Jewelry Has Roots in Ancient History in All Cultures – Indian Gold Jewelry


Every civilization has adopted some sort of adornment as acceptable, whether for men or women or both. Wedding bands have long been a quick and easy way to visually identify a married woman. Dinner or cocktails rings have been used to accessorize beautiful evening wear. Gold stick pins have won a place in men’s attire and the classic gold watch speaks loudly of wealth in a very quiet and distinguished manner. Perhaps there is no culture that is as obvious in its jeweled adornment as India. Indian gold jewelry, especially the bindi, the small jewel “dot” placed between the eyes, is the most obvious example of cultural jewelry, often worn by Indian woman and, occasionally, Indian men.

Most every piece of Indian gold jewelry will have a meaning behind it. However, the pieces are so lovely, the workmanship so exquisite, that traditional Indian jewelry can now be found on women across the globe. They are wearing it because the pieces are wonderful. These pieces are not collected because of their meanings; they are sought because they tend to be beautifully crafted and make wonderful additions to any woman’s jewelry collection.

In fact, traditional Indian gold jewelry can be found in jewelry stores worldwide and on the web. These stores and shops will not have any reference to the jewelry’s history or meaning. Most will not even realize the selections have roots in Indian culture. The necklaces, bracelets, amulets and other selections are simply wonderful jewelry pieces that have become popular based solely their workmanship and style. Whether or not the pieces actually have religious or cultural meanings are usually irrelevant to the purchasers and wearers of the jewelry. That ignorance is not intended as callousness or irreverence to the Indian culture. It is simply a commentary on how widely accepted the styles are. The fact that the jewelry selection could be more than simply great pieces is not common knowledge.

When selecting fine jewelry, its history does not often enter into the process. WE buy what we like or what we hope the person we are buying for will like. One reason for the long-lasting popularity of Indian gold jewelry is that the styles are timeless, demanding fine craftsmanship to create the various textures and shapes. Such craftsmanship is acknowledged by the buying public as they continue to seek out the pieces that have been popular for so many years.

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