India is a country well-known for its famous marble and marble products. The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built the popular Taj Mahal made entirely in marble in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Curios, like jewelry boxes, sold in the marketplace of India are made with marble. Big marble jewelry boxes are given to brides from Kashmir and Lucknow as part of tradition. The box is usually decorated with tassels and covered with velvet.

Whenever the bride leaves her father’s house, she carries with her the marble box to bring to her husband’s house. People in North India store their precious jewelry and their holy books in these boxes. The Quran, the holy book of the Muslims, is usually kept inside a marble box that is placed on the top shelf of their cupboard. Marble stones are cut, shaped, and polished in order to bring out the natural shine.

Onyx, a semi precious stone known for its translucence and color, which is also much sought after belongs to the mineral family of marble. Marble jewelry boxes come in various shapes and colors and their cost depends on the work done on the box. The common shapes of marble jewelry boxes include rectangle, square, round, oval, round, octagon, and heart shaped. They usually have a mesh design carved on the sides and on the lids of the boxes.

Various designs are also painted on these boxes using a combination of gold and black or silver and black paints. There are marble boxes with stone work carefully done to give them brilliance and color. Marble comes in a variety of pastel colors like pink, green, smoky grey and black. In order to achieve these shades, they go through various processing stages in factories. The Jaipur marble boxes are not just light weight, they are also extremely attractive.

Jewelry and other precious materials are safe because of the fine latches attached to these boxes. There are decorative boxes shaped like little handbags with a handle and the latch is usually made of brass. There’s also the very popular black marble box with Mughal designs, which is so exquisitely carved. Marble boxes with the image of the Taj Mahal inlaid on them are very common – you’ll find black boxes inlaid with white marble making the contrast more dramatic.

Shells and bead work are also commonly seen on marble boxes. Bangle boxes made of marble are quite beautiful with precious stones embedded on them. There are boxes with enamel work in different colors. Aluminum beading is usually used in order to fix the enamel work.

These exquisitely carved marble jewelry boxes are created by artisans in remote villages in the state of Rajasthan and in the Pink City in Jaipur. These artisans use tools that they make themselves and it is believed that they do not use another craftsman’s tools.

While men do he carvings and the designs, the women do the ornaments with stone work.As their only means of livelihood, these people rely heavily on jewelry box making. The jewelry boxes are sent to Agra and other tourist centers to be sold.

One of the best souvenirs you can take home with you is a beautifully handcrafted marble jewelry box from India.

This article was written by Rachael Celia Berlie and Oliver Ocampo of MarqART Gift Shop. Our jewelry boxes are original works of art, no two creations are the same. Each wood shown has its own unique wood grain pattern and color. MarqART comes from combining the words marquetry (wood inlay) + Art (a creation of beauty) an apt name for our products. A fine addition to your dressing table or as a gift. Please visit http://www.marqartgiftshop.com to browse & buy exotic jewelry boxes that will give you a lifetime of pleasure!