How Kundan Pearl Jewelry Is Made in Hyderabad: The Traditional Craft Explained

Kundan pearl jewelry made in Hyderabad is built through a sequence of highly specialized hand processes: a gold framework is shaped, filled with lac resin, engraved, set with gemstones using pure gold foil, enamelled on the reverse, and finally finished with hand-strung pearls. No single artisan does all of this. Each stage belongs to a different craftsperson, and a complex necklace can pass through six or more pairs of hands before it is complete.

Hyderabad’s position in this craft is not accidental. The city’s workshops carry a direct lineage to the Nizam court, where Kundan work arrived from Rajasthan and fused with the region’s centuries-old pearl trade. That combination, Kundan setting married to Hyderabadi pearl stringing, is what gives the city’s jewelry its particular character.

Where does the Kundan framework actually start?

The process begins with Ghadayi (also called Ghaat or Paadh): the construction of the gold base. A craftsman called a ghadai takes sheets of 22-karat gold, runs them through a rolling machine to produce thin strips, and then shapes those strips by hand using tweezers and fine tools to match the approved design. Individual sections are soldered together to form the complete framework, a process that requires years of practice because the joins must be invisible in the finished piece.

Once the frame is assembled, the hollow interior is filled with lac, a natural resin derived from shellac. The lac filling serves two purposes: it stabilizes the thin gold walls so they do not flex during stone setting, and it provides a bed into which the gems will eventually be pressed. In larger pieces, a small amount of lead may be added alongside the lac to give extra support to the gold. This stage is called Khudai in some workshops, though the term is also used for the engraving step that follows, where the outer surface of the gold is carved into the motifs, flowers, and geometric patterns that give Kundan its signature texture.

How are the gemstones and gold foil set together?

This is the stage most people picture when they think of Kundan: the Jadayi (also written Jadau). A specialist called a Kundansaz places each stone into its carved recess and then inserts a thin strip of 24-karat pure gold foil between the stone and the frame wall. The word “Kundan” itself refers to this highly refined gold. Because the setting is closed on all sides, light enters the stone only from the top, so a separate piece of reflective foil called daank is placed beneath each stone to maximize its brightness. For colourless stones, silver foil is used; for coloured gems, gold foil is standard.

The Kundansaz then presses the gold foil tightly around the stone’s edges in a step called Thappa, creating what appears to be a flush, borderless setting where the stone seems to float within a field of gold. No heat or prongs are involved: the foil is cold-worked by hand. Finishing one setting cell in a large necklace can take several days when the stone is large or the design is particularly intricate.

What happens on the reverse side, and why does it matter?

A piece of Kundan jewelry that looks finished from the front is often only half done. The reverse is handed to a Meenakar, an enamelling specialist, who applies Meenakari work to the back surface. The enamel is fired in a kiln at controlled temperatures, and the colours, typically deep reds, greens, and whites, are built up in layers. This hidden decoration matters because traditional wearers know it is there, and experienced buyers check the reverse as a quality indicator: clean, well-fired enamel on the back usually signals careful craftsmanship on the front as well.

After the Meenakar returns the piece, the Kundansaz fills any remaining gaps in the lac, checks every stone for movement, and polishes the gold surfaces in a step called Chillai. Only then are the individual components assembled into the final design.

How are pearls incorporated into a Kundan piece?

Pearl integration in Hyderabad follows a different skill set entirely. Specialist stringers, historically called Patwas, drill each pearl by hand and string them on soft silk thread or fine gold wire to avoid surface damage. The matching of pearls, selecting beads of near-identical size, lustre, and surface quality for a single strand, is a skill that takes decades to develop and is considered the defining mark of Hyderabadi pearl craft.

In a Kundan Gutta Pusalu necklace, the pearl work is structural, not decorative. The Telugu word gutta refers to a cluster or bunch, and pusalu means beads: the necklace is named for the cascading pearl fringes that hang from a Kundan-set gold base. Court jewellers along the Coromandel coast combined a broad gold base set with rubies, emeralds, and polki diamonds with these hanging pearl clusters, producing a design that has remained the centrepiece of South Indian bridal jewelry for over two centuries. Each cluster is individually tied so that a broken thread does not unravel the entire piece, a practical detail that reflects how seriously Hyderabad’s artisans treat longevity.

Kundan Craft Rewards Patience, Not Speed

A single Kundan necklace with full Meenakari and pearl fringing can take several weeks to complete, sometimes longer when the stone count is high. The craft has not been mechanized in any meaningful way: the lac filling, the foil setting, the enamelling, and the pearl stringing are all done by hand, by specialists who have typically trained within family workshops for years before working independently.

Mangatrai, established in Hyderabad in 1905, has worked with these artisan families across four generations. The Kundan Gutta Pusalu necklaces in the collection carry this lineage directly: Kundan-set gold bases paired with hand-strung pearl fringes, made to the same process described above, by craftspeople who learned it from those who came before them. For anyone buying a piece of this kind, understanding the process is the most reliable guide to recognizing where the value actually sits.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Kundan and Polki in Hyderabadi jewelry?

Kundan refers to the setting technique: pure 24-karat gold foil pressed around a stone to hold it without prongs. Polki refers to the stone itself, a flat-sliced or minimally cut diamond used in its near-natural form. A single Hyderabadi piece often combines both: Polki diamonds set using the Kundan foil method, with Meenakari enamel on the reverse.

How long does it take to make a traditional Kundan pearl necklace in Hyderabad?

A full Kundan necklace with engraved gold framework, foil-set gemstones, Meenakari enamel on the reverse, and hand-strung pearl fringes typically takes several weeks to complete. Pieces with a high stone count or complex motifs can take longer, since finishing a single large setting cell alone may require multiple days of work.

Why is lac used inside Kundan jewelry instead of a solid gold base?

Lac, a natural resin, is used to fill the hollow gold framework because it stabilizes the thin gold walls during stone setting and provides a firm bed into which the gemstones are pressed. A solid gold base would make the piece prohibitively heavy and expensive; lac achieves the same structural purpose at a fraction of the weight.

What should I check when buying a Kundan Gutta Pusalu necklace to verify quality?

Examine the reverse of the gold base for Meenakari enamel: even, well-fired colour with no flaking indicates careful craftsmanship. Check the pearl fringes for consistent lustre and size across each cluster. Press lightly on individual stones; they should feel completely immovable. Any stone that shifts suggests the foil setting was not finished properly.

Can Kundan pearl jewelry be repaired if a stone falls out or a pearl breaks?

Yes. Because Kundan setting uses lac and foil rather than prongs or adhesive, a skilled Kundansaz can re-open the setting, replace the stone or foil, and re-press the gold without disturbing adjacent stones. Pearl strands can be re-strung by a Patwa. Both repairs are standard services offered by established Hyderabad jewelry houses and are worth asking about at the time of purchase.