Polki: What It Is, and What It Isn't

Polki is a natural, uncut and unpolished diamond, with one side flat and the other in a slightly curved shape. It is a centuries old technique where diamonds are cut by hand to follow the natural structure of the stone, which is why no two pieces are alike.

It is believed to have existed 2,500 years ago, when it was brought to India by the Mughals - it then spread to royal families across the subcontinent. 

There are three types of polki. Syndicate - is the highest quality of polki where only the finest pieces are chosen based on clarity cut and color. Zimbabwe grade polki (sourced from Zimbabwe) is the second type, while the third is khilwas - the lowest grade of polki where filling are inserted to improve the shine and color (usually required for bigger stones). 

Jadau is the most common setting technique where one embeds the polki in gold foil without an adhesive, which helps them reflect light and produce a brilliant shine. 

Extra credit for jewelry enthusiasts: it is easy to get confused between polki, jadau, and kundan. Just remember that polki is an uncut diamond, jadau is the name of the technique of setting gold foil around polki or other precious stones, while kundan is the 24 carat gold foil itself. To confuse matters further, some jewellers set glass in kundan and call it kundan jewelry.