I'm not sure to what extent your question has already been answered,
but there is a brief but clear account of the Kundan inlay process on
pp.117-118 of:
UNTRACHT, Oppi. Traditional jewelry of India. London: Thames and
Hudson, 1997.
As an acknowledged authority on the techniques of decorative
metalwork, Untracht's account can be accepted as reliable. Essentially,
the Kundan technique solves the problem of inlaying gold, either alone or
as a key for enamels or gemstones, in brittle materials such as jade
where heating or hammering would be impossible. It is based on
'pressure welding' or 'cold welding', a property exhibited by gold when
extremely pure. Highly refined gold leaf is folded into thin strips, and
these are worked into grooves or recesses in the stone with specially
shaped tools. On application of a comparatively small force, diffusion
bonding takes place, and the gold strips unite to form a very soft but
continuous mass of metal, strong enough for the desired purpose. The
process will of course only work if there is no significant oxide film on
the metal - hence the need for very high purity. While pressure welding
may be otherwise uncommon in the decorative arts it does have
industrial applications, and was the basis of an early method for making
dental gold fillings by building them up in situ with gold leaf.
Nigel Seeley.
>>> Richard Furrer <[log in to unmask]> 4/February/2002 03:12pm >>>
Hello all,
Is anyone aware of research on the history and technique of Indian
Kundan jewelry. There is a traveling exhibit of Muhgal jewelry in the US
and the exhibit catalog mentions this technique as uniquely Indian in
origin. I have been unable to locate any informaton on the technique
itself.
http://www.athenapub.com/10mugh.htm
http://www.clevelandart.org/whatsnew/news.asp?47
Richard Furrer
Sturgeon Bay, WI
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