Kundan Meena Jewellery & Decorative Article
Origin & History The technique of Kundan setting originated in the royal courts of Rajasthan and Gujarat, whereas the credit for developing the craft of Meenakari in India goes to the Mughals.
The imperial dressing styles during the Mughal era recreated for a movie.
Kundan Meenakari
It means highly refined It is the art of coloring and gold, ornamenting the surface of as pure gold lends itself metals easily to cold fusing, and by fusing over it brilliant does not require heat or colors that
Kundan Meena Jewellery A well-crafted Kundan setting is so snug that it does not allow air and moisture to seep inside the piece, thus protecting the brilliance and color of the gemstone in its pristine state.
Craftsman
The Kundan-Meena craftsman is highly revered amongst goldsmiths, for it requires special expertise and training. The art was a family tradition which was passed on to the male members of the family by personal
Procedure
Preparin g The Gold Sheet Making The Frame & Solderin g Cleaning The Frame Engravin g
Enameli ng Setting The Stones Joining The Pieces Together
Ghadayi
Khudai Meenakari
Jadai Puwai
Preparing the gold sheet
Pure gold is beaten to make it soft, which is then passed through the rotating wheel (electrical or manual) to obtain a flat sheet of gold (“Patra�).
Making the frame
The next step is to the side walls of the frame known as “Jae”.. To get the “Ghat” ready, the frame (patra) and side walls (jae) are soldered. “Patra” is cut, coiled, shaped. Then, “Ghat” is being set’ on a wax board to exactly replicate the design
Soldering
The pieces are placed or ‘set’ on a wax board are then soldered together to form one solid piece. Soldering is done by blowing fire by a bended pipe from the lighter.
Cleaning the frame
Cleaning is done in order to remove the blackening due to soldering. It is cleaned using mild chemicals, washed with water and then dried.
Engraving
Exquisite engraving requires a steady hand, high precision, maximum skill and immense concentration. ChamplevĂŠ is a technique used by the engraver to lower the areas of the metal that will
Enameling
Enamel colors are filled in the engraved pattern by thin needles or spokes, and fused to the gold with repeated firings on the coils of the domestic heater. The piece is scrubbed with a filer to enhance the gold outline of the pattern and kept in mild acid to give extra
Setting the Stones
The base is filled with wax (lac) which is supposed to hold the gems. To provide depth and refraction, a piece of silver foil (dhaank) is placed behind the flat diamonds (polki) to give an extra shine. These are heated and placed on the lac. Now, the kundan (24 carat gold foil) is fixed on the sides of stones with the help of a pen like iron stick (salaai). The
Joining all the pieces
After all the pieces are ready they are joined together to make the jewellery by the stringer (patua). This is known as puwai.
Recent Scenario Extremely thin sheets of gold (Varak) are pressed on the varnish painted motifs on marble. Imitation gemstones and colored glass (Nagina) are stuck to the motifs which eventually enhance the artwork. Sometimes miniature paintings are also incorporated in their work.
Collaboration between Amrapali Jewels & Manish Arora Unique mélange of colors (Arora’s trademark) combined with meticulous craftsmanship (Amrapali’s trademark) give a new perspective on East meets West. The intricate pieces were made using gemstones and enameling on sliver with gold plating, which made them quite reasonable.
It lead to a colorful and contemporary
There is a huge scope of growth in this field for modification and modernization
Like all the other indigenous craft, the heritage of Kundan and Meenakari too is need of modernization and institutional support to keep the legacy vibrant and thriving‌
References Hyperlinks • http://www.hindustantimes.com/fashion/tanishq-brings-back-mughalromance/article1-271289.aspx • http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/1177533/Tanishq-unveils-jewelryof-Jodhaa-Akbar • http://www.theluxurychronicle.com/surana.php • http://www.dsource.in/resource/kundan/process/meenakari/meenakariindex.html • http://gaatha.com/meenakari-jaipur/ Books • Let's know handicraft of India • Christie’s London • Dance Of The Peacock • Handicrafts of India • Jewel Splendour
Thank you. Khushboo Choraria Roll No. 11 F&LA