display of fan-like radiance of turquoise blue and emerald green. 

All these characteristics were a designer's delight for the jewellery Karigars of the time. 

The peacock jewellery was either worked in the resplendent colours of metallic bronze, deep green and turquoise blue Meenakari shimmering in gold, or they were encrusted in dazzling emeralds, breathtaking turquoise and deep blue sapphires with a blood red ruby for the eyes of the majestic bird. 

Unlike jewellery from around the world Indian jewellery has a separate repertoire of Bridal jewellery which is further slotted according to the different states of India.

Besides the Mughal Jewellery the Peacock has also always been firmly ensconced in the jewellery of Rajasthan, Bengal, and Southern India.

  
The Mayur Kaan is typical to the Bridal Ornaments of Bengal and Rajasthan.

 

In Bengali wedding jewellery which is worked only in solid gold, the majestic plume or Pankh of the Peacock has traditionally been used as display along the helix and the body of the Peacock at the lobe of the ear. 

In Rajasthani jewellery the Peacock is traditionally worked in the precious colourful gems which are a penchant with the dessert kingdoms. The Peacock Earrings in this region are resplendent in uncut diamonds, deep blue sapphires, dazzling emeralds, and blood red rubies; all these precious gems are used to emblazon the spectacular plumage or Pankh of the Peacock either in a fan like downward display or a sparkling array along the helix.

The elegance and serene stature of this beautiful royal bird of India, is reflected in the bridal Mayur Kaan which is a unique piece of ornament exclusive to India

In the twenty-first centuries the conventional Mayur Kaan still finds itself to be the cynosure of attention,of spectacular bridal jewellery in many states of India.  

The Aatheru .....An Ornament of a Married Kashmiri Woman.

The Aatheru is as ancient as the Pandit Culture of the Valley of Kashmir.

This ear ornament is a vital presentation to a Kashmiri Pandit girl, in parts, by both parents and in-laws at the time of her nuptials. These earrings are ceremoniously given to the bride for a happily married union. Sometimes it is equated to the ‘mangalsutra, an ensigna of a married status, but unlike the mangalsutra which is removed when widowed the Aatheru is worn by most Kashmiris till their death because it is also the woman’s financial security in case of trying times.

This ceremoniously elaborate ear ornament is made of three ornamental elements. The Dejhoor, the Athoor and Atah.

The wedding ceremony is called the Lagan and one day before the Lagan, the Devgoan ceremony which is meant to invite the Gods to bless the bride is performed in the bridal home. During this ceremony the bride is given the Dejhoor for her ears by her mother.

The Kashmiri Pandits are Shavites and the Dejhoor is a Sri Yantra or auspicious talisman. Dejhoor, cast in gold, is always hexagonal (Shatkon) shaped with a dot (Chunne) in the center representing Shiv and Shakti. this yantra or Dejhoor, is dangled from piercings in the upper ear cartilage, always the left ear first (Shiv) and then the right (Shakti), and initially, on the day of Devgoan, only using  red threads called nairwan.

The next day, which is the wedding day the  Lagan ceremony is performed and the in- laws after taking the new bride to their home, perform another ceremony where they remove the red threads supporting the Dejhoor and replace it with Atah. The Atah are either gold chains or gold and silver silken threads called(Sulma/Tilla) replacing the red nairwan threads.  

The in-laws also add Athoor which is either  a small piece of golden ornament attached - to the lower end of the Dejhoor or a bunch of the Atah gold chains or silken threads tied in a bunch to the bottom of the Dejhoor; thus completing the yantra in a very symbolic way.

The next day, as part of another ritual, when the bride along with her husband visits her mother's place, she now sports a compete set of Dejhoor, Atah and Athoor which is collectively known as the Aatheru.

At the end of the gold chains are the two other elements of the earrings the Dejhoor and Athoor.
Earlier the Dejhoor and projecting Athoor was kept by the Pandit women inside their garment touching the skin yet there was no danger of any kind of infection as gold being a precious metal.
As time went by the Aatheru underwent changes. This elaborate gold earring was modified to suit contemporary sensibilities. Precious gems and seed pearls were add to make the Aatheru more glamorous and attractive. The gold chains of the Atah now had seed pearls in intervals and in some designs there were only chains of pearls strung in gold wire. The gold dot or Chunne many a times was replaced by a solitaire diamond instead of the traditional gold dot in the centre of the Shatkon.

The hexagonal Dejhoor was now crafted either in meenakari, or the gold yantra was embedded in precious gems like sapphires, emeralds and pheroza, making it more expensive and colourful. The attached Athoor too saw changes either as a meenakari or bejewelled pendant or dangling as a tight bunch of clusters of pearl strings.
To suit the modern Kashmiri Pandit woman the Atah chains were reduced in size so that the Dejhoor and attached Athoor just about touched her shoulders.

