3.42 H&A Cushion/Square

[mandyd]

These are Indian freshwater pearls with white sapphires. I loved the design so couldn''t resist. Very regal!

 

[mandyd]

This daisy chain necklace is totally over the top. A typical Bengali design. Meant to be layered with other necklaces in gradient levels at your own or someone else''s wedding. For example you would wear a choker followed by a medium sized necklace followed by this longer necklace. Believe it! It really is worn like that! I''ve never ever heard of anyone in India not wanting to outshine the bride. In fact, at a wedding all bets are off! I remember when I was 17 we attended a wedding at a 5 star hotel and my mother was very keen that I wear these massive silver anklets with ginormous toe rings. Of course I could not slide my feet into any sort of footwear with all that gear so I walked barefoot into this very posh ballroom and was the talk of the room, at least for a few minutes!

The matching earrings to this daisychain got oxidized since I live close to the ocean and I had them in my bedside drawer. My jeweller refused to polish them as he insisted oxidization was in style! Generally it is a bad idea to get your jewellery professionally polished as polishining removes a layer of the precious metal. Why do you think they offer this service for free everywhere?

 

[mandyd]

These were inspired by an ancient temple design from south india that I saw in some magazine. They are sapphires and cabochan rubies and have an oxidized gold finish. I love these earrings as they go with anything. I promise, we are coming almost to the end of my collection. Boy I never knew photographing jewellery was going to be so exhausting! And to think that my sister has at least double of what I have since she has at least 3 dozen heavy gold bangles, armlets, waist cinchers and god alone knows what else she has made over these last 15 years that I have been in America. My mother would be home most of the time but she always wore 12 thick gold bangles on each arm, a few rings, diamond studs on her ears and a heavy gold chain (if you can call it that!) around her neck. So you can just imagine what women wear when they go out! I was considered a radical minimalist if you please and was frequently scolded by various aunties for forgoing a necklace. Never mind if I had on chandelier earrings and armsful of bangles! Not much has changed. In fact with the new software wealth I saw more new jewellery shops in Calcutta than I have ever seen before. You would think they were selling vegetables, the women were three deep on every counter. Harry Winston would probably give his right arm to get the kind of crowd Nemichand gets in his shop everyday.

 

[mandyd]

These are white sapphire victorian inspired earrings. One of the few I actually bought off the rack. They are kind of lightweight as ready made jewellery often is as one usually buys a ready made piece for a gift or because you are in a tearing hurry. I thought they looked fun and they were quite inexpensive - $250 if I am not mistaken about 5 years ago.

One question I am constantly asked by everyone in India is who I am going to leave my jewellery to since we chose to not have any kids and my sister and brother both have sons. I am sure it sounds very rude to ask someone this question in the west but over the years I have learnt that Indians have larger "boundaries" than western societies and no one thinks anything of asking anyone how much money they make or how much something cost or how much you are going to inherit or why you don''t have children etc. Most tourists will agree that are asked a barrage of questions such as where you come from, how many siblings you have and what is your star sign by absolute strangers on a train etc. Anyway, I have always said, that I wanted to leave my jewellery to Save the Tiger fund but having seen the corruption and short of the tigers walking around with my earrings I doubt the money would get to them. So now I have decided that someday my jewellery is to be auctioned and the proceeds to go to Bill Gates Foundation. All I can say that after that announcement I am not popular with my sister in law!

 

[mandyd]

These are my largest Mikimoto pearls with the diamond detail on the earrings and on the collarbone. It was a full string but my sister insisted that I had to share half the string with her so I reluctantly gave her some and extended mine with the shoulder detail and a gold chain. A few years ago I took these pearls to Mikimoto and they said I should insure them for at least $10,000 as replacement costs! I nearly keeled over.

 

[mandyd]

This is the only delicate set that I have which is actually made by Mikimoto. Actually no, only the earrings are made by Mikimoto. The original Mikimoto pendant is with my sister and I had a copy made. Notice the unusual clasp that doubles as a pendant hanger. I saw the design in Thailand and fell in love with it. Now my hair does not get caught in the clasp as it is smooth at the back!

 

[mandyd]

Pink strings from Hong Kong with the earrings you saw earlier. I saw those earrings at Macy''s by Napier, a costume designer and fell in love with them and had them copied in gold and pink pearls.

 

[dbgaap]

Holy Moly!

You made my day!

You should see how I dress & accessorize- I am so restrained and classic in my choices. It would be impossible for me to wear even a fraction of what you wear.

But I am just drooling over your collection!

