At Wanderlust Jewelry, our founders hand-pick pieces from artisans in India, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia and Hong Kong, along with pieces made here in South Africa. Of all those places, India has one of the richest jewellery traditions in the world, and jewellery from India is part of our story. This is the story of our journey to Jaipur, and a look at why India matters so much to anyone who loves gems.
Our journey to the Jaipur Jewellery Show
Our founders travel to India for the Jaipur Jewellery Show almost every year; the most recent trip began on 12 April 2026. We go to explore Indian jewellery first-hand, meet the people who make it, and bring back a curated selection of pieces for our collections. The pieces in our new arrivals came home with us from that April 2026 trip.
What drew us was the sense that every piece of Indian jewellery tells a story. That idea, that a piece of jewellery can carry a story with it, is at the heart of Wanderlust Jewelry: Where Every Piece Tells a Story.
Jaipur: the Pink City of gems
Jaipur is one of the great gem and jewellery cities of the world. In 2015 a field team from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) visited the city to document its entire gem and jewellery industry, from coloured-stone cutting and wholesale trading to jewellery design, manufacturing and retail. Their report, published in GIA's journal Gems & Gemology, describes Jaipur as a centre for coloured gemstone cutting as well as traditional, modern and fusion jewellery manufacturing.
According to GIA, Jaipur was once known mainly as a coloured-stone cutting centre, and has since climbed the value chain into jewellery manufacturing and retail by combining experience and tradition with technology and innovation. The Jaipur Jewellery Show is one of the city's major trade events.
Indian jewellery traditions: kundan, meenakari and polki
If you are new to Indian jewellery, three words come up again and again. GIA defines them like this:
- Kundan: a traditional form of jewellery in which very thin 24-karat gold foil, usually pounded into long strips, is burnished around gemstones to help set them.
- Meenakari (meena): a style of enamelling. The word comes from meena (enamel) and kari, the art of fusing glass onto precious metal.
- Polki: uncut diamonds, or diamonds fashioned to resemble uncut diamonds.
India's place in gem history
India's connection with gems goes back thousands of years:
- Diamond: according to GIA, diamonds were gathered from India's rivers and streams and traded as early as the fourth century BCE, long before the famous South African finds near Kimberley.
- Moonstone: India and Sri Lanka are the most important sources of moonstone today.
- Garnet: India is among the countries where garnet is found.
- Ruby: in ancient India, ruby was called ratnaraj, the king of precious stones.
Indian tradition also holds some of the most charming gem folklore. For centuries, many people in India have believed that topaz worn above the heart brings long life, beauty and intelligence, and in Indian astrology garnet is associated with self-confidence and mental clarity.
These are traditional beliefs, not proven effects, and are no substitute for medical advice.
What hand-picked means for you
Our founders choose pieces from artisans in several countries, and buying from Wanderlust Jewelry South Africa also comes with some practical reassurance:
- See the exact piece: schedule a video call with one of our consultants to see the piece before you buy (WhatsApp 068 613 6350).
- Fast dispatch: orders placed before 11:00 on working days are dispatched the same day. See delivery and payment.
- Returns: 30-day returns; personalised pieces cannot be returned unless faulty. See our returns page.
- The right fit: use the printable ring sizer on our size guide; rings over R2,000 include a free first resize within 30 days.
- Make it personal: words and symbols are priced in the engraving box as you type, and we can also engrave a fingerprint or paw print (R1,500) or handwriting or a drawing (R1,200). See the engraving guide.
Shop hand-picked jewellery from India and beyond
From sterling silver set with coloured gems to pieces made right here in South Africa, our collections reflect the places our founders travel. Browse our new arrivals, explore our gemstone jewellery and sterling silver jewellery, or discover moonstone jewellery.
Let your wanderlust guide you.