What is Meenakari work and where does it come from

Enamelling on metal has roots in Persia, and the craft is widely believed to have reached India and flourished under Mughal patronage. The word itself is often linked to 'mina', a Persian word associated with the colour of the sky, a nod to how important blues were in early work.

In Rajasthan, Raja Man Singh of Amber is often credited with bringing skilled enamellers to his court, which is one reason Jaipur became so strongly associated with the art. Accounts differ on the details, but there is no doubt that Jaipur has been a centre of Meenakari for a very long time.

Other regions developed their own styles. Varanasi is known for gulabi meenakari, where soft pink is painted onto silver, often with tiny floral motifs. Nathdwara, Bikaner and parts of Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh have their own colour palettes and designs.

In the traditional method, the metal (usually gold or silver) is first shaped and then engraved, creating shallow grooves where colour will sit. Enamel powder is mixed into a paste and filled into these grooves one colour at a time.

Each colour has to be fired separately, starting with the one that can bear the highest heat. That is why a piece with five colours takes far longer than a piece with one. After firing, the surface is polished until the enamel sits smooth and level with the metal.

Most fashion jewellery uses a modern, affordable version of the look. Instead of fired glass enamel, colour is often applied as a cold enamel or lacquer that sets without a kiln. It gives the same cheerful effect at a much lower cost, but it behaves a little differently.

• Fired enamel has a deep, glassy shine and feels hard and cool, like glass.
• Cold enamel or paint tends to look slightly softer and can be scratched more easily with a fingernail or a key.
• Fired enamel can chip if dropped, but does not rub off. Painted finishes can wear away slowly where they rub against skin or fabric.
• Neither type should be cleaned with harsh chemicals or abrasive powders.

Whatever the method, quality shows in the details. Colours should stay inside their outlines, with clean edges where red meets green or white meets blue. The surface should be smooth to the touch, without bubbles, pits or rough patches. Thin metal lines between colours should be even and unbroken.

Also look at the edges of the enamel near hooks and joints. These are the spots that take the most knocks, so a well-made piece will have the colour sitting slightly below the metal rim rather than right at the edge, where it chips easily.

Meenakari is everywhere once you start noticing it. Jhumkas with enamelled domes, chandbalis with painted peacocks, Kundan necklaces with a fully enamelled reverse side, and bangles with floral bands of colour are all common.

One lovely detail: in many traditional Kundan pieces, the meena work is on the back, facing the wearer's skin. It was a private beauty, and it also makes a reversible necklace possible. When buying a Kundan set, flip it over. A neat meena back is a sign of care in the making.

If you like this look in a light, wearable form, Varaha's Kundan and Meenakari earrings are a simple way to add colour to an outfit.

Meenakari is colourful, so let it lead. Pick one enamel colour from the jewellery and repeat it somewhere in your outfit, such as the border of a saree or the dupatta. With a plain cotton or chanderi suit, a pair of meena jhumkas is often all the jewellery you need. With a busy printed outfit, choose pieces where the enamel is a small accent rather than the main surface.

Wipe Meenakari with a soft, dry cloth after wearing. Keep it away from perfume, sanitiser and hairspray, which can dull the colour over time. Store pieces separately so metal edges do not scratch the enamel, and handle them over a bed or carpet when putting them on, since a fall onto a hard floor is the most common way enamel chips.