Polki or kundan: what you are buying
Two words often used together, and what they really mean on your bill.
Ordering a piece to your own design
From a photo or sketch to a finished piece in six to twelve weeks: the steps, the costs and the fittings.
About a third of our work is made to a customer’s own design. Some bring a sketch, some a photograph of a grandmother’s necklace and some only an idea. Here is how the process works.
It starts with a conversation, in the shop or on a video call. We look at your reference, ask what the piece is for and who will wear it, and talk about budget. Our chitera then draws the design to scale on paper, usually within a week. You can ask for changes at this stage at no cost, and we redraw until you are happy.
With the drawing approved, we give you a written estimate: the expected gold weight, the stones and their approximate carat weights, and the making charge. Final gold weight can vary by a few grams, and the bill uses the actual weight. To begin work we ask for an advance of 30% of the estimate, and we can fix the gold rate for that weight on the same day.
Making takes six to twelve weeks, depending on size. The ghaarha shapes the gold, the meenakar enamels the back and the kundansaz sets the stones. For necklaces and maang tikkas, we invite you for a trial when the gold frame is ready, before the stones are set, so the length and fall can be adjusted. You see the piece once more before it is finished, and we photograph each stage for you if you live outside Jaipur.
