The History of Imitation Jewelry in India
India’s women are known for adorning themselves in jewelry from head to toe. The different kinds and styles of their jewelry not only signifies their status of wealth within India, but also defines their resident homeland within the country. Wearing jewelry is a trademark that has been passed down through the ages, and is still a fixation among India’s women, even when they immigrate to other countries.
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History of Jewelry
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For thousands of years, the people of India have been intrigued with decorating their entire bodies with jewelry, whether it’s gold and silver or animal bones. The types and styles include rings, earrings, bangles, bracelets, anklets, headbands and chains, and the materials are significant of the region they live in. For example, people from Orissa and Andhra Pradesh wear silver, while Rajasthan people adorn themselves in enameling work jewelry. Ancient rulers who adorned their bodies in jewelry and crowns unknowingly had an impact on the style and choice of stones worn by the people.
Imitation Jewelry
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Imitation jewelry, also referred to as “ancient jewelry,” has been around as long as costly jewelry, and is made from common available materials. Some materials include berries, flowers, feathers, animal bones and teeth and dried fruit, and the metal replacements are copper and ivory. The material in this jewelry is dignified and valuable to the tribes and class of people who wear it since it represents their homeland in India. It has also become part of the modern fashion world.
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The Pervasion of Imitation Jewelry
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Today, the styles within the cultural status have compromised their traditional appearance with modern styles and fashion, while still maintaining their prestige and cost. However, there are many Indian women who wear “imitation” or “fashion jewelry” because it’s less costly, making it affordable with their lower income, while enabling them to maintain their sense of worth. Many types retain the genuine look of gold and silver even though they are made with cheaper materials such as jute, leather, plastic and oxidized metal. Precious stones such as diamonds are replaced with cubic zirconia and rhinestones. These have also become a fashion trend for college students.
The Jewelry Market
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Jewelry is a crucial element dignifying the success of Indian women, and there are more jewelry stores throughout the land than any other types of business. Every city is filled with shops of jewelers, and there are as many traditional jewelers as modern ones. Most of these jewelry stores cater to the very influential and wealthy, but there are also many that provide jewelry to those with lower income. Even though the amount and cost of the jewelry represents their status to the wealthy women, it’s just as imperative for the less wealthy women to wear jewelry, even if it is imitation.
Types of Jewelry
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Imitation jewelry is created in the same styles and designs as costly jewelry. There are bangles and rings, earrings, belly-rings and nose rings made from materials other than gold or silver. There are charm jewelry such as mood rings and charm bracelets, tattoo jewelry, sterling silver pieces that are lined with artificial stones and abstract jewelry. While these pieces are worn every day by women throughout India, they are not given as gifts for weddings since the people hold this as a sacred day and give only genuine jewelry. In some cases, silver and platinum jewelry is given, but in most cases it’s only gold.
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- Photo Credit jewelry image by Sid Viswakumar from Fotolia.com
