Indian Accessories

From primitive ages men and women used to adorn themselves with beautiful handmade ornaments with the materials available to make trinkets embellished with stones, bones, and other organic material they got easily.

As they make improvements in tools, discover new better metals and stones and grow in skills, today they create more versatile and intricately designed jewelry, one best example being Silver Gemstone Jewelry.
Silver Jewelry
The metal silver is used in the production of various types of jewelry, chunky and bold pieces and also delicate and elegant ornaments. Silver jewelry is normally gold plated and also often embossed and engraved. Beautiful and intricate designs, sometimes, are crafted in separate silver pieces and then joined to bring out enchanting jewelry. When silver jewelry is embellished with attractive gemstones it becomes Silver Gemstone Jewelry. These gemstones help the purely silver trinket to enhance its beauty by lending their vibrant colors and cheer.
A gemstone is always valued with its beauty of cut, color and capacity to refract light. Based on these properties these have been classified into precious (cardinal) and semi-precious gemstones. So the cost of silver gemstone jewelry, naturally, depends on the type and value of the gemstone used to decorate it.
Though around 130 minerals are cut into gems and nearly 50 of these are used in gemstone jewelry and for various other purposes only the diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald and amethyst are considered as the most precious traditional gemstones. Modern gem has included certain organic materials too, such as pearl, ivory, coral, bone, amber, ammolite, jet etc…etc…
Silver gemstone jewelry is very popular among people of all ages and all countries. People wear these ornaments casually as well as on all formal occasions. No wonder, silver earrings, necklaces, pendants, bracelets, brooches, anklets, rings and other ornaments embellished with the charming gemstones are so loved and every one is too crazy to possess at least one of these.
Everyone has a desire to own a gemstone due to its various intrinsic qualities. To make the gemstone jewelry more beautiful and attractive they are given various finishes, to name some rustic, antique, hammered, polished etc. Gemstone jewelry is largely considered as a dedicated art since it requires tremendous skills and craftsmanship. Gemstones could be used in a traditional style with a modern contemporary twist making it more wearable and thus enhancing one’s personality more and more.

Nose ring is a very popular piece of jewelry worn by a hole pierced in the nose. It has been originated in the countries of the Middle East several centuries back. India started the practice of wearing nose rings during the 16th century. Nose rings are mainly connected with the Hindu religion although Muslim ladies and children wear nose rings called ‘nathunis.’

Nose rings began to get popularity in India during the Mughal rule. At that time it was just like a small ornamental pattern depicting a very small flower having a slender stem inserted into the left nostril and a screw inside held it firmly. Usually gold or diamond nose rings are made in the form of a tiny ball or a small flat disc. Sometimes instead of the ball a small stone like a diamond, ruby or any other tiny gem is used. The nose rings come in various styles and colors to match with the clothes. Nose rings and pins not only add grace and charm but also accentuate the nose of the woman.
The type of nose ring is determined by the part of the nose to be worn. Stud rings are ideal to decorate the nostril. A circular barbell is very suitable for the region of septum whereas a straight barbell can decorate the bridge of the nose between the eyes. The nostril rings are sometimes heavy due to the presence of pearl and precious or semi-precious stones. Then the rings are supported by fine chains that are attached to the hair above the ear. The `Bulak` in Madhya Pradesh, is a fine example of this type of nostril ring.
Metals like stainless steel, 14/18 carat gold, nickel, titanium or niobium are normally used to make nose rings. Be careful, nickel rings might cause allergic reactions to some people in and around the area of the ring. If gems are used to decorate the rings see that they are fitted to the rings firmly.
According to the Indian traditional custom Hindu married women should wear a stud or a nose ring by piercing their nose on one or on both sides. There are also nose rings that can be clipped onto the side of the nostrils. Even magnetic jewelry is there to simulate a stud piercing.
Nose rings are available in several shapes, sizes and designs, from very small jewel studs to thick barbells and plugs. These rings started to gain popularity in America and other industrialized Western countries by the end of the 20th century, particularly in punk and youth culture. Though there is a ban for this jewelry in schools and businesses in the United States nose rings are steadily becoming more acceptable, especially in urban areas.

The people of Gujarat state in India are very much noted for their business skills. Broach, an ancient Gujarat port situated on the Cambay Gulf, was an important bisector of the business route to China, Greece,’ Portugal and Persia. Broach played a significant role in the trade and movement of Mughal jewelry, gold, silver, ivory,

pearl, textiles, gemstones and coral to these foreign countries. This advantage helped Broach gradually develop as a hub for stone cutters, artisans and carvers for nearly thousand years. Even today you can see a sizeable diamond cutting factories in some Gujarati cities like Surat, Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar and Navasari. These small scale cutting houses have around 800,000 employees to cut and polish 80—90% of world’s whole diamond production.
As a gesture of gratitude to tribal jewelry and accessories many Gujarati ladies wear key-ring holder an their waist usually made of silver. Jewelry like mangal sutra (a chain tied around the neck by the husband on the wedding day), earrings, necklace, rings and bangles are also very popular among Gujarati women.
Modern jewelry designers have revived the age-old popular tribal jewelry, known as Pachchikam, mostly crafted in Kutch and Gujarat and made this one of the latest fashion statements. The artistic tribal jewelry Pachchikam is slowly replacing gold jewelries. The craftsmen in Gujarat and Kutch prepare this form of jewelry buy cutting semi-precious stones. Some sort of glasswork also is needed in the preparation. Only the few families, who have attained specialization in this type of artwork through their ancestors, can do the fabrication of this jewelry. In the normal course each piece requires 1-2 months to prepare due to the typical climatic constraints.
Other type of traditional jewelry made in Gujarat out of agate, bead and silver are very famous as the exquisite tribal jewelry. Ornaments like ear rings, bangles, nose rings, necklaces etc. are crafted locally and sold out all over the state. Silver-bars are locally procured and later transformed into sheets and wires from which various enchanting silver ornaments are made.
Bhuj, Anjar and Mundra in Kutch district are the main hub of silver jewelry work and Porbandar, Surendranagar, Ahmedabad and Jamnagar in Gujarat also bears a long tradition of supplying excellent silversmiths, who show great skill in creating stunning silver jewelry,. As Tribal Jewelry is a part of Gujarat’s traditional jewelry this work is still done with great care and in styles centuries after centuries using beads, zari, lac etc and this age old tribal ornaments are in great demand among women.