Jari (Gold Thread)

The Indian term for the gold thread that is woven into the silk or cotton saris that are worn at weddings or other special occasions in India. The gold is electroplated onto a flattened silver wire wound round a silk core. The actual amount of gold used is scarcely 1 per cent of the weight of the thread but Jari is so popular that nearly 20 tonnes (0.64 million ounces) is estimated to be used in plating solutions each year. The Jari is primarily made in the city of Surat.