Secret Guide to Nose Rings (with 19 different designs)

Jewellery plays a huge part in our Indian culture and history as well as it is one of the most prized possession of a jewellery lover. Not to mention the huge diversity and variety of Indian nose ring jewellery that is found. But what’s important to keep in mind while purchasing jewellery pieces is to make sure they also go well with the entire look of the outfit, one’s opting for and suit them well.

And sometimes it becomes a tedious task to look for jewellery, that can go well with every type of outfit and still be able to give you a perfectly stylish bold look.

If you too are someone who loves to look attractive and bold to showcase your playful personality then nose pins are the perfect jewellery that has the potential to make way to your collection. If you want to know why then here’s quick information about nose pins and their legacy in the world of fashion.

History of Nose Pin Jewellery

Nose rings or nose pins are nose jewellery that is worn as nose piercing, as a part of their attire. This type of jewellery comes down straight from the ancient Vedic times when women of the Indian subcontinent used to wear this as a part of their tradition. For many women, a pierced nose is a coming-of-age ritual of sorts. It signifies womanhood, elegance, and for some even a sense of rebellion.

In India, nose piercing is as much a part of the tradition as bangles, a Mangalsutra or a bindi. But if you travel across the country the styles and even position of the piercing varies; left or right nostril, weighty hoops or a single natural diamond solitaire stud. What remains constant however is the enduring allure of the adorned nose as an object of beauty.

Woman wearing Diamond Nath

Since the introduction and diffusion of Indian fashion and culture in the 1960s, punks and subsequent youth cultures of the 1980s and 1990s adopted nostril piercing.

Today, nose piercing is popular in the wider world including South America, the United States of America, Canada, the Caribbean, Australia, Africa, Japan and Europe, with piercings being performed on either the left or right nostril. For some cultures, this practice is simply for ornament, while for others it is for religious practices.

Historically in South Asia, nose piercings were worn by women only. However, the spread of this fashion has resulted in both men and women having nostril piercings in the broader world. Several different types of nostril rings are found.

Significance of a Nose Ring or a Nath for a Bride

The appearance of a bride on her wedding day is a very special factor in India which is deeply rooted in its culture. And devoid of class the wedding look of the bride has always been top notch adorned with variant kinds of jewellery items. Every bridal jewellery all across the country despite its diverse cultures and attire is no less than a Royal Queen’s look.

The practice of Solah Shringaar is significant In almost all parts of the country which refers to the perfect look of a lady adorned with sixteen different types of jewels, makeup items and outfit which radiates elegance and enhances their beauty.

And one of the important jewels amongst these includes the Nath or Indian nose pin. Therefore the Indian bride is ought to wear a bridal Nath, which multiplies her elegance and beauty by leaps and bounds.  It is an essential part of a bride’s Shringaar and has a special place in her trousseau. 

Bridal Indian Nose Ring

And even today the tradition of the Bridal Nath keeps growing side by side with the modern bridal fashion trends. With time and innovation, the modern trend of lightweight jewels has fuzed with the traditional significance and thus it’s a very important and acknowledged part of Indian wedding attires.

Different types of nose pin jewellery that are available include

Corkscrew nose pins

This type of nose ring has a beat at the top, a straight stem, with a c-shaped hook at the bottom. One has to coil it into their nostril and the hook lies flush against the inner roof of the nose. The tip of the hook sometimes pokes out through the nostril, if any regular activities cause pressure over the nasal area.

L-shaped Nose Pins

This design is similar to corkscrews, but instead of the stem curling and hooking at the tip, it bends a piece of jewellery in the corkscrew, and the L-section sits against the upper inside roof of your nose. It’s less fussy without the hook, but isn’t as snug on thicker nose membranes and may pinch. It does slip out sometimes though. It’s suitable for nostril and high nostril positioning.

Shikharpuri Naths

The nose pin jewellery in India is commonly known as Naths. And one such naths include the Shikharpuri Nath is a part of the Punjabi Jewellery and is worn by the bride and other women of the house during a wedding ceremony.

This Nath or Nose ring is a big-sized hoop with different motifs on it. It does come with a connecting chain that can be pinned in the hair or connected to the earring on the left. Nathni is the lighter version of the same concept with a light chain as well. This style of a Nath is also popular in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

 Source – Find Banquet

Shikarpuri Nathi

Stone-crusted Nose Rings

For people who have longer nose bridges, this kind of nose ring is perfect. This is an elegant and stylish choice that goes well with Indian attire.

Labret

In this type of nose ring, both ends of the stem are flat, and one part screws off. The nose ring has to be inserted from the inside of your nostril then screw on the top part on the outside of your nostril. There’s a potential hygiene risk since dirt can slip between the threads of the screw. It works best on high nostril and regular nostril piercings and can be quite elaborate on top.

