The polki diamond cut is one of the oldest gemstone cuts in the world. In fact, it has a long history that began in India about 2,500 years ago. Thanks to its regal look, Indian royalty adorned themselves with polki cut diamond jewelry for centuries. Over time, non-royals eventually adopted polki diamond jewelry as well. This post is strictly educational. Clean Origin carries no polki diamond assortment at this time, but we encourage you to seek out any and all ethical alternatives to mined diamonds.
Polki stones continue to be popular in India (especially in wedding jewelry designs) today. But if you’ve never heard of polki cut diamonds, that’s not surprising. The demand for faceted diamonds with high sparkle and shine overshadows the demand for polki. But that doesn’t make polki any less lovely.
Continue reading to learn more about this natural beauty.
What Is a Polki Diamond?
Polki diamonds are uncut diamonds in their rough, natural state. They have no facets and receive no major polishing.
Polki will generally have one flat side and one pointed side; either side can be used in jewelry, but the flat side usually faces upward. In traditional Indian jewelry design, jewelers commonly set polki in 24k gold. They also add silver foil backing to the polki in order to make them shine brighter.
Is a Polki Cut Diamond Expensive?
Raw, uncut diamonds are generally less expensive than their faceted counterparts. Therefore, since a polki is in its natural state, it will be more affordable. However, when it comes to entire pieces of polki diamond jewelry the price does increase quite a bit.
Polki diamond jewelry can be expensive. This is because jewelry designs (especially for wedding jewelry) that contain polki diamonds include other precious metals and stones. Metals like 24k gold, as well as emerald, pearl, and ruby gemstones, are prominent in polki jewelry.
Aside from the cost of materials to create polki diamond jewelry, other factors affect cost too. The time needed to create the jewelry designs makes polki diamond jewelry expensive. Because polki are raw diamonds, no two are exactly the same; a jewelry designer can spend a lot of time looking for polki that are similar in size, shape, and quality for their designs.
Do Polki Diamonds Have Any Value?
Polki diamonds don’t have much resale value. If they are set into jewelry they can be difficult to remove–they can possibly break or damage easily. If anything, they will have sentimental value and can be passed down within families.
Are Polki Diamonds Real Diamonds?
Yes, polki diamonds are real diamonds. In fact, they’re about as real as a diamond can possibly be considering they are in their natural state.
Types of Polki Diamonds
There are 3 types of polki diamonds: Syndicate, Zimbabwe, and Khilwas.
Syndicate
The highest quality polki diamond available.
Zimbabwe
Polki diamonds that come from Zimbabwe in Africa.
Khilwas
The lowest quality of polki diamonds availble.
It’s important to note that even though polki are not cut, polished, or faceted, they (like other natural diamonds and gemstones) are sometimes treated to enhance their appearance.
In particular, khilwas most commonly receive treatment. They might receive filler in order to enhance their color and clarity. This can make them more appealing for use in jewelry.
Are Polki Diamonds Graded?
A polki diamond is not graded according to the 4C’s (color, cut, clarity, and carat weight). Rather, this uncut diamond gets evaluated based on its overall look and color.
Someone shopping for polki might consider inclusions when they choose a diamond, but that is a preference that can go either way. For instance, one jewelry designer may prefer polki diamonds with less visible inclusions. Yet, another designer may prefer the raw, old-world look of an included diamond. It just depends on the style they desire for the polki jewelry they plan to create.
If you’re more concerned about buying polki diamond jewelry with less inclusions, pay attention to that aspect. You should also look for stones that are on the brighter side, with the least visible color.
East Meets West for the Polki Diamond Cut
Thanks to their subtle glow and earthy appeal, these truly natural diamonds are capturing the attention of jewelry designers around the globe. If these natural diamonds appeal to you, you should know that a polki diamond ring, necklace, or even bracelet is becoming easier to find outside of India.
Be aware, though, that modern polki diamond jewelry sometimes contains polki that are lightly faceted. So if you’re looking for more traditional stones, then this is something you should pay attention to.
And while we admire polki cut diamonds for their subtle beauty, at Clean Origin we only sell lab grown diamonds and lab created diamond jewelry. If you decide you’d like your diamond jewelry to have some more sparkle and shine, we are confident we have something you will love at a price to fit your budget.
Shop with us, today!
