Pure Pearls Glossary
Know exactly what you are buying
26 terms on jewellery styles, each linked to the pieces we actually have.
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Freshwater, saltwater, South Sea, keshi, and how to tell a real pearl from a coated bead.
Round, baroque, drop, coin and the rest, and what each one is worth paying for.
What AAA actually means, plus lustre, nacre, orient and the claims to be sceptical of.
Millimetres, choker to rope, bangle sizing, and which length suits which neckline.
Jhumka, mangalsutra, kundan, polki, temple work and the rest of the Indian vocabulary.
925 silver, plating thickness, American diamond, coral, hallmarks and karat versus carat.
Clasps, knotting, drilling and settings — the parts that decide whether a piece survives.
Storing pearls, the tooth test, restringing, and the astrological terms buyers ask about.
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Jewellery Styles
Showing 1 to 24 of 26
Anklet
A chain worn around the ankle, called payal in the north and kolusu in the south.
4 in stock · from ₹1,500
Bangle
A rigid closed circle worn on the wrist, sized by internal diameter rather than length.
16 in stock · from ₹1,200
Bangle Size
The Indian bangle sizing system, from about 2x4 (small) to 2x10 (large), measured as internal diameter.
13 in stock · from ₹1,200
Bridal Set
A matched group of pieces worn together for a wedding — typically necklace, earrings, and often a maang tikka.
78 in stock · from ₹12,350
Brooch
A pinned ornament. In Indian wear, most often a saree pin holding the pallu in place at the shoulder.
40 in stock · from ₹1,800
Choker
A necklace that sits high and close around the neck. Both a length and, in Indian jewellery, a distinct style.
41 in stock · from ₹4,200
Finger Ring
A ring set with a pearl, usually a single dome-backed or button pearl in a protective setting.
24 in stock · from ₹400
Guttapusalu
A South Indian necklace where clusters of small pearls hang in bunches from a metal frame, said to resemble a fish's roe.
Hangings
Earrings that hang below the lobe, as opposed to studs that sit on it. The everyday Indian term for drop earrings.
111 in stock · from ₹1,200
Japa Mala
A string of 108 beads used for counting mantra repetitions, with a larger guru bead marking the start.
1 in stock · from ₹12,000
Jhumka
A bell or dome-shaped earring, usually fringed with pearls or beads around the rim. The most recognisable Indian earring form.
25 in stock · from ₹1,400
Kundan
A setting technique where highly refined gold foil is pressed around stones to hold them, with no prongs or claws.
48 in stock · from ₹2,500
Maang Tikka
A head ornament worn along the hair parting, with a pendant resting on the forehead.
2 in stock · from ₹3,920
Mangalsutra
The necklace a married Hindu woman wears, traditionally black beads on gold with a distinctive pendant.
5 in stock · from ₹1,800
Meenakari
Coloured enamel fused into engraved metal, most often on the reverse of kundan jewellery.
9 in stock · from ₹5,600
Pachi
A kundan variant where stones are set into a lac-filled frame, giving a slightly raised, textured surface.
40 in stock · from ₹2,700
Pearls for Men
Pearl jewellery cut for men: single-strand chains, bracelets, studs and rings, usually in larger pearls and darker tones.
14 in stock · from ₹2,100
Pendant
A single ornament hung from a chain or strand, worn as the focal point of a necklace.
35 in stock · from ₹1,200
Polki
An uncut, unfaceted natural diamond, set face-up in kundan. Glows softly rather than sparkling.
18 in stock · from ₹3,750
Rani Haar
A long, elaborate necklace worn below a choker, reaching the chest or stomach. The centrepiece of a bridal set.
52 in stock · from ₹2,800
Side Pendant
A necklace whose pendant sits off to one side rather than at the centre front.
42 in stock · from ₹7,700
Statement Piece
A single piece large or distinctive enough to carry an outfit by itself.
5 in stock · from ₹3,500
Stud
An earring that sits directly on the lobe, held by a post through the piercing.
96 in stock · from ₹1,000
Taar Mala
A necklace of many fine parallel strands gathered into one clasp. Traditional Hyderabadi pearl work.
18 in stock · from ₹1,500
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