INDIAN jewelry is certainly on the roll. What with the US first lady Michelle Obama sporting a Nizam-inspired neckpiece, which was made in Delhi, that she wore for a White House dinner. Popular demand has brought the 16th century Mughal era-inspired kundan jewelry out from the museums and into one's wardrobe. This genre of quintessentially Indian jewelry that was adorned by the royals in the past is one of the oldest forms of jewelry, and its exotic and oldworldly charm can capture anyone's imagination. It was Sonam Kapoor's kundan neckpiece, which she teamed with a stunning drape in ivory and gold, that actually stole the show at the 10th International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) ‘green carpet' last month. A single piece of Kundan jewelry is the work of many artisans as is apparent in the level of skill exhibited in each jewelry piece. Here, refined gold is worked upon in conjunction with a special material called lac, a natural resin made from a hardened tree sap. Separately made pieces containing holes are joined together by soldering to make one piece, which is followed by the engraving work. Lac is then laid out in these holes, the refined gold poured and finally, the precious stones are set. Much of what is sold today as kundan jewelry are in fact replicas of authentic designs worn in the past. Rajasthan and its cities of Jaipur, Nathdwara and Bikaner are hot spots for buying kundan jewelry.
