Exhibition of jewelled treasures from Mughal era ends

Islamabad
A two-day jewellery exhibition featuring exquisite pieces from the Mughal period concluded at Tanzara Art Gallery here on Thursday.
Befittingly titled 'The Nizam of Hyderabad Collection,' the show comprised over a 100 pieces, including bangles, earrings, cocktail rings, and even bridal sets -- all of them inspired by the jewels of ‘maharajas’ and ‘malikas’ during their reign. Mostly composed of 'kundan' and 'polki,' the collection also involved the use of precious stones such as emerald, rubies and pearls.
Ahmad Haroon Khan is the man behind the ingenious idea of replicating the original jewelled treasures of the Mughals, Victorian royalty and the princely states of India. Made in Jodhpur and Udaipur by 'kaarigars,' who are the descendants of the original craftsmen of this jewellery, Haroon makes sure to retain the quality and precision of the original museum pieces so as to make the wearer feel like royalty.
To make the pieces as affordable as possible, Haroon mixes pure silver with a few grams of gold so as to give them their colour and to prevent the silver from tarnishing. His 'polki' too is combined with 'kundan,' whereas all his stones and crystals are real.
The soaring prices of gold have created a high demand for substitutes. So when silver jewellery with some gold content is fashioned to look like the real thing and embellished with genuine precious and semi-precious gems, it makes for some affordable, yet exquisite pieces that become heirlooms in their own right.
Delving into what inspired him to become a jewelry designer, Haroon says, "We were in India about 13 years ago where I saw women wearing this remarkable jewellery, and I became enchanted with the idea of designing such jewels myself."
Haroon turned this fascination into his profession, and now designs jewellery, using diamond 'polki' powder mixed in 'kundan' to make breathtaking kundan 'polki' pieces. He says, "Our work is in silver, and our pieces are so immaculate that I refuse to accept them from my 'karigaars' if they aren't absolutely identical."