Today the Aatheru is an earring worn by many Indian women whether they by Kashmiri or not, as a preference for a beautiful piece of jewellery.
Worn with a chic chiffon sari, a western hair-cut, the bejewelled Aatheru dangling from the ears of an Indian woman  makes a unique fashion statement found nowhere else in the World!

Kundan Jhalars ......The Cascading Earrings.

Kundan is an art of jewellery making that flourished under Royal Patronage of the Mughalls in India. The process through which precious stones, gems and beads were set on the gold ornament was known as Kundan by the karigars of yore. Making kundan jewellery required great skill and a fine eye for detail. Hence this talent was like a precious heirloom passed down the generations of karigars supported by the Royals.  

In the Mughal period this form of jewellery was extremely coveted by the Empresses and Princesses of India. When worn with their heavily zardozied gold and silver brocade wear with jewel colours to enhance the traditional garments; the Kundun became a mirror image of the finery. This Glittering Kundan jewellery assemblage complimented the heavily created antique garments called: Peshwaz, Angrakha- Churidar, Dhilja, Garara, Choga –shalwars, and Farshi. 

Kundan jewellery is a painstaking art. It is created by setting carefully shaped, uncut diamonds and polished multicoloured gemstones into an exquisitely designed pure 23 carat gold base.The elaborate process begins with the skeletal framework. Thereafter, wax is poured onto the framework and moulded according to the design. Following this is the Khudai or "dig out" process of the wax, when the stones or uncut gems are fit into the framework. Meenakari or enameling is then used to define the design details. Next, gold foils are carefully fitted to hold the gems into the framework. Finally, the gems are polished to a glistening shine.

The art of Kundan jewellery from the Mughal courts then travelled to the Palaces of the Rajput Royalty who were close collaborators of the Mughal Emperors. Karigars from Delhi were taken to the desert kingdoms. 

In Rajasthan Kundan flourished to a greater degree. The vibrant colour traditions of the Desert Kingdoms was just the platform this art form needed to come alive! The women of the Royal Rajput Clans were besotted with this kind of unique jewellery that could blend beautifully with their colourful Leheria and Bandhej Gota-work Odhnis, Ghagras and Saris. 

Besides the original work of precious gems being used in Kundan it now saw an innovate concept whereby the gems were replaced by vibrant rani-pinks, purples and yellows in glass. Crafted like gems these glass stones were added to gold to create a kaleidoscope of colours and affordability.

The Kundan had now emerged from the Palaces of Kings and the Gharanas of the Dhani to glitter among all people.  

Much before the creative concept of the Chandelier Earrings the Kundan earrings of Indian origin saw a leap in design and concept. The designers and karigars of Delhi and Rajasthan floated the KUNDAN JHALARS into the Indian Jewellery Markets. 

These were long length Earrings short of touching the shoulder that looked like sparkling edgings called Jhalars used in traditional Indian clothing. Because of their cascading effect, these Kundan earrings are equated to ornate hangings called Jhalars. 

These Jhalars gave the karigars a large canvas to work with. All kinds of intricate designs of flora and fauna coupled with traditional ancient Mughal and Rajasthani Hindu influences found themselves crafted into this exceptional ornament.

Though the trend of the day is the Chandelier Earrings but the Kundan Jhalars maintain their own traditionally ethnic mark on the Repertoire of Indian Jewellery. 

Kundan Jhalars are an integrals part of the Bridal Jewellery of India and because of its strong traditional appeal it is an ornament that is here to stay!

Chandelier Earrings ........ When East meets West

A creative design knows no boundaries. When the soul of an artist soars with wings of inspiration it breaks all barriers of limitations till it reaches a scintillating explosion of a new creation. 

Such was the coming of the Chandelier Earrings when East was inspired by the West. 

 The ancient cultures of India left an indelible mark on the jewellery designs of the world. Several new innovative concepts in  design coming from the West are obviously influenced by the jewellery cache of Indian designs, but sometime in the late twentieth century the East was inspired by the West!

Indian jewelers modified their traditional jhumkas, jhalars and chand-balas to give them a more westernized chic appearance by innovating the design format of earrings based on non other than the Chandeliers....the magnificent and elaborate ceiling lights of the Palaces and Opera houses of the Western world which were like a bejewelled piece of art hanging from atop!                                                                                                                          

 

The word 'chandelier' is instantly synonymous with class; ornate hanging lights that are just as much decoration as they are light sources. From its beginnings it was associated with wealth and power and a burning symbol of success and social status. 

During the 18th century glass chandeliers were produced by Bohemians and Venetian glass-makers who were both masters in the art of making chandeliers. Bohemian style was largely successful across Europe and its biggest draw was the chance to obtain spectacular light refraction due to facets and bevels of crystal prisms

The sheer lavishness of these chandeliers set the standard for royal grandeur across Europe. For example, in 1667 Charles II of England proudly noted that he owned a rock crystal chandelier made in the Louis XIV style. France set and unified the fashions across Europe during this period and French Baroque would continue to influence designers, being revived on multiple occasions in the coming centuries..

