Kundan vs Polki Jewellery: What's the Difference?

Shoppers mix these two up because the finished pieces look alike in a shop window: large, traditional, stone-set sets with a warm, old-royal glow. The confusion clears once you separate the words. "Kundan" answers "how is this stone held?" — in gold foil, pressed around the stone with no prongs. "Polki" answers "what is this stone?" — an uncut, unpolished diamond, left close to its natural shape. A kundan set can hold glass, coloured stones, or even polki diamonds; a polki set is defined by its diamonds, however they are set. When a seller says "polki kundan," they mean that combination: polki stones set by the kundan method.

Kundan is one of South Asia's oldest jewellery traditions, associated with the royal courts of Rajasthan and Mughal India. The craftsman builds a frame, often over a lac (natural resin) base, then presses thin sheets of highly refined gold foil around each stone until the foil grips it firmly. There are no prongs or claws, so the surface looks smooth and seamless, and the gold foil behind the stone reflects light back through it — which is why even a glass stone in a kundan setting can look deep and luminous.

Because the technique does not demand a particular stone, kundan can use glass, quartz, semi-precious, or precious stones. That flexibility is why kundan is the more accessible tradition: much of what you see is craftsmanship and gold foil, not diamond weight. Often paired with meenakari enamel work, it is bright, colourful, and highly polished — a set that reads clearly across a room and photographs vividly under wedding lighting.

Polki takes its name from the stone itself. A polki diamond is a natural diamond that has not been cut and faceted the way a modern brilliant diamond has. It keeps its rough, irregular shape, so no two stones are identical, and its sparkle is softer and more muted — a warm, antique glow rather than sharp, flashing brilliance. Traditionally, polki stones are set in gold using the kundan technique over a lac base, which is why the two traditions are so closely linked.

That uncut character is both the appeal and the thing to verify. Genuine polki means real diamond content, usually set in high-karat gold, which puts authentic polki sets at a considerably higher price point than everyday kundan pieces. But the market also sells "polki-look" fashion jewellery with simulant stones. A simulant set is fine if sold honestly as fashion jewellery — the problem is only when it is sold, or priced, as if the stones were real diamonds. So for polki, the key question is not the design. It is: are these stones natural uncut diamonds, and what proves it?

Choose by the effect you want, not by the label. Kundan suits brides and guests who want colour and presence: a kundan choker or rani haar with green or red stones and meenakari backing stands out against a heavily embroidered lehenga, and its bright surface holds up under stage and flash photography. It is also the easier choice for a complete matching set — necklace, earrings, teeka and bangles — without diamond weight in every piece. Our guide to Pakistani bridal jewellery sets explains how those pieces fit together, and our gold jhumka designs guide covers kundan earrings specifically.

Polki suits a quieter grandeur. Its muted, irregular sparkle reads as old and heirloom rather than new and shiny, pairing well with ivory, pastel, and deep jewel tones. Because no two polki stones match exactly, a set never looks mass-produced — but it also never gives the uniform flash of cut diamonds, so do not buy it expecting that. An honestly-sold simulant polki set can give you the same silhouette for festive wear; just do not pay a diamond price for it.

There is no fixed price for either tradition, because the price is built from separate parts, and the parts differ. For both, start with the same formula:

Total = (gold weight × live rate for that karat) + stone value (if any) + making charges

The gold part is the only part you can check yourself on the day. Ask for the gold weight in tolas and grams in writing — one tola is 11.66 grams, as our tola conversion guide explains — and check the live gold rate in Pakistan for that karat on the morning you shop. Our gold karat purity chart explains what each karat stamp means: 22K gold is 91.6% pure, so a 22K piece resells on its gold content at that purity, not at the full 24K rate.

The difference comes in the middle term. In a kundan piece with glass or coloured stones, the stone value at resale is usually small or nil — a dealer pays for the gold weight, and making charges are lost, as our guide to gold making charges in Pakistan explains. In a genuine polki piece, the diamonds do carry value beyond the gold, but that value depends on their size, quality, and certification, and is not calculated like gold weight — so get the diamond weight and any certificate in writing. As an illustrative example only, a quote bundling gold, stone, and labour into one number tells you nothing: ask the seller to split it into those three lines, and compare that split across two or three shops.

1. Ask what the stones are, in writing — glass, coloured stone, simulant, or natural uncut diamond. For polki, ask for diamond weight and certification.
2. Ask how the stones are set — kundan foil setting, and whether the base is lac, affects weight, durability, and repair.
3. Get the gold weight and karat in writing, with the karat stamped on the piece (916 for 22K) and on the receipt.
4. Get the price split into three lines — gold value, stone value, and making charges — never a single lump sum.
5. Check the reverse of the piece, not just the front: enamel should sit flush with no chips, foil edges should be smooth, and stones should not wobble when pressed gently.
6. For heavy sets, try them on for several minutes and check the clasp, the earring fittings, and whether the necklace sits evenly — weight that looks fine in the hand can pull badly over a long event.
7. Keep the itemised receipt and any diamond certificate together — they are what any future buyer or dealer will ask for first.

Both traditions share the same enemies: moisture, perfume, and rough storage. Put jewellery on after perfume and makeup, wipe pieces with a soft, dry cloth after wearing, and store stone-set pieces separately so stones and enamel do not scratch each other. Keep them away from prolonged dampness — lac bases and enamel do not like water. If a stone loosens or enamel chips, take the piece to a jeweller who works with kundan setting; re-foiling a stone badly can damage both stone and frame.

Planning the rest of the wedding gold? Read our Pakistani bridal jewellery sets guide and check the live gold rate in Pakistan on the day you buy.