The Enduring Place of Polki in a Bride’s Jewellery Box

Stones tell a story. And none more so than the polki. The oldest diamond cut traces the evolution of diamond jewellery from its earliest recorded discoveries to the jewel we know today.

Dating back to the Maharajas of India, these diamonds have been prominently used for the most significant ceremonial jewellery through the years — from daggers and plates to chess sets and magnificent necklaces.

And yet, despite its age, this humble cut still holds sway among jewellery designers and collectors alike. Why? Often referred to as an ‘uncut diamond’ due to its lack of facets, polkis are, in fact, slices of a larger stone, with their edges softly rounded.

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The difference between Polki, Jadau, and Kundan, a conundrum that often sends buyers into a tizzy, is simple — jadau is the technique of how the polki diamond is set in a piece of jewellery (fun fact: the name ‘jadau’ comes from the colloquial term ‘jad’ which means to embed), polki is the diamond itself, and kundan is the gold foiling that encases the polki stone.

Perhaps the most sustainable of all cuts, many can come from the remnants of other cut diamonds, or stones rejected due to their inclusions.

“When you cut a brilliant or other classical diamond from a stone, you often have leftover chunks. These, and any other unusually shaped or very included stones, are used to create polki,” explains Richa Goyal Sikri, gemologist and author of No Stone Unturned: The Hunt for African Gems.

The result? A delicate silver that somewhat preserves the original rough appearance. Today, polki has become a bridal jewellery mainstay. One of the country’s most talked about brides, Radhika Merchant, rewore her family’s 20-year-old heirloom piece — a gold and polki choker for her wedding to Anant Ambani.

While polki’s origins can be traced back over 2,500 years to the time of the Mughals, long before the West started cutting diamonds in Antwerp, today the cutting techniques have evolved from hand-cut and polished to laser, although the look and feel remain the same. Old-world yet modern, they fit an Indian wedding as easily as they do a rani pink taffeta skirt and shirt combination like the one Sonam Kapoor wore to the Dior Cruise 2025 Show in Mumbai.

So how do you recognise a good polki stone? “Ask about the type before you buy,” suggests Sikri, going on to explain that there are three types of polki: khilwas, syndicate and Zimbabwe. 

Syndicate polki refers to the stones from the original diamond syndicates, usually of high quality and untreated. Zimbabwe polki, as the name suggests, comes from the country Zimbabwe. It is often untreated and more yellowish in colour. 

Lastly, there is khilwas. These stones are usually chemically treated and filled with glass to help reduce the fractures or inclusions. “Even with glass fillings, there are different degrees about how much they are treated; this can range from 30%- 70%,” adds Sikri.

“Each polki diamond is unique,” she explains. “It is impossible to find two identical ones, making creating earrings especially tricky.”

As the ‘leftovers’ then, how is it that polkis remain so much in demand? “It’s as much about the stone as it is about the setting,” notes Sunita Shekhawat, founder of her eponymous jewellery

house and museum dedicated to Meenakari. 

“Traditional Indian jewellery just suits us,” she says, referring to shades of yellow and rose gold, which when coupled with delicate enamelling and the subtle glow of the polki results in a magical combination for Indian skin tones.

 It’s no wonder brides around the country have opted for the ages-old diamond jewellery style for one of the most cherished days of their lives. “Today’s stones are much lighter and thinner,” explains Samir Kasliwal, co-owner and partner of Jaipur’s Gem Palace, one of the country’s most storied jewellery families. 

Explaining that although the cutting techniques have evolved from hand-cut and polished to

laser, the look and feel remain the same. This allows jewellers like Gem Palace to craft pieces with modern nuances, but all the while retaining the classical charm of the stone.

Bollywood, too, has helped to propel our fascination with the tale-as-old-as-time jewellery technique of our country. Notably big screen productions such as Bajirao Mastani and Mughal-e- Azam and Netflix’s Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, which dramatically captures the rich heritage and culture of the Mughals, have all carefully styled costumes complete with spectacular pieces comprising of cascading passas, ornate chaandbalis, magnificent satladis and bajubandhs.

