Kolkata is a major center for Gems and Jewelry (Jewelery, Jewellery) in India. Kolkata manufactures huge quantity of diamond, gold and other Jewelry (Jewelery, Jewellery). It sells highest quantity of Graharatna (Rashiratna / Navaratna) in India. Kolkata is the second largest consumer of diamonds in the world after New York.

Bengali artisans of Kolkata are the best in India in crafting gold and studded Jewelry. Bengali artisans are found all over India in manufacturing diamond and other studded Jewelry ((Jewelery, Jewellery). They are so famous and skilled that Jewelry artisans are nicknamed as Bengali in other parts of India. Most of them come from Domzur region of Kolkata. Another big colony of these artisans are situated in Kasaripada region.

Gold Jewelry: Kolkata is renowned for its gold Jewelry since centuries. Lakkhi Babu, P.C. Chandra, B.C. Sen, G.C. Addy are few famous names in traditional Bengali gold Jewelry. Kolkata uses tons of gold to manufacture and consume gold Jewelry. Bengali, Rajasthani and Gujratis are the main customers of these gold Jewelry.

Diamond Jewelry: Traditionally Bengalis are not the consumers of diamond jewelry. Mainly Rajasthani (Marwadi) and Gujratis in Kolkata love to wear diamond Jewelry. Most of the diamond Jewelry shops are owned by Marwadi Jewelers (Jewellers) besides some of Gujratis and others. Traditional Bengali Jewelers now have also been started adopting this business.

Diamonds and solitaires: Kolkata is manufacturing hub for diamond jewelry because of availability of cheap and skilled artisans. It uses huge quantity of small diamonds as raw material in manufacturing Jewelry.

Wealthy merchants of Kolkata have love for big sized diamonds. Solitaires between three to ten carats are very popular and sell in high price.

Marwadi females love to wear big sized diamonds studded in tops and nose pins. Nose pins with bigger sized diamonds are typical to Marwadi females in Kolkata only. They also love to wear diamonds studded Churis. Churi is an Indian version of Bangles, a slick variety. Both females and males wear solitaires in rings. Males of Kolkata typically use diamond buttons.

Graharatna: Graha means Planet in Indian languages and Ratna Means Gemstones. So the word Graha Ratna Means gemstones for planets. According to Indian astrology each planet has been assigned particular gemstones. These are called Graharatna in Kolkata. Those are also called Navaratna and Rashi Ratna in other parts of India.

Kolkata is known for its Graharatna business. Kolkata consumes maximum quantity of Graharatna in India. There are plenty of shops selling Graharatna. Most of these retail shops are situated in Bowbazar (Bepin Behari Ganguly street), Hathibagan (Aurobindo Sarani) and Gariahat. There are many other retail shops in other parts of Kolkata also. Wholesale market of Graharatna is in Sonapatty for better quality goods and in Zakaria street for commercial quality.

Kolkata sells huge quantity of Graharatna. Annual sales of Graharatna in Kolkata are about Rs.1000 million, as per an assumption. Kolkata supplies Graharatna to the rest of Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Tripura, Orissa, Jharkhand, and some parts of Uttar Pradesh.

Kolkata also exports Graharatna to the neighboring countries Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Large number of Marwadi industrialists, merchants and traders has been living in Kolkata since 19th century. They traditionally love Kundan Meena Jadau Jewelry, artistic Jewelry of Mogul pattern. These are symbol of old traditions. Most of the Marwari (Rajasthani) families posses huge quantity of Kundan Meena Jadau Jewelry. Despite they like to buy more.

These are also seen as bridal Jewellery (Jewelry, Jewelery). kundan Meena with various colors and art are even in fashion nowadays. These are trendy.

Besides Rajasthani Gujratis and Punjabis along with Muslim community like Kundan Meena Jadau Jewelry. It is not popular among common Bengalies.

Kolkata also manufactures Meena Jewelry in French and English style. These are different from Kundan Meena Jadau Jewelry manufactured in Jaipur, Bikaner, Hyderabad, Sardarshahar and Varanasi. Kolkata does not use Kundan Jadau but goes with Meena (Enamel) only.

Bhawanipur region of Kolkata is renowned for its enamel work. They work on silver as well as gold.

Kolkata people also love Precious and Semi Precious gem stones and Beads.

Please do not leave the hub. History of Kolkata Jewelers below.

Job Charnoc, an officer in East India Company established Kolkata city merging three villages Sutanuti, govindopur and Kolikata. Clive Lloyd, governor, The East India company, defeated Sirazuddaula, Nawab of Murshidabad in the battle of Plassey and captured Bengal in 1757. The East India Company transferred its Capital from Murshidabad to Kolkata. Kolkata was known as Calcutta at that time.

Wazid Ali Khan, Nawab of Awadh (Lucknow) was defeated by the Britishers in 1857. Calcutta (Kolkata) was established as capital of East India company (later on of British India) and as the most progressive city in India by that time. Most of the Shrimal Jain Jewellers (Jewelers) of Lucknow shifted their business from Lucknow to Calcutta (Kolkata) after decline of Wazid Ali Khan, Nawab of Awadh. They started their Gems and Jewelry (jewelery, jewellery) business in Calcutta (Kolkata) and found their fortune in the place.

Rai Badridas Bahadoor, son of Kalkadas Sindhar, was foremost among them. He had been appointed as the Court Jewelers of H.E. the Viceroy and Governor General of India and awarded the title of "Mookim". He established his firm Rai Badridas Bahadoor Mookim and Sons, Jewellers. Rai Badridas Bahadoor Mookim was also founder of Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industries. This was the first National chamber of commerce in India.

He also built famous Parashnath temple at 36, Badridas temple street, Maniktalla, Kolkata, that is placed in the tourist map of India. Sukhlal Johari residing at 83, Beadon street also built a temple near Parasnath temple (27,Badridas temple street) and some other jewelers collectively built Jain Dadabadi at 29, Badridas temple street. Ganeshilal Kapoorchand Kharad built Chandaprabhu Jain Temple near the same.

Rai Badridas Bahadoor Mookim was instrumental to bring many Shrimal Jain Jewelers from Lucknow and Delhi. Most of the Shrimal Jain Jewelers were residing at Beadon street in Maniktalla at that time. The area was named as Maniktalla because most of the Jewelers at that time deal in Manik (Indian name for ruby). We have to remember that Myanmar (Burma) was part of India at that time. Myanmar produces best quality of rubies in the world. Jewelers of Kolkata used to procure Ruby, sapphire and spinal rough from Burma and Siam (Thailand) for cutting and polishing. Kolkata was developed as major cutting and polishing center for ruby and sapphires. They had been exporting cut and polished rubies, spinals and sapphires to Europe and America.

Tank, Mehamwal, Parsan, Kharad, Badalia, Tambi, Bhandia, Phanpu, Dhandhia, Sukhani, Nakhat, Seth, Mogha and Jharchur were some of the renowned Jewelers family besides Mookim at that period.

Chunnilal Manikchand, Labhchand Motichand, Thakurlal Hiralal etc were some of the famous Jewelers' houses.

Likes of Hamilton company and Walters were some of the famous European Jewelry houses in Kolkata.