Nose Bone Studs Pins

These are similar to labrets, but instead of flat tips, the nose ring has a ball on both ends. The outer tip could be a gemstone while the inner ball is metal. The inner ball should be small enough to squeeze through the piercing with a little effort but it won’t slip out unless you actively yank it because the inner ball functions as a stopper.

One needs to be careful before purchasing it as it can cause serious infection if worn on a swelled-up nose piercing or a piercing that isn’t healed yet. Studs can go well with any kind of attire. They are great for evening functions and parties. they are also a good choice for -pre or post-wedding functions and a perfect choice for minimalist lovers. 

Nakchabi

Nakchabi is a Bengali nose pin jewellery that is similar to a stud nose pin. It is usually a piece of gold nose pin encrusted with precious gems over the stud that glimmers brightly on the bride’s face, this accessory is sported by Bengali women regularly too, and gets upsized at their weddings.

Nakchabi

Vintage Nose Ring Jewellery

A vintage nose ring is an intricately carved piece of jewellery adorned with pearls and gems. It is made up of precious metals and can go with any kind of attire. It has an old-school royal feel to it with its vintage style and its rich and elegant pearl versions go well with heavy beaded pearl jewellery sets to give a classy and delicate look.

Nolok

Just like most Indian wedding jewellery the nose ring or nath is very important for Bengali weddings as well. The Bengali nath jewellery is known as nolok and is a significant part of the Bengal bridal attire. It is known for its traditional value and elegance that it brings to the look. A Bengali bride’s nath is crafted out of pure gold and features a delicate chain that hooks onto the hair.

However, instead of only having a bead or a pearl as an accent, dainty floral designs have also been incorporated in the Nolok. But the Bengali jewellery also has another type of nath as well which is slightly shorter than the extravagant nolok. Nath and nolok are two variations of nose rings in traditional Bengali jewellery.

The Nolok is usually worn in the piercings of the mid nose while the nath is worn on the left side nose piercings. However, in Bengali tradition, nolok is more of a wedding gold jewellery.

Barbell

Barbell nose rings resemble labrets, but instead of flat tips, they have a screwed-on ball bead at each end of the stem. The shape of the stems determines the type. Curved barbells are ideal for bridges and rhinos due to the potential migration. Circular or horseshoe barbells are best for septum piercings. There are also twisted barbells for your nose if it’s carefully pierced to fit.

Pin Style /Fishtail Nose Pins

At first glance, this nose ring might seem pretty simple but is very complicated. The top has a bead, gemstone, or any other type of shaped design and the extra-long stem is straight. After one puts on the nose ring, their jeweller or piercer will bend the tip into a J-shape, a bit like a fish hook. The hook isn’t sharp, but because the shop has to curl it for you, you have to go back every time you want to swap your jewellery.

Beaded or Hoop Nose Rings

These kinds of nose rings are actually like thin rings and come in two different styles – closed and open. The open beaded hoop is horseshoe-shaped with a bead on one end to act as a stopper. It’s sometimes called a faux hoop. In the closed kind, one side of the hoop clicks into the bead to seal it shut and prevent it from slipping out of the piercing.

It can look like a booger though. This ring goes perfectly well with heavy jhumkaas and necklaces. These rings are made with gold, pearls and gems. This could be a great choice for a wedding outfit.

Beaded Hoop Nose Ring

Unbeaded Seamless Hoop Nose Ring

This is a ring that you tug to open and compress to shut. Tension holds the hoop in place, and you can rotate it 360°. The hoop may have a little gap that you have to squeeze or one tip may be slim enough to slip into the other and click shut. It’s a good choice if you’re self-conscious about the bead in beaded hoops. Be careful with gapped ones though – they can pinch and get stuck. 

Nathuri Nose Jewels

The nose pin or naths of Rajasthani brides are known as Nathuri. They are mainly made up of silver or gold with a single studded none precious piece of stone. In modern times the oxidized version of these nose pins is more on trend and opted by the brides for their wedding look on a particular day.

Fake Hoops

We’ve mentioned that hoops with a bead and an ‘open latch’ can be labelled faux hoops. This second type of faux hoop combines a hoop with an L-shaped nose ring. Outside your piercing, it looks like a hoop, but inside, the shaft folds into an L to maintain the illusion of a circle. The outer part of your hoop hooks into your nostril to complete the hooked effect.

Septum Clicker

The most common type of nose ring for a septum is a horseshoe barbell or circular barbell. It curls snugly through your septum and the beads at the tips keep it from popping back out. If you prefer a ‘closed’ look, you could wear a hoop in your septum. A septum clicker is a safer option though because it has a latch that can easily snap shut or click open when tugged.

Traditional Maharashtrian Nath or Nose Rings

Maharashtrian Naths are traditional nose rings that were generated in the state of Maharashtra in India.

These naths are also known as Bhramani naths, which are decorated with studded emeralds and pearls over their metal embedding.  This traditional nose ring jewellery can be worn on heavy traditional sarees, along with gold jewellery.

