Know exactly what you are buying
300 pearl and jewellery terms, each one linked to a piece you can hold.
Where would you like to begin?
Types of Pearl
Freshwater, saltwater, South Sea, keshi, and how to tell a real pearl from a coated bead.
Shapes
Round, baroque, drop, coin and the rest, and what each one is worth paying for.
Quality & Grading
What AAA actually means, plus lustre, nacre, orient and the claims to be sceptical of.
Size & Length
Millimetres, choker to rope, bangle sizing, and which length suits which neckline.
Jewellery Styles
Jhumka, mangalsutra, kundan, polki, temple work and the rest of the Indian vocabulary.
Gold & Hallmarking
Karat versus carat, 22K and 18K, 916, plating, vermeil and what a BIS hallmark proves.
Gemstones & Cuts
Ruby, emerald, sapphire and zircon, their Indian names, and the cuts from princess to cabochon.
Metals & Plating
925 silver, platinum, brass and the alloys and finishes a piece is actually built from.
Clasps & Construction
Clasps, knotting, drilling and settings, the parts that decide whether a piece survives.
Care & Authenticity
Storing pearls, the tooth test, restringing, and the astrological terms buyers ask about.
Buying & Value
Making charges, wastage, gold rate, GST, buyback and what a piece is actually worth.
Jewellery Styles
49–72 of 73
Nizami Jewellery
The court style of the Nizams of Hyderabad: pearls in abundance, emeralds, and Persian-influenced form.
Nose Pin
A small stud worn in a nostril piercing, as distinct from the hooped nath.
Oddiyanam
The South Indian waist belt, rigid and heavily worked, worn over a saree at the hips.
Pachi
A kundan variant where stones are set into a lac-filled frame, giving a slightly raised, textured surface.
Palakka
A Kerala necklace of leaf-shaped green stone pendants set in gold. Palakka means small leaf.
Passa
A fan-shaped head ornament worn at the side of the head, above the ear. Also called a jhoomar.
Pearl Watch
A wristwatch strung on rows of pearls instead of a metal or leather strap.
8 in stock · from ₹6,300
Pearls for Men
Pearl jewellery cut for men: single-strand chains, bracelets, studs and rings, usually in larger pearls and darker tones.
Pendant
A single ornament hung from a chain or strand, worn as the focal point of a necklace.
35 in stock · from ₹1,200
Polki
An uncut, unfaceted natural diamond, set face-up in kundan. Glows softly rather than sparkling.
18 in stock · from ₹3,750
Rani Haar
A long, elaborate necklace worn below a choker, reaching the chest or stomach. The centrepiece of a bridal set.
Sarpech
A turban ornament worn at the front of a headdress, historically a mark of rank among Mughal and Rajput nobility.
Satlada
A seven-string pearl necklace, the signature piece of Hyderabadi Nizami jewellery.
Side Pendant
A necklace whose pendant sits off to one side rather than at the centre front.
Statement Piece
A single piece large or distinctive enough to carry an outfit by itself.
5 in stock · from ₹3,500
Stud
An earring that sits directly on the lobe, held by a post through the piercing.
Sui Dhaga
A needle-and-thread earring: a fine chain that threads through the piercing and hangs on both sides.
Taar Mala
A necklace of many fine parallel strands gathered into one clasp. Traditional Hyderabadi pearl work.
18 in stock · from ₹1,500
Temple Jewellery
South Indian jewellery in a deity and motif vocabulary, originally made to adorn temple idols and now worn by dancers and brides.
Thaali
The South Indian marriage pendant, tied on a turmeric-dyed thread or a gold chain at the wedding.
Thewa
A Rajasthani craft that fuses pierced sheet gold onto coloured glass, producing a stained-glass effect.
5 in stock · from ₹5,880
Thushi
A Maharashtrian choker of tightly packed beads on a rigid band, sitting close against the throat.
Timaniya
A Rajasthani choker built around a prominent central pendant, usually kundan set with enamel behind.
Toe Ring
A ring worn on the second toe, traditionally in silver, and in much of India a marker of marriage.