Cartier. Bangle, 1937, diamonds and a double row of rubies set in platinum with a 19th century Indian central motif of a flower set with cabochon rubies and diamonds and gold back enamelled with flowers. 2001,0505.4. © The Trustees of the British Museum

The central motif with its enamelled flower sprays in white and green on a red ground on the reverse is characteristic of Jaipur work. The inner row of diamonds at the front however, bordering the central egg-shaped ruby, are an addition made by Cartier. To set off this antique Indian ornament Cartier have created a complete contrast: an up-to-date asymmetrical rigid scroll edged with geometric baton diamonds. The two rows of strung ruby beads preserve the Indian character of the central motif, but their colour is completely different: the rubies set in gold have taken on much of the gold colour of the setting that encloses them.
For the 'kundan' setting method, see O. Untracht, 'Jewelry Concepts and Technology' London 1982, p. 614, from which the following is taken: The word 'kundan' in Hindi means pure gold, and is applied to a flush stone closed setting type commonly practiced in India in the ancient past and still used today. A flat setting is gouged out of the gold, the stone placed into it, and a strip of folded pure gold foil is anchored by pressing it down with a burnisher into the space between the stone and the setting flange. The gold strip is then pressed completely around the stone and burnished down. Because pure gold is completely weldable in a cold state simply by compression, it forms a solid wedge that permanently holds the stone in place.