A worked example: pricing a pair of polki chandbalis
Gold weight, polki carats, beads, making charge and GST, line by line on a real-sized bill.
How to store and clean kundan jewellery
Keep it dry, keep it separate and never soak it.
Kundan and polki pieces are sturdy in wear but sensitive in storage, because the stones sit on lac and the backs carry enamel. A few habits keep them looking new for decades.
Store each piece separately in its own soft pouch or box. Pieces rubbing against each other scratch the meena and can loosen foil edges. Keep them away from damp; a small packet of silica gel in the box helps during the monsoon.
Put jewellery on last, after perfume, hairspray and make-up, and take it off first. Chemicals dull the gold and can stain pearls. After wearing, wipe each piece gently with a soft dry cotton cloth before putting it away.
Never soak kundan jewellery in water or put it in an ultrasonic cleaner. Water gets behind the stones and weakens the lac. If a piece looks dull or a stone feels loose, bring it to us. We clean our own pieces free of charge, and we would rather tighten a stone early than replace one that has fallen out.
