The Craft

KUNDAN MEENA JEWELLERY (JADAU JEWELLERY)

Kundan is a Sanskrit word which means pure sparkling gold or refined gold. In Kundan Jewellery the purest form of molten gold is used to set stones. It is traditionally handmade and no machines are used in making the jewellery. Several artisans are involved in creating each individual piece of jewellery. Every piece of kundan jewellery is a team effort with every individual craftsperson working on a Separate specialized portion. Each artisan of the team uses the particular technique that he is skilled at and together they create a beautiful piece of kundan Jewellery.
Making of kundan art ornaments is work of great patience and imagination of an artisan. An artisan spends many years to learn this technique of making kundan art jewellery. First the imagination take place on a paper and it wants to be a royal ornaments to complete a woman’s grace and charm. After finishing the design on paper it needs to go through four processes ( Ghadai, Meenakari, Jadai and string) to get unmatched ornament.

JADAU JEWELLERY PROCESS

  • Ghadai : Master craftsman make all patterns according sketches with small tweezers and some other very common tools. After complete the bezel according designs,he put base sheet to do meenakari work. Now he transfers this base to meenakar (Engraver).
  • Meenakari : Meenakar engrave most beautiful miniature motif on gold sheet with his special tools. This job needs high precision and concentration to engrave the metal. Because if the artisan engrave any wrong motif, then it must need to go through again first step(Remake) now it’s time to decorate the engraved part with fusion of enamel.
  • Jadai (gem setting : The royalty of kundan art ornament seems with front jadai work. Jadai work done with very thin sheet of pure gold and it is an oldest technique of jewellery Making in India. Gem Setter(Jadiya) fix kundan around every piece of gems and make it like solid walls of gold with his special technique. Finally he make shiny kundan with their tools and pass it to Stringer (Patwa)
  • Stringer ( Patwa) Stringing artist then beautifies & finishes the product with stringing different gem stones with links & gold wires which enhances the product & compliments the final appearance of the Jewellery.