Pure Pearls Glossary
Seed Pearl
A very small pearl, under about 2mm, used in clusters, embroidery and temple work.
Seed pearls are the smallest usable pearls, historically sewn onto fabric and woven into court jewellery in their thousands.
In Indian jewellery they fill kundan settings, edge temple pieces and form the fringes of jhumkas and haram necklaces.
Individually they are near worthless. Massed together, and set by hand, they produce work that costs more in labour than in material.
When you are buying
When you buy seed pearl work, you are buying stringing and setting hours. Judge it on the evenness of the rows and the tightness of the knots rather than on the pearls themselves.
Seed pearl jewellery
9 pieces in the collection right now, from ₹5,040.
Marvelous White & Grey 17Inch Simple Pearl Necklace
Vibrant 19Inch White Seed Pearls Taar Necklace With 925 Peacock Pendant
Stunning White & Grey Pearls Necklace With Artsy Baroque Pearl
Stunning 18Inch Long White Baroque Pearls Necklace
Simply superb taar mala in beautiful real seed pearls
Graceful Taar Mala Necklace With White Seed Pearls & Ruby Emerald Sapphire Beads
Splendid 10Line Taar Mala 19Inch Long Necklace With Extra Fine White Seed Pearls
Luxe Multi-line Oval Pearls Mala With Real Rubies & Seed Pearls
Read next
Rice Pearl
A small elongated freshwater pearl shaped like a grain of rice, usually with visible surface rippling.
Kundan
A setting technique where highly refined gold foil is pressed around stones to hold them, with no prongs or claws.
Temple Jewellery
South Indian jewellery in a deity and motif vocabulary, originally made to adorn temple idols and now worn by dancers and brides.
Jhumka
A bell or dome-shaped earring, usually fringed with pearls or beads around the rim. The most recognisable Indian earring form.
Not sure what you are being sold?
Paste any pearl description — another shop’s listing, a message from a jeweller, an old certificate — and we will break it down term by term.