Silver as a commodity is traded in the market. The rates shown by the TV channels are as per the global market (shown in Dollars) and the ones shown in INR are generally trading rate. Newspaper generally quote a rate from the local reputed jeweller. However, the Silver sold in retail shops have the cost of procurement added in the rate, thus they both vary from each other.

MCX is a commodity exchange portal, which facilitates the customers in trading (buying / selling) bullion. The rates of MCX are as per the trading norms, usually taking into consideration the future rate, and not retail prices. It is like the stock market of commodities, Silver being one of them.

This is due to the following reasons, while selling the retailer will add his costs and the margin, thus the selling rates are higher. When it comes to buying back, the jewellery that is bought back cannot be used directly by the jeweller, thus the cost of smelting and refining the Silver ornaments, from their respective purities to 99.5%, is added by reducing the buyback price of Silver. Different retailers have different polices for this. We exchange customers old jewellery for new at the ongoing selling price, thus incurring no loss on Silver rate to the customer.

Labour charges are different for different products. This is due to the kind of craftsmanship an ornament has on it. For example, a simple chain will have less making charges because the cost and effort took by the craftsman is less, where as an antique or a diamond jewellery will attract a heavier charge because of the intricate work and exclusivity as well.

Yes – Silver can tarnish. Jewellery made from Silver, which is 18K and 22K can tarnish, but since it is a solid metal and not a coating of Silver, it can be polished to restore its original lustre. Since Silver is alloyed, or combined with other metals to make it stronger, such as silver, copper, nickel, and zinc, these other metals cause the Silver to tarnish. The jewellery can tarnish due to several factors such as perfume, perspiration, soap, chemicals, and body chemistry. When worn with other metals or in close contact with other metals, Silver will change its colour. At times, the atmospheric conditions, such as humidity, pollution etc., also play a role in tarnishing Silver jewellery.

An alloy is a metal made by combining two or more metals to give it greater strength. Pure Silver, like 24K Silver, is too soft to be used in jewellery, so it must be combined with another metal to give it strength. The most common metals alloyed with Silver are silver, copper, and zinc to strengthen the Silver. Copper turns the alloy pink and creates rose Silver. Silver or palladium added to Silver creates white Silver. The percent of Silver used in the alloy determines the karat value.

A Karat is related to the purity of Silver. The purest of Silver is 24K i.e. 99.9% / 99.5% purity. One karat is equivalent to 4.167%. The higher the karat number, the higher percentage of Silver is in the jewellery. Silver is alloyed, or combined, with other metals to make is stronger for use in jewellery. Jewellery can be made in 24K, 22K and 18K. However, the most generally sold jewellery is 91.6%, i.e. 22K Silver jewellery. A carat is a weight of measurement used for diamonds. One carat of diamonds is equal to 0.2 grams, thus 1 gram = 5 carats. Weight of diamond is one of the most important criteria while being purchased.

Well, the items we sell are hallmarked as per government standards. To check the purity of Silver ornament purchased from other jewellers we rely on Karat Meter, a device that tells us exactly the composition of the elements / metals in the Jewellery.

With regard to investment, Silver remains a major choice of Indian households, majorly because of its ability to resell quickly in the market. The best option for investing in Silver is buying bullion and Chip of pure Silver. Chip of pure Silver (99.5%) is good for investment purposes because it has no making charges, and is mostly bought on auspicious occasions as a good omen. It can be used to plan well in advance to buy jewellery for marriages and other functions. Chip of Silver is a better option than buying coins, because coins have making charges on it which will be lost when the customer sells it, where as in case of chip of Silver there is no such loss.

Yes, we keep the option of 24K jewellery for our customers. These ornaments are soft and malleable. We recommend the customers to not use them on a daily basis. However, customer prefer them for one reason, i.e. jewellery cum investment option with minimal loss (in jewellery category). The making charges of 24K basic jewellery are lesser as compared to the fancy 22K jewellery.

24K jewellery is made of pure Silver without any alloy and thus is soft and not recommended for daily use. Jewellery items made in 22K or in any other purity is considered more durable that the 24K Jewellery.

