Peacock Kashmiri Facelet with Enamel Work

The peacock is the most used motif in Indian jewellery and the hardest to do well at a small scale, because the whole bird depends on the fan of its tail. Here it is rendered twice — once as a large openwork silhouette and once as a compact enamelled form — and carried on a rimless gold-tone frame that rests on the nose and hooks over the ears.

The Boldest Piece in the Range

Of the four facelets, this is the one that announces itself. The motifs are larger, the enamel is deeper, and the asymmetry between the two sides means the piece looks different from each angle — openwork and airy from one side, solid and jewel-toned from the other. If the point of wearing face jewellery is to be the person in the room wearing something nobody else has, this is the design that does it.

Design Details

The openwork peacock is pierced right through, so skin shows between the lines of the tail and the shape stays light despite its size. Its counterpart is filled with red and green meenakari enamel in the traditional Kashmiri pairing, set into recesses in the metal so the colour sits flush rather than raised. The frame is fine brass wire in a gold tone, curved at the bridge and running back in long arms. Despite the scale of the motifs, the construction is hollow and open, so it stays light on the nose.

How to Wear It

Rest the bridge on the nose and hook the arms over the ears, as with spectacles. No piercing and no clip. Put it on last, after hair and make-up are finished, and adjust only by easing the arms.

How to Style It

Wear nothing else on the face or ears. This piece needs the whole canvas: no nath, no earrings, no maang tikka. Pull hair back completely so the arms and both motifs stay visible, and keep the outfit plain enough that the enamel reads — a solid silk, a plain georgette, or a single-colour lehenga. Against heavy zari or a busy print the peacocks disappear, which wastes the design entirely.

Who It Is For

Brides at mehendi and sangeet, editorial and bridal photography, festival content, and anyone building a look around one unmistakable piece.

Care

Enamel is tougher than it looks but chips if knocked against a hard surface, so store this flat in its pouch rather than loose in a jewellery box. Put it on after make-up and hairspray, wipe it with a dry soft cloth after wearing, and use a dry soft brush through the openwork tail where a cloth cannot reach.

Product Details

Type: Facelet face chain, rimless spectacle style. Metal: Brass. Finish: Gold-tone plating. Work: Openwork peacock and red-green meenakari enamel peacock. Fit: Rests on the nose, hooks over both ears. No piercing required. Available in a classic gold tone.