Indian Jewelry » Gemstones Jewelry India

What is especially noteworthy is the fact that India turned over an entirely new leaf and wrote an astounding chapter. It may be recalled that in bygone days, India was of course the top-notcher in the world of gems and jewellery but then tastes were very. different. Costly, heavy handcrafted, gems-studded jewellery was in vogue and India specialized in making it. Fabulous pieces were patronized by not only the Maharajas and Maharanis, but were also offered to deities in the famous temples. But with independence, the old order changed yielding place to new, which had a very different taste for lighter and innovative jewellery. For a number of years India contributed only the processed gemstones which went into modern jewellery, manufactured in foreign countries. So popular and affordable became India's tiny diamonds that the USA commented once: "India has democratized diamonds !" Similarly colored gems, cut and polished in Jaipur particularly, were flowing out to world jewellery centres. India had the advantage of low wages, hence it could afford to process smalls.