There’s also a practical side to polki that adds to their appeal: “Polkis are in demand because of the way they are cut,” explains Kasliwal, “They have large tables and flatter bases, making them

look bigger than they are.” 

This is echoed by Yash Agarwal, partner and creative director of Birdhichand Ghanshyamdas jewellers. “Polki is a magical style of cutting gemstones. They have a much larger table than regular cut diamonds,” he explains. Tarang Arora, creative director of Amrapali, agrees.

“The entire weight of the diamond is on the top. But this means they can’t reflect much light independently as they don’t have a pointed base.

We need to use silver foil to give it that shine and shimmer,” he adds, referring to the age-old

technique of setting the stone with a dome-shaped silver foil backing underneath to provide reflection and more depth to the stone.

“The feeling of wearing traditional Indian jewellery is unparalleled; it’s not just an accessory, but a connection to a rich heritage,” explains celebrity stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania. 

“Beyond the nostalgia it evokes, polki jewellery tells a story — a narrative that spans centuries of craftsmanship. Even with modern polki pieces, you can sense the deep history and tradition behind them, and that is what makes them truly special.”

Key Polki Pieces

When buying polki for the wedding, it’s important to consider longevity. As Shroff Adajania explains, “You’re building a collection that will last a lifetime. Each piece should be versatile

and timeless, so you can wear it on various occasions after the wedding.”

The Passa/Jhoomar

This eye-catching crescent-shaped hair ornament can trace its origins to the Mughal Empire. 

According to PHD scholar Namra Noor Ali, the passa comes from the Urdu word for ‘one side’. She notes that the passa was a piece of jewellery adapted by North India from the jewellery repertoire brought to India by the Mughals. 

“Pinned to the left side of the head, it was seen as a tool to provide composure to new brides as they entered their new lives,” explains Noor Ali.

Exuding vintage glamour, the passa inspires brides today with celebrities like Kareena Kapoor Khan and Mira Rajput Kapoor wearing one at their respective weddings.

Chaandbaalis

Chaandbali, meaning 'moon earring', originated during the Mughal and Nizam empires. Their iconic crescent shape stems from the Islamic influence of the era and is often complemented by delicate dangling pearls, polki, rubies, and emeralds.

Over time, this design style has evolved to include sun-shaped motifs, different diamond cuts, and even Art Deco influences (including a crescent-shaped diamond and emerald pair by Van Cleef & Arpels that once belonged to Maharani Sita Devi of Baroda). 

Dramatic and playful, these earrings have become firm Bollywood favourites both on and off screen, with Alia Bhatt, Madhuri Dixit, and Kiara Advani all flaunting their favourite pairs.

Bajubandhs

An integral part of Indian culture for centuries, bajubandhs are often referred to in Hindu scriptures as amulets associated with deities.

According to art historian Deepthi Sasidharan, “When the bajubandh is designed as a navaratna, meaning nine gems, they protect one from negative influences and nazar.” 

Considered a representative balance of the nine planets that supposedly shift and align, determining our destinies, the wearing of the gems in unison is supposed to ward and steer unknown forces that might harm us. 

This explains the navratna style bajubandh’s popularity through time. Today, however, we can thank Nita Ambani for reviving the trend when she wore Emperor Shah Jahan’s sarpech on her arm earlier this year.

Saatladis/ Saatlara

This magnificent seven-strand necklace originated during the Mughal era and symbolises royalty and prosperity because of its impactful nature, explains Sasidharan, adding that the term

‘satlara’ is typically Hyderabadi as it became popular in the Nizam of Hyderabad’s court.

Originally made with pearls, adorned with gemstones such as polki, rubies, and emeralds. The drama of the seven layers makes it perfect for weddings, which is why both Sonam Kapoor and Deepika Padukone are among the many brides who have opted to wear this opulent necklace.

Sarpech

The sarpech is to men what the tiara is to women. Originating in Rajasthan over 2,000 years ago, this striking ornament was once worn to denote a man of the court or royalty. Today, it is often seen on the turbans of the Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh of Jaipur and also on Anant Ambani this year. 

This has been adapted for the web from an article published in Manifest’s December 2024-January 2025 issue that is now on stands. For more stories like this, subscribe here!