Difference Between Jadau, Kundan and Polki
Jadau is the technique (uncut stones set in soft-heated gold), Kundan is a setting method (24kt gold foil pressed around the stone), Polki is the stone itself (unfaceted natural diamond). A single piece can be Jadau + Kundan + Polki simultaneously.
Are Jadau, Kundan and Polki the same thing?
No — they are three completely different concepts. Jadau is a technique (setting method), Kundan is also a setting method (used within Jadau), and Polki is a type of stone (used within both). A single bridal necklace can be Jadau-crafted, Kundan-set, and studded with Polki stones simultaneously. That's why they're often confused.
Jadau — the technique
Jadau (also spelled Jarau or Jadtar) is an ancient Mughal-era Indian jewellery technique where gold is heated until soft, then hammered around uncut gemstones to hold them in place. No prongs. No glue. No modern setting hardware. The heated gold takes the shape of the stone.
Jadau is a full-craft technique: the goldsmith heats a base of pure gold, embeds stones one at a time, and adds decorative elements (meenakari, jaali, nakashi) around them. It's the most labour-intensive Indian jewellery technique — a heavy Rani Haar can take 100+ karigar hours.
Signature Jadau pieces: heavy bridal Bali (earrings), Rani Haar (necklaces), Bajubandh (armbands), Aad (chokers).
Kundan — the setting method
Kundan (from kundan, meaning "refined gold") is a specific stone-setting method used within Jadau work. The setter cuts a thin foil of 24kt pure gold and uses pressure alone — no heat — to push the foil around a gemstone, sealing it into a chaton (metal cup). The finished setting has a distinctive scalloped edge where the gold has been hand-worked around the stone.
Kundan setting is what makes Jadau pieces so recognisable — that raised gold border around each stone with the fine scalloped edge is the signature. Developed in the Rajasthani royal ateliers.
Polki — the stone
Polki refers to uncut, unfaceted natural diamonds — the raw diamond in its original crystal form, before modern brilliant-cut faceting was invented. Polki stones are not lab-grown; they are real diamond, just not faceted.
Polki is set with a silver-leaf foil backing that reflects light back through the unfaceted stone, giving Polki its characteristic soft glow. Faceted diamonds have sharp sparkle; Polki has diffuse, milky brilliance — very different aesthetic.
In Indian bridal jewellery, Polki is the highest-value diamond variety and often exceeds the cost of equivalent-weight faceted diamonds because of scarcity and the labour of foil-backing.
How they combine
| Element | What it is | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Jadau | Overall crafting technique | The recipe — soft-gold + hand-embedded stones |
| Kundan | Stone-setting method | How each individual stone is secured |
| Polki | Stone variety | What is being set (unfaceted diamond) |
A typical Rajasthani bridal Rani Haar is Jadau-crafted with Kundan-set Polki stones and Meenakari reverse work. All four techniques (Jadau, Kundan, Polki, Meenakari) in one piece.
What is NOT Jadau / Kundan / Polki
- Prong settings — Western technique, uses metal claws.
- Bezel settings — Western technique, wraps metal around the stone edge.
- Faceted diamonds — modern brilliant / princess / oval cuts. Not Polki.
- Surface-painted enamel — cheap imitation. Real meenakari is fused glass into recessed cavities.
See more Indian jewellery vocabulary in the Facetra glossary, or try rendering Jadau / Kundan / Polki designs at facetra.studio/signup.