Vintage Thewa Indian Ring Gold Plated Silver with a Defect

This is an Indian ring from Rajasthan worked in the ancient thewa technique. The top of the ring is made of sheet gold in 23 K worked in repousse and fused with the red glass underneath. The shape is that of a peacock with tail feathers extended. The ring frame is made of gold-plated silver (high grade). There is a chip on one side of the ring (see photos).

• The ring's face measures 1.5 x 2 cm (5/8 x 3/4").
• Weight is 3.7 g.
• Size 5 1/2.

Thewa is a technique of fusing gold sheets onto molten glass.  It was first developed under the Moghuls and is still practiced today in Rajasthan, India. Theva, as it is more commonly named, is a mixture of two words Tharna (to hammer which is used to flatten the gold into sheets that can be embossed) and Vada ( silver wire which is used to make the loops and the wire used to thread the beads to the main body).