Two very different kinds of sparkle. Here is how to pick the right one.
This is the question we get asked most on WhatsApp, usually the night before a function. So here it is, plainly: what each one is, where each one shines, and which to choose for the day you have in mind.
Jadau is a way of setting stones, not a stone itself. In the traditional craft, uncut stones are pressed into a soft gold bed with no claws or prongs, which is why real jadau looks like colour poured straight into metal. Our Jadau collection recreates that look in imitation form — the flat, glowing, uncut-stone finish, the enamel and pearl detailing, the slightly old-world weight — at a price you can wear to a mehndi without a second thought.
It reads as heritage. Chokers, maang tikkas, jhoomars and heavy earrings all live here. It is the look most Kashmiri and North-Indian brides reach for, and it photographs beautifully under warm evening light.
American diamond, or AD, is cubic zirconia — a lab-made stone cut with the same facets as a diamond so it throws light the same way. Our American Diamond collection is where the sparkle lives: rings, bangles, tops and pendant sets that catch every flash of a camera.
It reads as modern and clean. Where jadau glows, AD flashes. It suits a walima, an office party, a reception, or any evening where the lighting is bright and you want your hands and ears to move with light.
The look. Jadau is warm, flat and traditional; AD is bright, faceted and contemporary.
The occasion. Jadau for mehndi, nikah, and anything with a pheran or a heavy lehenga. AD for walima, receptions, cocktail evenings and daily wear that still wants a little glint.
Comfort. AD pieces are generally lighter, which matters if you are wearing earrings for eight hours. Jadau chokers and jhoomars carry more presence and a little more weight — worth it for the big day, less so for a long workday.
Care. Both hate perfume, sweat and water. Jadau's enamel and pearls are the more delicate of the two; wipe it dry and store it closed. AD forgives a little more but dulls if you shower in it.
Price. Within our range the two overlap a lot. The difference you feel is in the size of the piece, not the type of stone.
If you are the bride, or dressing one, you will almost certainly want jadau for the mehndi and nikah and AD for the walima — most brides end up with both. If you are a guest, ask what you are wearing: a pheran, a traditional suit or a heavy dupatta wants jadau; a gown, a saree with a modern blouse or a sharp suit wants AD. If you are buying for every day, AD tops or a slim gold-plated bangle will get worn far more than a jadau choker ever will.
Still unsure? Send us a photo of the outfit on WhatsApp at +91 98027 00655 and we will tell you honestly which pieces will work. Our Kashmiri bridal guide goes deeper into what to wear at each wedding function, and the Size & Care page covers keeping either one looking new.