Spiritually-aligned and stylish, navratna jewellery are perfect to bring colour (and luck) to your bijoux box. And what bride doesn’t want a bit of both? Shoulder-dusters to studs, necklaces to bracelets, navratna pieces harness mystic symbolism of gemstones to create talismanic keepsakes. Regardless of the silhouette or shade you’re likely to sport on your big day, be it pastel or bright colour, lehenga or sari, they promise to punctuate any wedding outfit.
“In ancient times it was believed the navratna should be worn to balance the influence of the navagrahas (nine planets) in a person’s emotional, mental and material status. Each of these planets have their corresponding celestial Gods, which are associated with nine gemstones known as navratna. The nine Gods are sun (ruby), moon (pearl), mercury (emerald), Venus (diamond), Saturn (blue sapphire), mars (red coral), Jupiter (topaz), dragon’s head (hessonite) and dragon’s tail (cat’s eye),” explains Puja Shah, Ahmedabad-based jeweller and founder of renowned jewellery brands Aurus and Moi. From ornate necklaces to dainty maang tikkas, Puja has long been dabbling with navratna gems to create heirloom-worthy pieces, each supercharged with powerful, potent spiritual energies of navratna and statement- making prowess.
While Aurus’ navratna jewels are designed as scene-stealers, Puja feels it is the spiritual symbolism that has given them staying power in sartorial expressions. “For some, it evokes nostalgia. For others, a beacon of positive energy. The millennial bride is a lot more discerning. She is conscientious and curates pieces that are heirloom-worthy, making navratna a winning choice. Team a navratna necklace with simple ear studs or elaborate navratna chandbalis with a polki maangtikka and a ring,” suggests Puja.
Bollywood celebrities who have wowed in navratna jewels
Navratna jewellery have also got a stamp of approval from Bollywood’s stylish set. Mira Rajput Kapoor opted for a gorgeous set for her wedding with Shahid Kapoor in 2016. Another note-worthy Bollywood bridal look was seen on Kajal Aggarwal, who wore an eye-catching navratna set by Sunita Shekhawat in 2020 with her orange Shyamal & Bhumika anarkali.
Shilpa Shetty Kundra showcased how a navratna choker can be styled with a cocktail gown too. Pooja Hegde gave a lesson in elevating a gold lehenga with a gemstone necklace by Raniwala 1881 set when attending a wedding.
Exquisite necklaces by Amrapali Jewels won Madhuri Dixit and former Khush cover girl Aditi Rao Hydari’s vote. While the former actress wore her neckpiece with a red sari, Aditi styled her piece with a rani pink Ridhi Mehra sharara set in March 2024.
For her mid-pandemic wedding in 2020, Kajal Aggarwal slipped into an orange Shyamal & Bhumika three-piece set for the lunch party that saw a traditional Punjabi dhol, lots of dancing and a kalire ceremony. Kajal wore a beautiful navratna choker, which is set in 22 carat gold and encrusted with all natural gemstones, polki, diamonds and pearls by Sunita Shekhawat Jaipur.
From navratna necklaces to earrings, we have curated some of our favourite pieces from various jewellers to inspire your wedding trousseau buys. Check out our gallery below.