And, by the way, I asked one of my colleagues to tell me where the desi jewelry stores are. His jaw dropped & his eyes got big and round.
He said, "how do you know about desi?"

How inspiring this thread is! Thank you btiger !!!!

 

[mandyd]

And finally these are the small Mikimoto strings with the Mabe pearl earrings I got from Hawaii. I think I missed photographing a couple of smaller diamond rings and my husband''s jewellery which consists of a diamond wedding ring and several gold and diamond cuff links along with a gold chain with various pendants. Yes, yes, I know... he is Italian after all. They love their bling only 2nd to Indians I think.

Well I hope this journey has inspired you to visit India one day and come away with many goodies. If you ever go to London be sure to see the Royal Jewels in the Tower of London museum. Many people thought that India would ask for it back when the Swiss gave back the gold from WWII but I think it is much better off where the world can at least view it. Everyone knows who it actually belongs to so what does it matter? When the missionaries came to India they were appalled to find the women wearing jewellery to cover their upper bodies! Sounds hard to believe now but at one time, before the oil and software boom, India was the richest country in the world and the richest man in the world was the Nizam of Hyderabad. That is why we were invaded by the Turks, Persians and the Mongols and then occupied by the Dutch, the Portugese, the French and finally the Brits and of course why Columbus went looking for India and stumbled on the Americas and called everyone Indians! The Brits eventually cleaned us out in 200 years and taxed us to death and almost 60 yrs after independence we are still reeling to feed our multitudes but we love the the Brits as they left us with many legacies such as the law and the English language and of course cricket where we beat them at their own game. Last time the Pulitzer also went to an Indian, so there! Unlike other countries which were occupied by a foreign power for so many centuries there are really very few bi racial people in India. Also known as Ango Indians many of them upped and left for Australia and Canada in the 50''s & 60''s. Not to be offensive to anyone but unlike in many Latin countries where the Spanish looking people had a higher status it was quite the opposite in India. Today of course, everyone knows a doctor who is Indian or works with an Indian in the IT field. I love being American but my history will always be Indian. The one thing that I always remember is that centuries ago when the rest of the world was fighting for land, India invented yoga, meditation,vegetarianism and the concept of non violence among other practical things such as the numbers, zero and plastic surgery, the use of hypnosis in surgery to name a few. In the last few years all of these are considered normal in the life of Americans ( at least to Californians!) and we have come full circle. Isn''t that just grand!

 

[lizz]

Got anything else you can pull out of that jewelry box for us? (Great collection!)

 

[diamondfan]

Btiger, your stuff is lovely!!! What carat of gold is used most routinely in India? I have a tiny bracelet from when I was a toddler that my parents got me in Singapore and it is 22 karat. I love your rose gold watch too. There is a stunning rolex, more sporty, in the pink gold that I am totally in love with! Enjoy it all, and wear it in the best of health!

 

[plantationcatt]

Good gracious. All I can say is your collection is absolutly gorgeous...and I''m glad I don''t have to pay the insurance (much less the cost of the jewelry to begin with!). Stunning... my favorite might be the "regal" pearl and gold necklace and earring set. It is lovely. And while you may be getting tired of posting, we''re not getting tired of looking!

 

[mandyd]

Here''s a 3 diamond ring to match the one carat solitaire.

 

[mandyd]

Here''s a better pic of my one carat eing that I usually wear with the 3 diamond ring given to me by my mom for my 25th birthday.

 

[mandyd]

This is my husband''s half carat wedding ring, also made in India like the rest of my stuff. Actually this diamond used to be a part of my collection but I had it reset for hubby dear. He loves it!

 

[mandyd]

These are a pair of gold and diamond cuff links I picked up for my husband in Bombay a couple of years ago. Being Italian he loves to dress up in a suit everyday so he wears them often.

 

[mandyd]

I got these cufflinks made in 24 karat gold with red, white and blue enamel. They are absolutely stunning and weigh about 38gms. Since they are 100% pure gold we will get the full gold spot price with zero deduction, should we ever decide to sell or reset them. This is the kind of investment I like!

 

[mandyd]

Here''s another hand shot of the whopper!

 

[mandyd]

And a close up!

Thanks to everyone who had a kind word for me. I hope I did not bore anyone too much. Next year I will be visiting India again and replenishing my treasure chest with some new beauties. No matter how hard I try, I can never resist acquiring at least one or two breathtaking pieces! Watch this space!

 

[MiniMouse]

CONGRATULATiONS - what a great sized stone. It looks beautiful.

 

[Stone Hunter]

WOW I just saw this post. It is overwhelming, in a good way.

All the info about jewelry stores was very interesting. Great collection too!!