Diamonds are a girl's best friend, but it is polki, the uncut diamond that is taking its place with a storm. It is the historical enchantment of this stone that gives the jewellery a royal touch.
What is polki and how is it different from diamond and kundan? Well, here we have all the answers to deal with any query that you might be having about polki.
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Polki is nothing but diamonds in their raw form. It is the uncut and semi-polished version of diamond. Since, polki does not undergo a lot of chemical treatments as its purified version does, it has a very intense and rustic touch to it. The colour of polki is not as clear as that of diamonds, giving it an old-world charm, and making it the best choice to be accompanied by other coloured gemstones. Being the diamond in its pure form, polki is definitely very expensive and is often passed on as heirlooms.
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Polki entered India along with the Mughals about hundreds of years ago. Mughals not only brought the rich architecture with them but, also the intricate designs of polki jewellery. Not only Mughals, the royals of Rajasthan and Gujrat have also helped in highlighting the beauty of this stone. Bikaner specialises in the art of making polki jewellery and it is from here that this art has spread to the other realms of the country.
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Many people do confuse between kundan and polki, following the similarity in their appearance, but when you look closely, there are some major differences between the two. For starters, polki is the natural form of diamond, so it does not go through any lab-oriented treatments, and it has a glossy shine and lustre on its surface. Kundan, is made by fusing glass and metal (gold, mostly) so, the shine is there, but it is glass like and not as attractive as that of polki. Also, polki was introduced by Mughals while kundan is entirely created in India. Both the stones bear an ancient touch, but when it comes to buying them, polki is much more expensive than kundan.
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With time, polki has developed with latest scientific techniques. Open polki and Hyderabadi polki are trending these days.
Open polki is fixed in an open gold bearing in which the enamel at the back is not applied. This was done so that light could penetrate from the stones from both the end, matching the shine of the diamond. This technique does not compromise with the ethnic touch of the stones, but makes it compatible to the diamonds.
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The Hyderabadi polki is silver-based and not gold-based, making it relatively affordable. It has silver at the background, which gives it a contemporary look that goes well with the modern attire.
Earlier polki was simply embedded in gold to make a set, but now, polki is teamed up with various other coloured stones to give it a stylish touch. Ruby is the most preferred choice, followed by the green in the emerald stones. This is because these two colours are very popular in bridal jewellery and they complement the shine of the polki too.
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Since polki is expensive, it demands some special care. It is very delicate, so always wear it sitting down and do not put it on a hard surface. Polki is untouched by chemicals as they take away the shine from the stones; wear your jewellery only after you have applied your cosmetics and fragrances. Keep the jewellery away from direct heat and moisture. Store it in a dry place, preferably in a piece of satin cloth. And, do not try to wash this expensive stone by yourself or you will just end up crying!
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Polki has a charm of its own. Once you hold it, you will be completely mesmerised by it.