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Historic Indian jewellery offers a useful buying lesson: look beyond the weight of the gold or the size of a stone. Setting, finishing, technique and design all contribute to a piece’s character. But “200-year-old” is a prompt to learn from historic craft, not a date that applies to every technique or motif discussed here.
Judge the making, not just the materials
Shreyans Gandhi, executive and creative director of Gazdar, told Hindustan Times that historic jewellery shows why workmanship matters alongside material value: “Historic jewellery makes it quite clear that craftsmanship has a value separate from the amount of gold or size of a gemstone.”
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One example is kundan, described in the interview as using thin, malleable gold strips pressed and burnished around gemstones rather than conventional prongs. When considering a piece in this style, look closely at how evenly stones are set, how neatly the metal is finished, and whether the construction appears deliberate. These observations can help you assess visible workmanship; they do not establish age or provenance.
Choose a stone cut for the look you want
Polki, or table-cut, diamonds retain more of the rough stone’s natural form and weight. Their broad planes produce a softer lustre than the scintillation typically sought in modern brilliant cuts. Neither appearance is inherently better: the right choice depends on whether you prefer a less sharply sparkling, more individual look or the brighter flashes associated with brilliant cuts.
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Ask what a named technique actually involves
Meenakari is described in the interview as a process in which recesses in metal are filled with powdered glass and metallic oxides, then fired repeatedly and polished. If a seller uses the name, ask how the piece was made and what they can substantiate about the technique and its makers. A heritage-inspired appearance alone is not proof that a piece was made using the traditional process.
Thewa offers another example of a distinct craft tradition. The Government of India portal describes it as gold fused onto coloured glass, originating in Pratapgarh, Rajasthan, and dating back more than 400 years; the page was reviewed on September 18, 2026. That history speaks to the technique’s continuity, not to the authenticity of any particular contemporary item. Ask for piece-specific information rather than relying on a style label.
Consider the motif in its cultural context
Historic Indian jewellery uses flowers, birds, animals, foliage and makara forms. The interview also discusses open-ended terminal bangles shaped as tiger, elephant, bird or makara heads, motifs associated in some contexts with auspicious, protective or regal meanings. Interpretations vary by region and community, so ask what a motif means in the context of the specific design instead of assuming one universal symbolism.
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A dated example helps put the broader tradition in perspective: the National Museum’s Alamkara jewellery gallery, which displays more than 250 objects, includes a North Indian 19th-century gold kamarband made of interlocking floral plaques with diamonds and cabochon rubies. It is evidence of a particular historical object, not proof that every related design or technique is 200 years old.
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For gold bought in India, check purity separately
Design and workmanship are matters of preference and inspection; a hallmark addresses the stated purity of precious metal. According to the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the current gold hallmark includes the BIS logo, purity in caratage and fineness, and a six-digit alphanumeric HUID. Use the Verify HUID function in the BIS Care App to check the HUID, as explained in the BIS hallmarking FAQ.
BIS consumer guidance says to obtain an authentic invoice identifying each article and stating its net precious-metal weight, purity and fineness, and hallmarking charges. Check that each article in a pair and each detachable part is hallmarked. You can also have purity tested at a BIS-recognized Assaying and Hallmarking Centre. See BIS consumer guidance for details.
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A hallmark and invoice do not verify gemstone quality, workmanship, historical age, ethical sourcing, resale value or a seller’s claims about provenance. Treat those as separate questions and seek evidence relevant to each one.
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A practical checklist before choosing
- Inspect the setting for precision and the metal for careful finishing.
- Decide whether you prefer the softer lustre of a table cut or the stronger scintillation of a brilliant cut.
- Ask how a named technique was carried out and what the seller can substantiate about this piece.
- Ask about a motif’s meaning in its particular regional or community context.
- For gold in India, verify the HUID, review the invoice and confirm the net metal weight and stated purity.
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