In India the Princely states imported these magnificently grand crystal Chandeliers from England, France and Italy to adorn their Palaces. The most favoured styles of Chandeliers were the ones that were resplendent with hundreds of crystal prisms refracting the light of the electric bulbs glistening like a collection of a thousand diamonds, creating an aura of glitter and splendor in the Durbar Hall of the Maharaja. 

Different coloured crystal prisms were also used to set each chandelier apart. Blue, green and red glass crystals to impersonate Sapphire, Emerald, Rubies and Diamonds. A favourite facet of the Indian penchant for Chandeliers was the crystal 'droplet' which represented a diamond!

These expensive and stylish Palace and in later times home decor heirlooms, gave a unique and brilliant inspirational pathway to design in the twentieth century to jewellery in India.

The Chandelier Earrings!

Long Earrings practically touching the shoulders are designed in the style of these hanging opulent ceiling chandelier lights.Dazzling Diamonds, Sparkling Sapphire, Resplendent Rubies, Incredible Emeralds and other twinkling translucent gems are used to create a spectacular copy of the illuminated Glass Prism Chandelier.

As in their electric counter-part these gorgeous, stunningly glittering earrings are a status symbol as only the very wealthy can afford such a mix of precious gems or just flawless diamonds in a single piece of ornament. 

A woman wearing a pair of Chandelier earrings is an alluring picture of prominent wealth, grace, style and class in the social corridors of the high strata she moves in.

A pair of Chandelier Earrings says it all!    

Chandbala ..... The Crescent Earring

The Bali or earring that loops the earlobe is an ancient ornament in the Indian collection of jewellery. The Bali underwent different changes at different times down the ages. The small Bali that hugs the earlobe as it grew in size and looped the earlobe without touching it was called the Bala. It was a thick pipe of gold designed as a solid hoop of different sizes. 

With the Mughal Invasion of India five centuries ago, the New Rulers of the land added their own mark to the ornament repertoire of the country.

The Mughal royalty were connoisseurs of jewelry. During  their rule, jewelry-making was given utmost importance. This fondness gave birth to unique jewelry pieces studded with chunky gemstones and enamelled with motif designs.

The Bala too underwent a change and was now redeveloped to include the Islamic influences of the Mughals. 

The Islamic icon of the crescent moon was incorporated into the Bala.

The curve of the bala was turned into a replica of the crescent moon. This solid addition was a craftsman's delight! The designer played around with various motifs within the crescent. 

Mughal jewelry being a marriage of Indian intricacy and Middle Eastern elegance; the now innovative Bala combined  Indian gold work with Middle Eastern floral designs. These stunning earrings were beautifully crafted out of fine enamelled gold, laden with multiple large gemstones, pearls, and premium beads.

The floral designs within the crescent were encrusted with various glistening gems which were abundantly used in Mughal jewellery. Mughal craftsmen used precious gems like diamond, sapphire, rubies, emeralds, jade, polki, tourmaline and topaz in their ornaments. 

The unpretentious Bala now turned into an elaborate ornament of Royal penchant! This new creative ornament was given the name CHANDBALA. 

It truly was a breathtakingly beautiful ornament! The length and breadth of the hoop was extended as far as possible to make it a spectacular and sparkling ornament which could not be ignored. 

The entire crescent on the bottom was strung with delicate rows or bunches of pearls to offset the radiance of the precious gems within it. Pretty strings of pearls were added to the top of the ornament ending in a small gold hooks to be pinned on to the hair. Some Mughal earring-strings were so long and thick that they almost covered the whole ear.

The Chand bala became a favourite with the Mughal Empresses. They sported this ornament at Dawats, Durbar appearances, Weddings, and Palace gatherings. It was basically a Royal Ornament because it was too pricey for the laywoman to own it.   

Centuries later the Chandbala was again glorified in the movies made by Bollywood. And since the advent of cinema in India, Hindi films are a fashion trend-setter for the Indian-Subcontinent and its Diasporas all over the world. 

Today the Chandbala is a favourite ornament worn by women of the Indian Subcontinent with their traditional attire.

The crescent hanging outwardly on either sides of the face adds glamour and joie-de-vivre to the profile of the  woman who wears it, making them as alluring as the Mughal Empresses of Yore!

Solitaire Diamomds .... The Most Precious of all Ear Studs

           

A solitaire diamond centuries ago was only within the reach of Emperors, Kings and Queens. 

History is witness to how these carbon stones had turned Majestic and Illustrious Rulers of Powerful Nations around the world into ordinary thieves. 

