As far back as the Indus Valley Civilization, both men and women wore different pieces of jewelry in the form of bangles, earrings, amulets, waistband, and anklets. They used shells, beads, clay, and seeds for ornamentation. The Mughal period from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century saw the blossoming of Indian jewelry design using precious stones pearls besides gold and silver. You find beautiful pieces of richly carved jewelry in different motifs in Indian art, like the miniature paintings. These paintings are testimony to the great wealth and resources of the Indian royalty. The exquisite pieces draw inspiration from different facets of nature. For example, the paisley motif, which is a hallmark of traditional Indian jewelry design, is a symbolic representation of the mango fruit. Other popular inspirations from nature include the cobra hood, rice grains, and cucumber seeds. During the late nineteenth century, many of these Maharajas commissioned unique ornaments from the top European designers like Van Clef and Cartier, leading to a new class of Indo-European jewelry subtle in design using colorful gems for a rich look.

Types of jewelry design

Indian jewelry is available in gold, silver, and diamonds and now there is a great demand for artificial and costume jewelry. However, Indians have a penchant for the yellow metal and this makes India the largest consumer of gold and gold ornaments in the world. Indian art and culture bears traces of different rulers and religions, over the centuries, absorbing the best from them while retaining its uniqueness. There are different forms of jewelry design, each representative of a particular region. Let us discuss a few of the designs.

"Fine filigree work is a popular where the design comprises entwined silver or gold threads. This is possible by delicate plaiting of the metal threads, then soldered to the underlying metal groundwork. Filigree designs are complex and require a lot of time and patience in execution. These are typical of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh.

"Temple jewelry worn in dances like Bharat Natyam is another popular jewelry design worn by women in marriages and festivals, originating in Nagercoil. These traditional gold ornaments embedded with red and green semi-precious stones were originally gifts to the temple deities and hence known as temple jewelry. Traditional craftsmen fashion these sets comprising earrings, necklace, headpiece, and jewelry for the waist, ankles, fingers, nose, and hands.

"Minakari design that is enamel work on gold is another popular jewelry design from Jaipur. It uses an interesting combination of pigments and precious stones arranged to glow when light falls on it. Each set has a distinct design and is quite expensive.

"Delhi is world famous for Kundan design that has precious and semi-precious stones set in gold. This style draws inspiration form the Mughal School of art and comprises exquisite neckpieces and chokers.

"Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Himachal Pradesh are renowned for a wide range of ethnic silver jewelry.

"Gold jewelry from Assam has interesting designs depicting the orchids and local birds, the loka paro. Jewelry from Nagaland has distinct tribal influences in the form of human heads and beads in different combinations with gold.

"Antique or oxidized jewelry has a huge market and is fashionable among the younger generation. It comprises silver ornaments in contemporary designs that are chic and affordable and one can buy them in varied styles. You can choose from a range of fusion jewelry available in interesting combinations like beads like rudraksh, glass, gold threads, and paper and flower jewelry.

Importance of jewelry for Indian women

Indian women have a special relationship with jewelry. It signifies their marital status in the form of bangles for Punjabi brides, rings for others or the traditional mangal sutra for Maharashtrians. Jewelry is the most important accessory for a woman in her beautification, especially when participating in marriages and important religious functions and hence forms an integral part of her wardrobe.