"wonderful", "open hanging", "magic"... these words are all used to describe India in the world of Chinese Internet. When you understand the Indians' obsession with jewelry, you will have more knowledge of this magical country.
Image source: baidu.com
Indians "no matter how poor they are, they must wear jewelry", women buy a set if they want, and arrange it from head to toe.
Image source: baidu.com
And men are "no jewelry, no men", whether it is a tuk-tuk driver on the side of the road or a big vegetable seller in an open-air vegetable market can wear a big gold ring.
Picture source: baidu.com
At this moment, you will find how meaningful jewelry is in India. It crosses India's serious social problems such as gender inequality and wealth gap. Regardless of men and women, regardless of high or low, everyone is equal before jewelry.
Indians’ love for jewelry is inherited from the ancestors. During the Wamor Empire, the emperor who built the Taj Mahal studied jewelry design. He collected various gems and set them in the marble walls of the Taj Mahal. The seat-the Peacock Throne is also inlaid with precious stones in gold. Regarding moat, this is probably the top of the dragon chair world!
Image source: baidu.com
is the earliest country producing diamonds in the world. Before diamonds were discovered in Brazil in 1725, India was the only source of diamonds. The word carat was invented in India. Not only diamonds, but also the sapphire of Kashmir, the pearls of Mannar Bay... such a vast area, it is no wonder that Europeans in the great voyage period were yearning to go to India to engage in overseas purchasing. Image source of
: baidu.com
, a place rich in gem resources, was known as the "jewel in the crown of the empire" during the colonial period, and many gems were prostituted by the British Empire. The ancestor of the Indian diamond mine, the Golconda diamond mine, reached its peak in the seventeenth century, and became synonymous with the world's top jewelry at that time. Many of the diamonds reserved by the European royal family are produced here, including the most expensive diamond in the world-the mountain of light diamonds inlaid on the crown of the Queen of England. Until now, India is still thinking about how to get the Mountain of Light Diamonds back. Image source:
: baidu.com
But those above are all glorious in the past. Long-term uncontrolled mining has almost hollowed out the Indian diamond mine. Today, more than half of the world's diamonds are processed by its cheap labor. In the first half of the year, they were busy fighting the epidemic and shutting down the city. Nearly 200,000 diamond processing workers went out of business and returned from the Indian city of Surat, resulting in a reduction in South Africa's mining business, Belgian miners canceling diamond auctions, and the closure of global diamond retail stores.
Under cultural differences, people use different ways to brush their presence. Some emperors chose to stamp their seals on famous books and paintings, while others chose to engrave their names or poems on gems.
Cultural differences
Image source: baidu.com
This unique Indian style gemstone carving method inspired the European jewelers who came to India to gather wool during the colonial period. Cartier's classic and unique fruit kit style comes from Indian decorative arts and gem carving craftsmanship.
Cartier's first Tutti Frutti (fruit kit style) necklace
in 1936. Image source: baidu.com
Cartier Tutti Frutti clip pin circa 1925
zthez2 inspired by India 0 Cartier 2zzz source: baidu.comzthe2 Maharajah necklace)
Picture source: baidu.com
is not the only European jewelry brand closely related to India, Cartier. Chaumet, Van Cleef & Arpels, etc. have all turned to the lucrative Indian market and integrated Indian colors, patterns and forms in jewelry. For example, typical Indian motifs such as boteh, jewelry in the form of long tassels and pearl strings, colorful carved gems, animal head bracelets, etc. The European jewelry industry has also set off IndiaDomain trend.
The Indian style engraved ruby main stone
on the Van Cleef & Arpels Priya long necklace. Image source: baidu.com
The jewels of the wamer dynasty once were extremely luxurious, and the Indian style of the colonial period was integrated into Western jewelry design. Nowadays, in India, regardless of gender, rich or poor, jewelry is part of everyone's life.
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Editor: Zhang Jiaqi Audit: Cai Zhiquan
China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) Jewelry College
New Media Center
