I have been researching antique jewelry in India for about a year now. I know it is a difficult thing to find these days unless you wander into a village. I will be traveling to Rajasthan in the next month or two for my second scouting trip. Any advice, leads, stores, etc. would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

The jewelry store at Amarvilas in Agra had quite a bit of antique jewelry when I was there in August. The prices didn't seem outrageous to me, but I'm no expert on Indian jewelry. The salewoman was very helpful and gave me the names of some other shops in Jaipur, but unfortunately, I lost the list.

Gem Palace in Jaipur. They have a lot of estate jewelery. I am in an airport lounge today and do not have their address with me, but have it at home. If you cannot find it on Google, write back and I will look it up when I am back home on Thursday. The shop is worth a visit just to see the upstairs rooms.

The Jewelry I saw at the oberoi hotel in Agra and jaipur belong to Gem Palace. The address for Gem Palace in Jaipur in Mirza Ismael Road (M.I.Road) Jaipur. They are very well known and have been at the same location since the 1840s. Gem Palace also has a store in Mumbai, but I do not think they have have any antique jewelry.

Surana is a famous Jaipur based jeweler who also has an outlet in Delhi. You could also go to Amrapali in Jaipur for gorgeous silver and gold antique jewelry

The Suranas & owners of the Gem Palace are personally very close to some of the royal houses in & around Jaipur. You may get some authentic pieces from them. Though Suranas are rather better known for diamonds & meena jewellery. Amrapalli has excellant variety.

I will check out Suranas & Gem Palace &Amrapalli.I know enough that sadly in Agra as in many other areas I was taken to, they did show me "old" jewels from wealthy or royal families, etc. etc. Sadly in some places it ended up that they were bringing me their trays and asking me to appraise because through various elements I could tell the jewelry was not old. Example, having the exact same backings which look new on jewelry that is said to be old and unchanged is NOT OLD! But I will add these places to the two others I have found. I would really like to find a picker if anyone knows what it is. I know how hard it is and also how difficult to find old jewelry and decipher it's aunthencity, thanks for the responses so far!

I have myself been cheated once by a dealer in Jaipur. sold me a pair of silver candle stands, I needed for my dining table, for Rs. 23000/=, the market value of which was much less!
You can also speak to Devinder Tholia, whose son runs the Pepe Jeans store on the MI road. Also, one of the managers of the Jaipur Ashok hotel (Collectory Circle) Mr. Sharma??? buys & sells antiques. These guys are the insiders. BUT BEWARE THESE CHAPS ARE SMART BUSINESSMEN!!!

Thanks for all the responses. Especially the insiders. I am looking for insiders more than anything else. In jewelry we call them pickers. I want the folks who go into the villages and then provide you with a look at what they have found. I am always weary, but I went to Rajasthan last time, by myself and learned a lot(do not buy vintage/antique jewels in Agra or Delhi). So hopefully I will not be intimidated. I have also learned that EVERYONE gets cheated. Antique jewelry and more so, old Indian jewelry can be one of the hardest things to accurately distinguish. People have perfected the old ways in our modern days. Experts of 50 years get cheated!

Still, if anyone knows of any more "picker" types I would be indebted! Thanks again for the responses....I am excited to see what I will find!