| Metal | Brass |
| Stone Type | Kundan |
| Weight (g) | 23.00 |
| Colour | Yellow |
| Occasion | Wedding |
A round disc densely set with small coloured stones around a raised centre, worn high on the curve of the outer ear and held in place by a fine pin that passes behind. This is a bugadi, and it sits where almost no other Indian earring does.
The bugadi is a Maharashtrian ornament, traditionally worn on the upper curve of the ear rather than the lobe, and it appears in Marathi bridal jewellery alongside the nath and the mundavalya. It is one of the few genuinely regional earring forms still in production, and wearing one reads as specific — it belongs to a particular place in a way that a jhumka or a chandbali, which are worn everywhere, does not.
The disc is filled with small stones set close together in individual gold cups, radiating outward from a raised domed centre so the surface is slightly convex rather than flat. Around the outer edge a plain gold rim contains the stone field. Behind the disc, a fine pin curves down and back, holding the piece against the ear by gentle pressure with no piercing required.
An ear cuff is held by the shape of the ear rather than by a piercing. The curved band eases over the outer rim and grips gently by tension. No piercing is needed where it sits, so it suits anyone with a single piercing who wants the look of several, and it comes off instantly. Ease it on from the side rather than pushing it straight down, and never bend the band wide open to fit — that is what loosens an ear cuff permanently.
Hair fully up with the ear exposed — a bugadi worn under loose hair is simply invisible. It is traditionally worn with the lobe left bare or carrying only a small stud, so the upper ear is the focus. Pair it with a nath for a complete Maharashtrian look, or wear it alone with a plain silk for something more contemporary.
Weddings, traditional Maharashtrian functions, festivals and photo shoots.
Light and secure when correctly seated. The disc is small and the pin distributes the pressure, so there should be no pinching. Reposition rather than tighten if it feels wrong.
This piece is brass finished with a gold-tone plating rather than solid gold, which is what keeps the price where it is and the weight low enough for comfortable wear. Plating is a surface rather than a bulk property, so how long it lasts depends almost entirely on what it is exposed to. Perfume, hairspray, sweat, soap and chlorinated water all shorten its life; a dry cloth after wearing and a closed pouch between wearings extend it considerably.
Put this on after perfume, hairspray and foundation. Wipe with a dry soft cloth after wearing and use a dry soft brush around the stone settings. Store it flat in a pouch so the curve keeps its shape, and never use toothpaste, bleach or an ultrasonic cleaner.
Type: Bugadi ear pin, no piercing required. Metal: Brass. Finish: Gold-tone plating. Work: Stone-studded convex disc with a raised centre, plain rim and fine securing pin. Available in a single colourway.
| Metal | Brass |
| Stone Type | Kundan |
| Weight (grams) | 23.00 |
| Colour/Finish | Yellow |
| Occasion | Wedding |
| Gender | women |
| SKU/Product Code | KEYU9-1A61C98750 |