Hallmarking is a certification done by government approved agency on the jewellery item, that certifs. the purity of the ornament. We as an organization carried out internal stamping way before government made it mandatory for jewellers. We did this for our customers so that they know what they are paying for and are rest assured about the quality of Silver. As of now we follow the BIS hallmarking standards as set by the government authorities.

No, all stones that are used in Jewellery items are not diamonds. Diamonds are expensive as compared to the stones in other jewellery items. We provide certification of diamond jewellery from various laboratories. To name a few the reputed laboratories are as follows: GIA, DGLA and IGI. So the question still remains, which are the other type of stones? These are generally American Diamond or Cubic Zirconia. Both of them are not real diamonds and are crystals which have a good shine and thus can be used in jewellery instead of real diamond. Cubic Zirconia (also known as CZ) is similar to a diamond with its brilliance and crystal clarity, but it is a synthesized (man-made) crystalline material that is colourless, hard, and flawless. It looks so much like a diamond, it is an affordable alternative to diamonds. However, other stones do not have a resell value to it like diamond.

It is the art of colouring and ornamenting the surface of metals by fusing over it brilliant colours that are decorated in an intricate design. This form of art flourished during the Mughal era, and was hugely popular with Rajasthan royalty. Over the centuries, Meenakari was combined with the traditional Rajasthani Kundan style of jewellery and the result was a beautiful new fusion called Kundan-Meena jewellery.

These names are given to the style from where they originated. The most famous and perfect work is of style Jaipuri Meena, However, it is costly. Next is Calcatti Meena, which originated form Calcutta. Now a days, the craftsman do all these Meena work across the country and no limited to one place. Handcrafted Meena work is costly and is considered more authentic even today.

Antique jewellery takes its inspiration from the actual antiques used by the family of Maharajas and Kings in India. Actually Jewellery items which are about 100 years old are known as Antique Jewellery. The phrase “antique jewellery” is generally used to refer to previously owned jewels as well as the jewellery items crafted using earlier styles that were customarily associated with the era of yore, but it does not necessarily mean pre-worn or handed down. Antique jewels are becoming highly wanted in the modern world because of their time-worn looks, state-of-the-art workmanship, and high quality gems used as well as their one of a kind rusty look. Antique Indian jewellery can be well identified by its distinctive design, lustre and materials used. These can be typically categorized by the era to which they belong. These days Antique jewellery is made by using other metals as alloy with Silver which makes them more affordable than the actual ones and with similar tinge of antiqueness in it. Oxidation with regards to jewellery refers to the application of a black finish, to one degree or another, by treating the Jewellery items to create a contrast in jewellery and is often used as a background colour in order to highlight a raised element in a design.

There are a variety of reasons of what constitutes the shiny white finish on Silveren jewellery. Most common one is it being Rhodium polished jewellery. Rhodium is an element, Rh, that is silvery-white and hard. It is one of the rarest and most valuable precious metals. It is resistant to corrosion and does not oxidize. For this reason, it is used in jewellery. From the design perspective, it adds some more flair in the Silver jewellery. Because of Rhodium’s non corrosive property, it is also used with white Silver and sterling silver to make them tarnish resistant. However, Silvery shine can be due to reasons as well such as, It being actual Silver Jewellery, Platinum Jewellery or White Silver Jewellery. A jeweller will be able to tell the difference amongst these variants due to its lustre, weight and finish.
Rhodium, is a rare element and is used in its pure form in jewellery. However, Rhodium costs more than Silver also as it is quite rare and hence the Rhodium Polis jewellery can be costly.

Yes, Rose Silver jewellery is a form of Silver jewellery only. Such ornaments are an alloy of Silver, Copper and Silver. There is no such thing as pure rose Silver, since rose Silver is an alloy of Silver and copper. It is made in 18K Silver (75% Silver, 22.5% Copper and 2.75% Silver). It looks classy and elegant.