For this kind of nose pin, gold jewellery is the best choice. Searching for a Silver nose ring online can give you an idea of a lot of available designs. The best part of these naths or nose pins is that they are available as clip-on nose pins too.

Nathuli

The nose pins of Uttarakhand are known as nathulis which are made of large gold rings and pearls.

Mukhuttis

The women in southern India wear a certain type of nose pins that are like two stud nose pins on both sides of their nose made of gold or silver which are known as Mukhuttis. These nose pins feature lotus, leaf, flower or swan patterned motifs. These are very simple and minimalistic nose jewels that are easy to wear and can be worn as everyday jewellery as well.

Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone wearing Mukhutti

Different Categories of Nose Piercings that are Performed for Different Types of Nose Rings

 Depending on where one asks or how they do their piercings the types of nose piercings for nose ring jewellery can range from five to fifty-five types. It also depends on the thickness of the nose rings which usually range from thin 22-gauge to thicker 18-gauge.

Length matters too because if your nose membrane is thicker, you need a nose ring with a longer stem. Also, factor in the position of your piercing. But commonly they are categorized into the following types:

• Bridge – horizontal double piercing below the third eye ‘where your nose starts.
• Nasallang – horizontal double piercing on the upper part of your nose.
• Septum – horizontal single piercing on the skin that separates your two nostrils.
• Septril – single piercing at the tip of your septum.
• Rhino – vertical double piercing at the tip of your nose, slightly above the spectral.
• Nostril – single piercing on your mid-lower nostril.
• High nostril – single piercing on your upper nostril, closer to the bridge.
• Austin – double horizontal piercing on your lower nostril, closer to the tip.

No doubt the sparkly nose pins and nose rings look flawless and add an extra layer of charm and accentuate one’s personality.

Still, the process of going through a piercing for wearing those can be pretty painful unless you’re opting for a faux piercing nose jewel that has rounded heads to attach it to the nostril. And just like getting your ears pierced for earrings the position design and type of nose pins require different types of care and tending. 

Elaborate diamond nose ring

Thus we have curated a list of potential piercing challenges one might go through while deciding to get a piercing for the first time

• Process: Get your nose pierced at a professional parlour. Some shops use ear-piercing tools and earrings but due to the earring gauge often being thicker than nose rings and the stem and sometimes shorter, results in the piercing is done without a stopper and may fall out.

• Pain: Septum piercings hurt the most. Other types of nose piercings may sting a little. But even if it doesn’t hurt, expect your eyes to tear involuntarily because of the piercing location. Nerves plus cold metal on the nose can easily trigger the crying reflex.

• Healing: Surprisingly, bridge piercings heal the fastest while septum piercing can take up to a year. During that time, your piercing may bleed, ooze clear fluid, or hurt a little. But if the discharge turns yellow or green, or if you start to blister, immediately consult a doctor.

• Allergies: Some people have allergies to certain metals so you might react to the metal in your piercing, thus opting for a piece of hypoallergenic jewellery is recommended. Bumps that you mild inflammation is normal, but if they develop into infections, you may need antibiotics. Check the piercing site daily in case you develop scarring.

• Aesthetics: You already know you shouldn’t remove your nose ring for 6 months to a year or it might heal itself and block. But you have to avoid nose make-up too, so adjust your beauty regime accordingly. Also, your nose ring might make you pick your nose a lot.

• Associations: In some parts of the world – like India – left nostril piercings are linked to marriage and fertility. So many new brides get them. In the west, a nose piercing is sometimes associated with rebellion, deviance, or the creative lifestyle of ‘free spirits’. So if you want to get one might as well think beforehand about the kind of significance you might be interested to showcase with it.

• Sterilization – One of the important things one needs to keep in mind while wearing piercing pieces of jewellery is to maintain the proper hygiene and keep sterilizing the jewels from time to time with proper methods to avoid infectious diseases. 

Simple Indian Nath

Conclusion

For some cultures, this practice is simply a precious ornament while for some this is associated with their tradition all in all this simple pretty piece of shinning jewellery captures many layers of meaning and value to it like —- identity, freedom, rebellion and self-expression wrapped within the enthralling beauty and elegance of feminity.

From classic studs to more playful, contemporary shapes or traditional, bridal finery, the nose pin takes on many forms according to person, occasion and style while maintaining its majestic identity. 

This tiny nose trinket transcends the power to highlight the entire face in fact when we say it’s an extended part of one’s playful personality, we mean it since if asked most of the regular nose pin wearers they often forget they’re carrying a jewel along as it almost becomes like a part of their body like nose, eyes and ears. The adornment hailing from ancient times continues to rule the hearts of fashionistas with its modern twist of glory. 

Hence if you too wish to add the charm of this timeless classic ornament to add a little sparkle to your look what else are you waiting for, go ahead and get one that resonates with your style and preference as there’s always a unique one for everyone.