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ENAMELLED
JADAU
NECKLACE
Designed as a single strand of triangular gold plaques
set with rose‒cut white sapphires on a green enamel
ground with seed pearls. The reverse depicting foliate
designs in red and green enamel on a white ground;
suspending a similarly designed pendant with green and
red enamel ground,
kundan
‒set with ruby cabochons
and rose‒cut
polki
diamonds, and further suspending
a fringe of seed pearls, mounted in gold.
Gross weight: 131.15 grams
$ 4,290 ‒ 7,145
Rs 3,00,000 ‒ 5,00,000
K
undan
is a process unique to India. “The technique uses virtually pure gold –
kundan
– to
set stones in closed settings with great versatility in their arrangement...,” (Nick Barnard,
Indian Jewellery: The V&A Collection
, London: V&A Publishing, 2008, p. 58) The ornament
contains hollow spaces or depressions for the placement of the gemstones, which are first
filled with lac resin and silver foil, which the stone is placed onto. A thin leaf of pure gold,
“which can be welded at room temperature through pressure alone,” is pressed into the spaces
between the stone and metal, and burnished into a solid wedge that holds the stone firmly.
The application of gold leaves is a highly skilled process that requires hours to complete,
and
kundan
will therefore remain a form of handmade jewellery. In the Mughal tradition,
many magnificent
kundan
ornaments with floral motifs and enamelling were commissioned
by wealthy patrons. (Usha R Balakrishanan and Meera Sushil Kumar,
Dance of the Peacock:
Jewellery Traditions of India
, Mumbai: India Book House, 1999, p. 155)
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JADAU
BRACELET
The bracelet features three rows of
polki
diamonds in
hexagonal
kundan
‒work links, with rows of seed pearls
lining each of the three rows of
polki
diamonds, set to
a stylised clasp. The reverse is in polychrome enamel
in floral motifs on gold ground.
Gross weight: 49.319 grams
$ 5,000 ‒ 6,430
Rs 3,50,000 ‒ 4,50,000
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PAIR OF GEMSET BRACELETS
Pair of identical bracelets set with colourless sapphires
in foliate motifs, mounted in gold.
Gross weight: 73.42 grams
$ 5,715 ‒ 7,145
Rs 4,00,000 ‒ 5,00,000