White Silver is an alloy of yellow Silver and at least one white metal, usually nickel or palladium. 18K white Silver is 75% Silver, and 14K white Silver is 58.3% Silver, so jewellery made from these metals have a slight yellow colour. To enhance the whiteness, almost all white Silver is plated with Rhodium. Depending on the amount of wear to a piece of jewellery, over time the rhodium plating may wear off, revealing the original metal colour. Jewellery can be re-plated with rhodium to restore the whiteness, if needed.

Yes, generally all jewellery items can be repaired, but no jewellery will guarantee the exact same finish as the ornament had upon purchase. While some designs are intricate, repairing such items is a tedious and taxing job. It requires consent from the customer to go ahead with the same. Kundan and Rhodium work are not easy to repair. Jewellery repairing can also lead to loss / increase in weight of the jewellery due to the process invoved.

undan is a traditional form of Indian gemstone jewellery involving a gem set with Silver foil between the stones and its mount, usually for elaborate necklaces. Silver is beaten up into strips and shaped into the desired form to form the base. The glass stones – emeralds, rubies and sapphires are carefully set into the base to make what is called Kundan. It doesn’t have a very high content of Silver as it is mostly about the stones. This type of art is native to only India which makes it extremely sought after. Process: Kundan jewellery is created by setting carefully shaped, uncut diamonds and polished multicoloured gemstones into an exquisitely designed pure Silver or faux metal base. The elaborate process begins with the skeletal framework called Ghaat. Thereafter, the Paadh procedure takes place, during which wax is poured onto the framework and moulded according to the design. Following this is the Khudai process, when the stones or uncut gems are fit into the framework. Meenakari then involves enameling to define the design details. Next, the Pakai process involves Silver foils that hold the gems onto the framework; these are cold soldered using burnishing techniques. Finally, the gems are polished using the Chillai process.

Laak is a form of wax which is filled in the Kundan box upon which the precious or semi precious stones are placed. The weight of Kundan includes Laak. This is told to the jewellers by the craftsman who work on it.

Polki jewellery is made of unfinished natural diamonds. Polki is the raw and pure form of diamonds. It is essentially an uncut diamond that is mined from the earth in a natural way and does not undergo chemical treatments in laboratories, unlike other diamonds. It doesn’t have a very clear colour giving it a very rustic look. Since it’s the purest form of diamonds available, it’s extremely expensive. There are a lot of families that have passed on polki as heirlooms. The process of Polki is the same as Kundan. With Polki, Kundan can also be used, making it even more expensive.

Polki is also known as Vilandi in Gujarat, the diamond-cutting capital of the world. Since Polki is uncut, it has far less fire or brilliance when compared to chiselled diamonds.

The technique of making Kundan and Polki jewellery is more or less the same. Flat or uncut stones are set on 24 carat Silver jewellery using laak and fine pure Silver foils. Polki jewellery is made with a Silver foil at the back that has been painted to place the diamonds in between with uncut diamonds reflecting light. Kundan jewellery is extremely elaborate with layers upon layers of stone and precious metals and intricate joint work. The undersides of these pieces are enameled.

The technique used used in making Kundan and Polki jewellery is called Jadau. Jadau is very wrongly misinterpreted and people think it is a form of jewellery. So while Kundan and Polki are stones, Jadau is a technique used to make Kundan/Polki jewellery.

There are 4Cs which one should be careful about while purchasing diamonds. They are:
• Cut – The shape of the diamonds
• Clarity – Imperfections within a diamond are call inclusions
• Colour – Diamonds have colour range. The closer to colour-free the stone, the more worth it has on the market. Range from D to P.
• Carat – Size of the diamonds
A combination of these 4 parameters decide the price of diamonds.
When purchasing them in jewellery, one should always ask the jeweller to provide a certificate of diamonds from a diamond laboratory. There is a lot of content on internet which can help you decide the best for you. Now a days, there are other variants of Diamonds, such a Fluorescent and Lab made (CVD) Diamonds available in the market, which are cheaper than the natural diamonds. However, the cheaper options may lack the brilliance of a natural diamond.