pachi Kundan, Kundan, Polki, Jadau — What’s the Real Difference?

In our Jaipur workshop, we hear the same question almost every week from a bride’s mother: “Yeh pachi kundan hai ya asli kundan?” It’s a fair question — and most shops won’t give you a straight answer. Karni Creations makes Rajputi Poshak, Pachi Kundan jewellery, and bridal bangles by hand in Jaipur, and we’d rather tell you exactly what you’re buying than let you assume it’s something it’s not.

Quick answer: Kundan, polki, and jadau are not three competing jewellery styles — they answer three different questions. Kundan is a setting technique (stones held in refined gold foil). Polki is a stone (natural, uncut, unpolished diamond). Jadau is the construction method (stones pressed into softened gold, no soldering). Pachi kundan is Jaipur’s flat-back version of kundan-style setting, made with polished glass or coloured stones instead of diamonds — lighter, more affordable, and honestly not a “lesser” kundan, just a different material inside the same craft.

At a Glance

• Kundan describes how a stone is set — in a refined gold or metal foil — not what the stone is.
• Polki refers specifically to the stone: a natural, uncut, unpolished diamond.
• Jadau is the embedding technique where stones are pressed into warm, softened gold using lac, without solder.
• Pachi kundan is a Jaipur-style flat-set kundan technique using polished glass or synthetic stones, not diamonds.
• Real polki jewellery costs significantly more than pachi kundan because the stone itself is a diamond.
• Pachi kundan is worn far more widely at weddings and festivals because it is lighter and more affordable.
• A single piece can combine more than one technique — for example, jadau construction with a kundan-set polki stone.
• None of these terms describe purity of gold on their own; check hallmarking separately if that matters to you.

Key Facts

1. The word “kundan” itself means highly refined or pure gold, referring to the foil used to hold stones in place, not the stones themselves (Mirraw).
2. Kundan jewellery has roots going back over 2,500 years in Indian craft history, with Jaipur emerging as a major centre under royal patronage (Vogue India).
3. Polki diamonds are left in their natural, uncut state — they are not faceted or polished the way modern diamonds are (GIA).
4. Jadau construction presses stones into warm gold using lac (a natural resin), with no soldering involved (Tyaani).
5. Because kundan is a technique and not a stone, kundan jewellery can be set with glass, synthetic stones, semi-precious stones, or genuine uncut diamonds — the technique alone tells you nothing about what’s inside (Utsav Fashion).
6. Jaipur has been a centre for Kundan Meena work — foil-set stones on the front, enamelled colour on the reverse — since the era of the Mughal and Rajput courts (GIA).
7. Polki jewellery is generally the most expensive of the three because natural uncut diamonds carry a high raw-material cost (Jewelry Shopping Guide).
8. “Pachi” is a Jaipur workshop term for the flat-back kundan-setting style; it is a technique name, not a grading of quality below real kundan.

What Is Kundan, Really?

Kundan is not a type of stone. It is a setting technique — stones are held in place using thin, refined gold or metal foil worked carefully around their edges, without prongs or claws. The word itself traditionally means “highly refined gold,” referring to the foil, not the gem inside it.

This is the detail that trips most buyers up: a piece can be called “kundan jewellery” whether it holds a genuine uncut diamond, a semi-precious stone, or a polished piece of glass. The kundan setting tells you about the craft, not the material. That’s exactly why the next three terms matter — they tell you what’s actually inside the setting.

[Product card: Pachi Kundan Necklace Sets → /collection/pachi-kundan/]

What Is Polki?

Polki is the stone, not the technique. It refers specifically to a natural diamond left in its raw, uncut, unpolished form — no faceting, no shine treatment. Polki stones are usually set using the kundan foil technique, which is why “kundan” and “polki” get used almost interchangeably in bridal shopping — but they’re answering different questions.

Because polki is a genuine diamond, polki jewellery sits at the top of the price ladder in this category. It’s the choice for buyers who specifically want uncut natural diamonds, set the traditional Rajasthani way.

What Is Jadau?

