History of the Indian Jewelry

Indian jewelry holds a long history of evolution. Most Indian jewelry pieces are handmade, which makes it exclusive in itself. This article tells about the history of Indian jewelry and provides tips to buy them.

India has gained immense popularity across the world for its high quality spices, aromatic henna, diverse culture and exotic jewelry. People in India feel extremely proud of their skills to make the finest handmade jewellery. Jewelry has been an integral part of Indian culture since the beginning of Indus civilization. The ruins of the Indus valley civilization, has yielded exquisite examples of beaded jewelry.

The Indus valley civilization dates back to 5,000 years. Jewelry in those times were beautifully beaded. In those times jewelry was worn on various parts of body, not only by females but also by males.

Ever since the Indus valley civilization, Indian jewelry making has not remained just a craft, but has evolved into an art. With the developing age, jewelry and process of jewelry making also changed. Jewelry makers experimented with various metals and stones. Ivory jewelry was a popular sight in the ancient times which was soon replaced by copper and with evolution, silver and gold became a popular choice.

Discovery of gold and silver proved revolutionary in jewelry making as they could be molded easily and they have a luster of their own. India’s diverse culture gave birth to various forms of jewelry. South India made jewelry that were inspired by the figures in temples and named them Temple Jewelry. Whereas, in North India there were various experiments with precious stones and glass. They used gemstones like sapphire, ruby, and emerald. There were some areas that made jewelry with gold foil and stones and named them Kundan Jewelry. Another form of Indian jewelry that also evolved is Meenakari. Meenakari is said to have originated from the Indian states of Rajasthan and Gujarat. In Meenakari, different colorful materials are used to give the look of precious stone.

Modernization also brought changes to jewelry and its designs. From godly figures to abstract figures, jewelry designs changed tremendously. Use of diamond also became a common practice. The modern day jewelry designs comprise of nature inspired jewelry as well as elegant abstract designs.

Indian jewelry is popular because it is handmade. The skilled professionals called "Kaarigars", carefully mold jewelry designs by their bare hands. Each and every detail of the jewelry piece is hand molded to maintain its uniqueness. Every piece of jewelry that is made is a piece of art in itself.

Jewelry is worn by people all over the world to enhance their beauty. If you wish to buy exotic jewelry, here are some tips that may be of great help.

Set a Budget: Jewelry can come in almost all price range. Therefore, it is important that you fix an amount that you are willing to spend on a piece of jewelry.

Decide the type: It is important to browse through designs to decide what type of jewelry you wish to buy. Select from the various categories like kundan, polki, necklace, anklet, etc.

Quality selection: Gold jewelry comes in various varieties to suit one’s budget. Gold is available in 18 Carat, 20 Carat, 22 Carat and 24 Carat based on its purity, where 24 Carat is the highest purity.

Internet is flooded with beautiful jewelry designs that match your standards. You can easily order Indian jewelry online. Indian jewelry is a piece of art that is both elegant and classy.