![](https://drkjewels.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/pro-1.png)
Gold strip being made according to the design
GADHAI
Designing Process
Ghadayi’ is the process of making the skeleton or framework of the jewelry piece. Firstly, thin gold strips are prepared from a rolling machine. These are cut, coiled, shaped according to the design chosen by (or given to) the karigar using small tweezers and fine tools.
These are placed or ‘set’ on a wax board to exactly replicate the design and then soldered together to form one solid piece such as an earring or a pendant. The black residue on the piece after the soldering process is cleaned using mild chemicals and then dried. Lac is heated and poured into the creeks, which are supposed to hold the gems.
![](https://drkjewels.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/progr-01.png)
Gold strips being soldered together to form
one solid piece
![](https://drkjewels.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/progr-02.png)
Gold strip being shaped according
to the design
![](https://drkjewels.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/progr-05.png)
Soldered strips being set on wax board to
exactly replicate the design
![](https://drkjewels.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/progr-03.png)
The pendant framework, finally taking the shape
of the intended design
![](https://drkjewels.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/progr-04.png)
Lac being heated and poured into the creeks,
which are supposed to hold the gems
KHUDAI
‘Khudayi’ is the process of engraving or etching the pattern on the front or back (or both) of the jewelry piece. Though most of the motifs are floral or inspired by nature, some are geometric as well.
Exquisite engraving requires a steady hand, high precision and immense concentration.
![Floral pattern being engraved on the pendant](https://drkjewels.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/khu1-300x158.png)
![Details of the floral pattern being engraved](https://drkjewels.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/khu2-300x158.png)
MEENAKARI
![The jewellery piece on which the colours have to be applied](https://drkjewels.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Meenakari1-300x212.png)
![Colours being applied with thin spoke in the engraved pattern and after few more process and techniques here comes the final product.](https://drkjewels.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Meenakari2-300x212.png)
![Jewellery piece with complete meenakari / enameling](https://drkjewels.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Meenakari3-300x212.png)
‘Meenakari’ is the technique of decorating the jewelry with enamel. It is an intricate and laborious process. Mostly red, green, blue and white are used. Combination of these with the color of gold is called ‘Panchranga’. These colors are applied with thin needles or spokes in the engraved pattern.
The jewelry piece has to be fired as many times as the number of colors used. Firing could be done in an electric kiln or on the coils of the domestic heater using a thin iron mesh. This fuses the color to the gold. Once all the colors are filled in and fired, the piece is scrubbed with a filer to enhance the gold outline of the pattern. Then this is boiled with a mild acid for sheen and sent to the next karigar for stone-setting.
![](https://drkjewels.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/jad-1.png)
Stones being heated &
placed on lac
![](https://drkjewels.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/jad-2.png)