The big fat Indian wedding is getting fatter with each season. Coy brides are turning into ferocious bridezillas looking frantically for unique jewellery. Even as gold holds its fort, polki is stealing the show. Close on the heels is kundan jewellery, mentioned in the same breath as polki, making its discreet entry into the wedding scene. Often mixed-up for one another, these two styles are actually different from each other. Let’s get the misconceptions out of your way, once and for all.
Difference
In simple words, polki stands for rose-cut, unpolished diamonds whereas kundan means highly refined gold. Over the years these two words have been used to refer to jewellery-making process. “Polki is essentially an uncut diamond retained in its natural form without any enhancement or lab touch-ups,” says Mira Gulati, principal designer of Mirari. Polki is shinier gold jewellery studded with rose-cut (often referred to as ‘uncut’) diamonds whereas kundan often comes with glass stones embedded in gold. Polki jewellery has gold foil studded with stones and can be worn from both sides. Polki diamonds go best with yellow gold in antique finish and precious stones like rubies and emeralds. These days, polki rings are also teamed with cocktail gowns.
Kundan jewellery, on the other hand, has gemstones studded over gold. The craftsmen called kundansaaz insert gold foil between gems after mounting them on the jewellery. It’s often enhanced with meenakari (enamelling) work, sometimes at the back too. Apart from the use of semi-precious stones, kundan jewellery often has cut glass pieces studded over it, more popular during weddings.
Similarity
The reason why polki and kundan are confused with each other is perhaps because they both are essentially stone-studded gold jewellery. “The thousand-year-old art of creating kundan and polki jewellery comes from the Mughal era. Both techniques are extremely intricate and time-consuming that require specific skill and craftsmanship,” says Mayank Soni, MD, MBj.
Maintenance
“Polki is high-maintenance jewellery as it loses its shine if exposed to moisture or dust,” says Gulati. Kundan relatively requires lesser maintenance and can be stored in a closed box.
popularity in Different Cultures
Polki jewellery took a journey from the Rajasthani wedding trousseau to dressers of celebrities like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Shilpa Shetty, and even charmed commoners. Kundan has been seen on north Indian brides, especially in Punjabi weddings, long before polki’s grand entry.
Price Points
The final price of the product depends on the design, gemstones and workmanship, Polki is comparatively expensive as it has diamonds, says Gulati. For example, the price of a polki set (neckpiece and earrings) can vary from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 3 crore, depending upon the size and quality of diamonds, and intricacy of the design. But it costs less than polished diamond jewellery. On the other hand, a kundan set can cost between Rs 50,000 and Rs 2 lakh. The price goes down if glass imitations are used instead of diamonds or precious stones.
So, if you decide to wear a heavy polki choker or chandelier kundan earrings, you know which one to pair with what and certainly know which ones might burn a big, black hole in your pocket.