JOIN USIt is said that life is too short to wear boring jewellery. True enough! Despite all the talk about going minimalistic and avant-garde, everyone succumbs to the charm of the traditional once in a while and picks up those pieces of ornate jewellery.
Functions, festivals, celebrations — everything is an excuse to bring on the bling and one of the common ways is to do so is by going for oversized, flashy earrings. And in this category, ‘chaand baalis’, or the crescent shaped earrings, have captured the fancy of fashionistas now.
Having been popularised by the queens of the royal households of the Mughals and Nizams, these have now become a staple in the ornament boxes of all women.
“It is hard not to fall in love with these earrings,” says Anita Menon, a professional. “The timeless elegance and appeal of these ensure that even modern women opt for them. I have seen ‘Chaand baalis’ being teamed with even western outfits these days; something that gives a unique Indo-fusion look to the wearer.”
Says Bhavana Jakhia, Digital Head at OM Jewellers, “‘Chaand baalis’ are one of the most timeless styles from Indian culture. An amalgamation of traditional and trendy, they are at once royal and feminine. This characteristic makes these versatile earrings easy to pair with western ensembles. When accented with coloured stones and contemporary elements, ‘chaand baalis’ assume a more modern look.”
The exquisite earrings have been a mainstay of period Bollywood movies for long. It was reported that Deepika Padukone’s character in ‘Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela’ spiked the sales of these antique earrings on e-commerce websites; indicating a renewal of interest that was furthered by divas like Sonakshi Sinha, Sonam Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Kareena Kapoor Khan who were sported these on numerous occasions.
“They hit the limelight only with the movies, otherwise these were on the verge of disappearing from the fashion dictionaries of people due to the advent of studs, danglers and other newer varieties” adds Anita.
“I used these earrings to complement my ‘Golden Lady’ collection because they give a gracious look and traditional tinge to the outfits they are paired with,” says Karan Arora, a designer. “ They showcase versatility and make a bold statement. With their feminine charm, these pieces accentuated the look and made the garments look more complete,” he adds.
With the fashion industry becoming open to experimentation, it is no surprise that these earrings are not only used as accessories but also inspiring designs. Quite a few designers have brought out resplendent collections which sport motifs based on ‘chaand baalis’.
The evolution has been noticeable — from being seen in stores selling temple jewellery to almost every shop in commercial spots. Depending on the kind of stones used, the prices of these earrings can vary from affordable to highly expensive. While the ones being sold in places like Commercial Street or Brigade Road use black metal, coloured or ‘kundan’ stones, glass or beads, the high-end varieties are set with diamonds, gemstones and pearls.
Uma H, founder of online jewellery store, ‘All Ethnic’ says, “‘Kundan chaand baalis’ are one of the oldest forms of jewellery made and worn in India. This involves enamelling with vivid colours and designs on the reverse and ‘Kundan’ setting in the front. This style dates back to the Mughal era but has caught the fancy of fashion lovers who want to get a feel of the bygone era of ‘Rajwadas’ and are now trending as hottest bridal jewellery this wedding season.”
Vandana Jagwani, Creative Head at Mahesh Notandass Fine Jewellery, talks about why this statement piece will never go out of style. “One of the primary reasons why ‘chaand baalis’ never go out of style is they can be constantly reinvented. They are traditional in style, but can be designed to have contemporary elements. We have introduced an elongated round style which is a modern take on the traditional crescent shaped uncut diamond. Victorian motifs or nature inspired forms add a contemporary touch, making it perfect for Western outfits.”