Buddhist Necklace
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Buddhist Altar / Candle Holders / Brass Sale Price: $179.99  |
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Making offerings to me now & making offerings to me in future will produce equal merit. This is due to the blessing power of the Buddha, ordinary beings cannot understand this. In Buddhism, symbolic offerings are made to the Triple Gem, giving rise to contemplative gratitude & inspiration... |
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Crystals Empowerment Bowl Sale Price: $139.99 |
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Making Offerings to Me Now & Future will Produce Equal Merit This is blessing power of Buddha, ordinary beings cannot understand this. A proper altar holds images or representations of Buddha's enlightened body, speech & mind which serve as reminders of the goal of Buddhist practice-to develop these qualities in oneself so as to be able to fully benefit all sentient beings... |
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Healing Hematite Necklace with Yin Yang Pendant Sale Price: $12.99 |
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In Asian philosophy, the concept of yin yang (simplified Chinese: ??; traditional Chinese: ??; pinyin: y?nyáng), which is often referred to in the West as "yin and yang", is used to describe how polar opposites or seemingly contrary forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to each other in turn. |
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Healing Hematite Necklace with Buddha Charm Sale Price: $12.99 |
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Hematite powers that can be used for Eastern Medicine treatment of everything from pain, stress, depression, therapy and feeling in the Mind, Spirit and Body |
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Wheel of Life Necklace Sale Price: $11.99 |
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This symbolizes the Buddhist perspective on life. The real Wheel of Life contains within it, numerous symbols of Buddhist themes and teachings. |
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18 Inch Happy Buddha Hematite Bead Necklace Sale Price: $14.99 |
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This 18 inch long necklace is made of cylindrical black hematite beads, and features a three dimensional hematite happy Buddha pendant in the center. The necklace has a screw style barrel clasp. The pendant measures 1 1/4 inches wide and 1 inch tall... |
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Photo Jigsaw Puzzle of Buddhist prayer beads, Seoul, South Korea, Asia from Robert Harding Sale Price: $24.99 |
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Photo Puzzle, Buddhist prayer beads, Seoul, South Korea, Asia. Buddhist prayer beads, Seoul, South Korea, Asia. Chosen by Robert Harding. 10x14 Photo Puzzle with 252 pieces. Packed in black cardboard box of dimensions 5 5/8 x 7 5/8 x 1 1/5... |
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Photo Jigsaw Puzzle of Sri Lankan woman with Buddhist prayer beads, Paris, France, Europe from Robert Harding Sale Price: $24.99 |
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Photo Puzzle, Sri Lankan woman with Buddhist prayer beads, Paris, France, Europe. Sri Lankan woman with Buddhist prayer beads, Paris, France, Europe. Chosen by Robert Harding. 10x14 Photo Puzzle with 252 pieces... |
Why fair trade jewellery is special
We only have to walk in to a high street chain store to find a large selection of economically priced jewellery. This jewellery is largely silver plated with silver or gold strung with plastic or glass beads. It is essentially mass produced to satisfy the demands of the west world for cheap, affordable costume jewellery in this modern day ‘throw away’ society.
Jewellery has not always been as accessible or affordable as it is today though. For example, way back in Victorian times, a whole range of solid silver and gold earrings, bracelets and necklaces were made with skills reflected by that era of fine craftsmanship in general. Watches, clocks, jewellery and even pottery were made with such accuracy, care and attention back in those days. Focussing on the jewellery though, the Victorians used a delightful array of semi precious stones and if you go to an antique shop today, you will most definitely see jewellery of that era elegantly designed and inlaid with gems such as lapis lazuli, moonstone, opal, malachite, blue chalcedony, zircon blue, turquoise, black jet, pink quartz and garnet amongst many others.
For those wanting quality handmade silver jewellery made in the same care and attention at affordable prices, I would recommend exploring the world of fair trade jewellery. Although fair trade jewellery is not as readily accessible in chain stores, there are many online fair trade outlets where you can browse at your leisure at the different colours and designs available.
To explore why fair trade jewellery is special, I would really like to draw specific attention to a range of fair trade silver jewellery designed and produced in India. It is made by a community practising Jainism, an ancient religion based on Buddhist ideals. As most people know, Buddhists live their life in serenity, peace and calm.
I find their solid silver jewellery quite fascinating since each piece has been imprinted with their traditional jewellery making skills as well as their cultural vision of what constitutes beautiful jewellery.
Their range of designs are subtle with soft curves and shapes such as teardrops, hearts, ovals, flowers and spheres. Some have delicate threads of silver shaped in swirls to give a really elegant finish.
Every item is made from .925 solid silver with each piece inlaid with gemstones reminiscent of days gone by. For example there are stud earrings made with tigers eye, blue chalcedony and lapis lazuli. Hook earrings with gemstone droplets of moonstone rainbow, zircon blue and malachite. Bracelets with oval stones or malachite or even labradorite as well as pendants with coral and turquoise or zircon blue.
Whether you prefer watery colours of zircon and moonstone or the more earthy tones of tigers eye or malachite, there really is something for everyone.
So the story of this particular range of fair trade jewellery is quite fascinating though all kinds of fair trade giftware is available nowadays, not just jewellery.
If we take time to delve a little deeper in to the world of fair trade, we will find that each piece has a historical context by way of the people of a specific community that made it, their cultural beliefs and backgrounds and to me that is exactly what makes fair trade jewellery so very special.
About the Author
Hand made fair trade gifts and fair trade jewellery by Belinda Bryant. Fair trade jewellery can be found at Indigo Ocean Trading.
