Indian Jewelry: Gem Stone Types & Descriptions
Indian jewelry is characterized by distinct designs, with a variety of colorful gemstones, typically set in gold and silver. Gemstones in some Indian jewelry are believed to bring balance and peace to those wearing them. Authentic jewelry from India is often characterized by traditional precious stones such as diamonds, emeralds and rubies. It also has lesser known gemstones of significance. Does this Spark an idea?
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Navratna Gemstone Jewelry
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A type of Indian jewelry known as navratna is encrusted with nine different gemstones associated with the practice of Indian astrology. Each one, signifying a planet, is believed to endow the person wearing it with specific cosmic protection. A ruby or a garnet signifies the sun and it is often put in the center of the design. A zircon or a diamond symbolizes Venus, while a pearl is used to depict the moon. Other gemstones included in the navratna jewelry have been known to vary somewhat. They often include either precious of semi-precious stones, such as emerald, sapphire, coral, carnelian, amethyst, tourmaline, topaz, cat's eye, citrine and peridot. Navaratna jewelry should include flawless gems to have the most positive effect. Cat's eye included in many navratna pieces is a brownish yellow stone with a line that shines through it that looks like an eye.
Kundan Gemstone Jewelry
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Kundan jewelry is the oldest form of adornment in India, which originated 2,000 years ago. Kundan jewelry sets multi-colored gemstones into elaborately designed pure gold or metal. Craftsmen, known as "jadiyas," use stones such as jade, agate, garnet, emerald, rock crystal, topaz, amethyst and spinel in their Kundan jewelry. Spinel may be the least known of these gemstones. It is a hard and durable stone found in a rainbow of different hues. These include shades of red, orange, yellow, dark green, blue, purple, brown and black.
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Yelow Sapphires
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Yellow sapphires, known as "pukhraj" or "ushparaga" in the Indian jewelry markets, are some of the most prominent gemstones in India. They are believed to have intrinsic healing powers and deliver prosperity and spiritual enlightenment to those who wear them. Indian jewelry often includes a yellow sapphire ring encrusted in gold that should be worn on the index finger.
Diamonds
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Diamonds may be the most globally well-known gemstone. Few may realize that the earliest reference to diamonds dates back to India. Ancient budhists in the third century wrote about the stone's remarkable brilliance and ability to scratch metal. Today diamonds are still central to India, which accounts for about 90 percent of the world's diamond manufacturing. Indian jewelry uses at least six colors of diamonds that correspond to six deities. A perfect diamond is considered the property of these deities. Many Indian women adorn themselves with gold and diamond-studded necklaces, bracelets, nose pins and rings.
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References
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