Jadau is the construction method underneath both kundan and polki pieces. In jadau work, artisans press stones — polki, kundan-set stones, pearls, sometimes emeralds — directly into softened, warm gold using lac, a natural resin, instead of soldering them into place. This is what gives traditional Rajasthani and Mughal-era jewellery its dense, sculptural, layered look.

So a single necklace can honestly be described as “jadau construction, kundan setting, with polki stones” — all three terms doing different jobs in the same sentence.

What Is Pachi Kundan — and How Is It Different?

Pachi kundan is Jaipur’s own variation of the kundan-setting family — a flat-back technique where polished glass or coloured stones (not uncut diamonds) are set into gold-toned foil work. It carries the same visual language as traditional kundan — that soft-edged, foil-framed sparkle — at a fraction of the weight and cost, because the stone inside is not a diamond.

We say this plainly because it matters: pachi kundan is not “fake kundan” or a lesser imitation. It’s an honest, distinct craft choice — the kundan setting technique, done with accessible materials, made to be worn for a full wedding season of functions without the weight or insurance concerns of real polki. Every pachi kundan piece we make is described exactly this way — foil-set, polished stone, not uncut diamond — because a bride deciding between a ₹15,000 set and a ₹1,50,000 set deserves to know precisely what she’s paying for.

[Product card: Pachi Kundan Bridal Set → /collection/pachi-kundan/]

Side-by-Side Comparison

Term	What it describes	Material inside	Typical price position	Best for
Kundan	Setting technique (foil-held stones)	Can be anything — glass to diamond	Varies widely by material	Umbrella term — check the stone separately
Polki	The stone itself	Natural, uncut, unpolished diamond	Highest	Heirloom bridal sets, investment pieces
Jadau	Construction method (lac-pressed, no solder)	Can hold polki, kundan-set stones, pearls	Varies by stones used	Dense, traditional Rajasthani/Mughal-style pieces
Pachi Kundan	Jaipur flat-back kundan style	Polished glass or coloured stone	Accessible, mid-range	Wedding-week functions, festive wear, first-time buyers

Which One Should You Choose? {#which-to-choose}

If you want a piece to wear once at the pheras and then keep as a diamond heirloom, real polki in a jadau setting is the traditional choice — and priced accordingly.

If you want the full Rajputi bridal look — borla, rakhdi, necklace set, bajuband — for sangeet, haldi, and multiple wedding functions without carrying diamond-level cost or weight, pachi kundan is what most Rajasthani brides actually wear through the week. It photographs identically to kundan in every wedding picture, and it’s what our own bridal poshak clients most often pair with their outfit.

How to Spot Honest Pachi Kundan Craftsmanship

• The foil setting should be even and tight around each stone — loose or gappy foil is a sign of rushed work.
• Ask directly whether the stone is polished glass/stone or a diamond — a maker who works honestly will tell you plainly.
• Check the reverse: well-made pieces often carry meenakari (enamel) work on the back, a Jaipur signature.
• Weight should feel light and wearable for hours — that’s the point of choosing pachi kundan over polki.

How Shoppers Also Ask

Is pachi kundan the same as fake kundan? No. Pachi kundan is a genuine, named Jaipur craft technique — the kundan foil-setting style done with polished glass or coloured stone instead of a diamond. It isn’t an imitation of anything; it’s its own honest category.

Why is polki so much more expensive than kundan? Because polki refers to the stone — a natural uncut diamond — while kundan is just the setting method and can hold much less expensive materials. You’re paying for the diamond, not the setting style.

Can kundan jewellery have real diamonds? Yes. Kundan describes how the stone is set, so a kundan piece can legitimately contain uncut diamonds (in which case it’s often also called polki jewellery) or non-diamond stones like in pachi kundan.

Is jadau jewellery always expensive? Not necessarily — jadau describes the construction method, so its price depends on which stones are pressed into the gold. Jadau work with pachi-style stones costs far less than jadau work with polki diamonds.

What should a bride buying for the first time choose? Most first-time bridal buyers choose pachi kundan for the full wedding-week wardrobe (multiple functions, multiple outfit changes) and reserve real polki, if at all, for a single heirloom piece.