India is known and admired for its jewellery than anything else. It is also starkly obvious that the jewellery of India are closely linked to its people, the religions and its traditions.

To the average world citizen, India is synonymous with mystical tales of maharajas, palaces and treasures of gems and precious stones. The legendary “Kohinoor” (Mountain of Light) sparkles above all the rest – the most coveted of all gems. There was a time when India was the world’s only source of diamonds

Indian jewellery flaunts its ornate history with all varieties of gems and precious stones. A flash of red Rubies from Orissa, glittering diamonds from Panna (Madhya Pradesh), blood red Garnets from Orissa and Bihar, Sapphires from Kashmir, Agate beads from Kambhat (Gujarat)… and many others sourced from Afghanistan, USA, Tibet, Burma, Brazil and Sri Lanka.

Indian expertise in Diamonds is world renown with Surat in Gujarat as one of the key centres Mumbai and Rajkot are two other cities in a similar league. Though nowadays, most of the diamonds are sourced from Africa, until 1725 India was the world's sole source. The craft of polishing precious stones to bring out that extra sparkle is practised most fervently in the pink city of Jaipur.

Indians are both uniquely sentimental and passionate about adorning themselves with ornaments. History is replenished with instances of its importance in personal adornment – as ancient as the dancing girl of Harappa, who stands alluringly naked but for body jewellery and bangles and stretching from the wrist all the way to her shoulder.