Towards the end of January we’d confessed to you we still had the earrings with the KajalLata necklace to make. We’d also mentioned showcasing them once they’d been delivered, and that they were of a unique full-kaan design.
Truth is, we botched our own specifications a bit and created it as a kaan with a two-tiered earring attached when our drawings called for it to have three distinct steps.
Well, we redid the earring segments and this is the final jewel that was delivered to Ms.Rittika Mallick, a practicing psychologist whose mother insisted they come to us for the KajalLata parure. This is the first purchase they’ve made from our showroom and, as it stands, remains a very rare and somewhat esoteric design to debut their custom with, though one that’ll remain in time with her family as an unequivocally precious heirloom.
The kaan part of the ornament is entirely made up of a single kohl container (sans its stem) in jaal-karai and cloisonné enamelling. The mirror-polished back panel remains, as do the painted, multicoloured mina flowers that are such a marvellous counterpoint to the wire-work. The chhela borders and bridges of the outer case have also been retained.
From this dramatic cover for the ear we go to the earring which of course is detachable. Right below the kaan is the primal third-eye piece that’s patinated with lampblack like the necklace and ratan-choor. After it is a miniaturized version of the jaal-karai KajalLata. To complete the jewel, finally, is a tiny jhumka with a simple ball fringe. That too is antique polished, making the idea clear : the earring's modern-ancient-modern-ancient idiom allows for it to be worn with either side of the necklace.
Also, because the cascade of drops separates easily, the kaan can be worn with any conventional jhumka while the earring part too can attach itself to whatever pasha you choose.
The original ear ornament to match the KajalLata necklace was a wide kanbala that also accommodated a kamal-chain within it. But Rittika quite decisively chose the full-kaan with three steps that had been specially drawn for her as an alternative to the kanbala. And so, having been created exclusively for her, and even though it’s part of the KajalLata set, tradition prevails and we call the jewel by her name.
Rittika knows ambivalence well — she’s a professional psychologist. This ear ornament has two distinct sides to it and incorporates within its character both the ancient and the modern. It’s a recherché jewel alright but one with its duality easily evident. In fact, it wears its contrasting personality with proud candour. The veracity of the ornament is its crowning glory. Also, being in a profession that has so much to do with the mental state, Rittika will surely agree that far far above such monumental jewels hand-wrought with great thought and skill in sinless guinea gold lies the greatest jewel of all — our humanity.