These Royal Rulers stole these indigenous  diamonds from countries they colonized to their Kingdoms and thereafter transferred these gems to their own country to disable their return to the land of their origin.  

                                                                 
 There are a few pieces of jewellery in the Modern World that by pass the entire repertoire of ornaments. The most coveted and desired of these are the Solitaire Diamond ear studs! It is the prime heart's desire of a high society woman from anywhere around the globe. The sparkle and subtle vibrancy of this shimmering solitaire diamond sitting like a majestic unparalleled jewel on the earlobe of a fortunate woman of great wealth is a source of envy and desire  for all other women. 

The sparkle of a diamond comes from the way the stone is cut . It was a young physicist named Marcel Tolkowsky who perfected this arcane art in 1919.

He discovered the 57-facet "Brilliant cut"- the quintessential shape in which almost all diamonds are cut today.

Tolkowsky's cut creates, in effect, a very expensive kaleidoscope. the 57 facets create a huge number of internal pathways along which light entering the stone can travel. the light that appears to pour from a diamond under certain lighting is the result of Tolkowsky's pattern bouncing light around. his work maximises two key aspects of a diamond's shine---Brilliance and Fire!

Because of its value the choosing of a Solitaire is no mean business. It must be purchased from a jeweller of  high reputation and pristine quality standing. The bigger the diamond the finer should be the scrutiny of the gem. Knowledge of the value and intense appraisal of the stone is mandatory.     

The colour, clarity,cut and shape of the Solitaire diamond has to be considered before buying it. 

Solitaires come in different shapes like Round, Princess, Pear, Oval, Heart, Emerald, Cushion and Marquise. 

Round is the most expensive as it is a luxuriously rare. perfect precision cut.  The other cuts cited above are also chiseled from an uncut raw diamond but these cuts are easier to craft than that of a round cut diamond. 

The weight of a Diamond Solitaire called a carat is prime in the value of the stone. As the size of a diamond increases in carat so does its premium value quotient per carat. 

Cut ,Colour , Carat and Clarity are also factors that increase or decrease the value of a Solitaire diamond. 

There are gradations in the Colour of a Solitaire. The most rare and expensive is classified as 'D' which means colourless. The Colour Scale of Solitaires go down the alphabetical order denoting its value and price. 

 On the Clarity Scale.... 'IF'--means internally flawless; a rare gem.... than VVS1...VVS2 so on and so forth. 

The Solitaire diamond therefore is a class by itself on the scale of brilliance, beauty, sparkling radiance and  worth in the mind of a woman who has a discerning eye for gems and jewellery. 

Worn without any other ornament; sitting pretty on the earlobes of a beautiful woman the Solitaire diamond studs command a place of awe in the eyes of the beholder.

The Ear Studs ......An Illusory Sparkle.

The ear stud from ancient times is a unique creative concept conceptualized ever since the creation of jewellery.  In the repertoire of jewellery it holds its own classic position as an illusory piece of ornament. 

Sitting on the earlobe the stud creates an illusion of a sparkle on either sides of the face. Studs are usually gems set in precious metal that flush into the earlobe as though they are afloat on the cartilage.

In ancient India the stud had always been flaunted by both men and women for centuries, but with the colonization of India and western fashion styles emulated by Indians, the stud in the nineteenth and part of the twentieth century was worn only by women in the urban areas. 

 In rural India the stud generally made a fashion statement in gold or silver. The glow of these precious metals lent a subtle sparkle to the face of the villagers. Flushed into the earlobes they were generally a blob of an ornament that cleverly showed no other part of its mechanism which was hidden behind the earlobe. 

Down the centuries as cities were built and people got richer the gold or silver stud was replaced by precious gems. Single gems like rubies, sapphires, emerald, coral, and  pearl were worn for their astrological influences.

The nine gems of the Nakshatra or planetary representations; were used as studs to adorn and touch the human body at all times to maintain peace balance and harmony in life.                                 

Innovative designs saw the stud change as time marched on. Maintaining its limited form; the genius of the artistic flair of the designer saw the stud transform into various floral and geometrical patterns of the stars and planets in intricate and delicate creations. 

The wealthy preferred to wear single large gems as studs making a status statement on their earlobes. Only a wealthy woman could sport a single gem be it a ruby emerald sapphire or diamond considering the value of these singular gems.  

Ear studs also lead to a unique idea of wearing a single gem as a drop around the neck and a rock on the finger to compliment the bejewelled ears.

A favorite stud worn the world over, was and still is the pearl. The austere pearl is a gem of class, dignity, and majesty; the pride of a woman. Sitting on the earlobes it sparkles in a subtle way adding grace and charm to the beauty of a woman. 

This ornament led to the creation of the most precious and expensive of all studs.....the SOLITAIRE DIAMOND. 

The ear stud is a piece of jewellery which enhances not only the status of a woman but also lends a twinkling sheen to her mystery!