India and in particular Indian women have a strong bond with jewelry. At the time of wedding as
well as numerous other occasions, a woman is gifted jewelry by her parents and relatives. Although
the gift is meant to give her security, ornamentation is an obvious purpose.
All the cities across the length and width of India have shops of jewellers, where some traditional
and some modern jewellers try to satisfy all kind of needs in a country where social classes are still
present.
India houses various kinds of jewelry arts, ranging from Meenakari and Kundan to stone and
bead work. The craft of cutting and polishing precious and semi-precious stones and giving them
glamorous face is something artistic. Emeralds, rubies, garnets, amethysts, corals, sapphires, and
turquoises are among the stones which are used for the enhancement of gold and silver jewelry.
Gold jewelry is the most popular among South Indian women. In southern part of India, gold is
considered auspicious and a status symbol.
