Project Title: Design Approach to Kundan Jewellery - Development of a Tool to Study Preferential Likeness of Articles Using Mother Grid and Form Clusters In a Methodical Manner

Supervisor: Prof Vijay Bapat

India has a rich tradition of jewellery and there are a number of styles of jewellery making in practice. Kundan is a type of traditional Indian jewellery that uses a framework of gold crafted in intricate details. A smallest semantic unit, often identifiable by a name, is fundamental building block of Kundan jewellery. An assemblage of these put together in a certain manner constitutes a form-cluster, which in turn by repetition, constitute an article. This study is focussed on forms created by smallest semantic units and their interplay with each other.

An early part of study elucidates preferential semantic units, arranged in a particular manner as form clusters. Form clusters created by these preferential semantic units consequently influence likeness in a positive way.

Jewellery was seldom studied with a scientific point of view where precise measurements and mathematical interpretation of articles under observation were possible. Studies so far were limited to documentation of existing pieces, family heirlooms and collection of royalty published in form of photographic documentation. This study was driven by the need of a tool to objectively study Kundan jewellery. A grid was proposed and developed for that purpose.

The grid, for purpose of understanding, was a three dimensional visual array in the form of plates. Test plates in actual size were made for presentation to subjects. This grid was designed to test effect of three variables namely cluster pitch, variety in proximity and number of semantic units in a form cluster. This three-dimensional model was used as a virtual “test space” to see in which area of this space preferential likeness of subjects fell.

Publications:
- "Understanding Features of Form in Fine Jewellery, by Overt Eye Movement Studies-Catch People Watching Jewels", 2007, (Development in Agriculture and Industrial Ergonomics, Volume-1, HWWE 2007, Bhopal ISBN - 978-81-8424-448-9)

- "Identification and Classification of Semantic Units Used in Formation of Patterns in Kundan Jewellery, a Methodical Approach", 2010, (Design Thoughts, 2010, IDC, IIT Bombay ISBN - 978-81-906815-0-6)

- "Investigation of Form Clusters Made of Smallest Semantic Units and Patterns they Create as Building Blocks of Kundan jewellery", 2011, (Research into Design, Supporting sustainable product development, Research Publishing, ICORD 2011, Bangalore ISBN - 978-981-08-7721-7)
- "Design Approach to Kundan Jewellery-Development of A Tool to Study Preferential Likeness of Articles using Mother Grid and Form Clusters in A Methodical Manner", 2011, (Research into Design, Supporting sustainable product development, Research Publishing, ICORD 2011, Bangalore ISBN - 978-981-08-7721-7)

- "Kundan Jewellery and Design - A Research Agenda for SME Jewellery Manufacturers", 2012 (International Journal of Enterprise Network Management ISBN-1748-1252/60)

Contact details:
Industrial Design Centre,
IIT Bombay ,
Powai, Mumbai 400076

Telephone:
091-022-25767812

E-mail:paragvyas[at]iitb.ac.in