Dual Tone Nandi Juda Pin with Coloured Stone

The figure on this juda pin is Nandi — the bull who sits facing Shiva in every Shaivite temple in India, and who appears in jewellery far less often than he appears in stone. He is modelled standing in profile, head slightly turned, with the hump and the folds of the dewlap picked out and a small bell at the throat. The finish is a matte silver tone rather than a bright one, which suits a temple figure: polished, he would read as ornament, while matte he reads as sculpture.

Set into his flank is a single teardrop stone in a raised gold bezel, and that stone is the only colour on the piece. It comes in four: green, red, ruby red and blue. Because there is just one stone, the colour choice changes the character of the whole pin rather than being a detail — green reads temple, blue reads unexpected and modern, and the two reds read festive.

The stone is Monalisa glass, which has a soft internal glow rather than a hard sparkle. Against matte silver that is the right choice; a brilliant-cut zirconia would have looked set into the wrong object.

The pin is 5.5 inches, a full-size two-prong fork rather than a short decorative one. The prongs are plain, smooth and slightly tapered, and they are what actually hold the hair: they pass through the coil of a bun and the friction keeps everything in place without a clip or a band. For thick or heavy hair this is a far more secure method than any clasp, and it is why juda pins are still made in this length rather than shortened for looks.

Push it in at the edge of the bun angled slightly downwards, let both prongs travel under the coil, and bring the tips back out the far side so they rest against the head. Pushed straight in it will loosen within an hour; threaded through properly it will not move.

Wear it with the hair drawn back smoothly so the figure is seen in profile, which is how it is modelled to be read. It works with a cotton saree, with a plain kurta and with temple-style jewellery, and it is a good piece for anyone who wants something devotional in their hair without it being obvious from the front.

A note on hairspray, which matters more for hair ornaments than for any other kind of jewellery. A pin sits directly in the spray, so it collects far more of it than a necklace ever does, and the film it leaves is slightly acidic and dulls plating faster than anything else in ordinary use. Spray first, let it dry fully, then put the pin in; wipe the metal with a dry cloth when you take it out. That one habit is the difference between a plated pin lasting a season and lasting years.

Base metal is brass with gold and silver tone platings. Stock varies by colour and the four shades do not move at the same rate, so this is listed for WhatsApp enquiry rather than direct checkout — tell us which colour you want and we will confirm what is in hand.

About the Dual-Tone Finish

Dual-tone means two platings on one piece — a bright silver tone and a warm gold tone, applied to different parts of the same design so each section reads separately. It is harder than a single finish because the two have to be masked off from one another, and it is why these pieces show their detail so clearly: the eye separates the gold elements from the silver ones before it has read a single stone. The base metal underneath is brass, so this is plating rather than solid gold or silver.

Care

Put this on after perfume, hairspray and hand cream, and take it off before washing, swimming or sleeping. Wipe with a dry soft cloth and use a dry soft brush around the stone settings and between any pearls, where a cloth cannot reach. Store it in a zip-lock pouch — which is what the supplier themselves advise, and the single most effective thing for a plated piece, because it keeps humid air off the metal. Never use silver polish, dip cleaners or an ultrasonic cleaner.