Category: Travel, lifestyle, thoughts

Jewelry creation journey!

The creation of new ethnic jewelry and bohochic jewelry has been underway since February! Indeed, I (Stéphanie, the founder of Omyoki) am once again traveling to India and Nepal to work with local artisans on new models.

The semi-precious stones have been chosen one by one, with some novelties, including the star ruby, the bumblebee jasper, the ocean jasper, the tourmaline, the azurite, the rutile quartz ... The natural stones lighthouses remain the moon stone, the labradorite, And the turquoise. It was a great pleasure to choose the stones, their shapes, their colors, their purity… Each selection of semi-precious stones is an opportunity for incredible unpacking, to make the eyes shine. We spend hours and days discussing stones, setting and models! There is a strong desire to choose everything and to have incredible quantities of jewelry manufactured, but you have to know how to stay in a reasoned production!

In Asia, artisans are used to working quietly, producing a few pieces for each model. All jewelry is handmade, from A to Z. It is easy to create unique pieces but always very complicated to produce the same jewelry in quantity. Omyoki strives to stick as much as possible to local customs and traditions. We respect and tend to promote traditional Indian and Nepalese know-how. An avalanche of new ethnic and modern jewelry awaits you in the coming months! Because to be in tune with this Indian and Nepalese rhythm, the jewelry is created in unique pieces or mini collections. In this way, each craftsman brings maximum attention to the creation of each piece of jewelry. It is the respect of unique work, of handmade work, of work at the Asian rhythm, far from production line creations! The result is work done with love and attention, where each craftsman has the pleasure of the work accomplished.

In keeping with this link between our Western world and developing countries with ancestral know-how, our jewelry designs are a fusion of styles, at the crossroads between East and West. Omyoki still draws on traditional Asian designs, bringing a modern, Western touch.

This spring the emphasis was on the diversification of semi-precious stones, adjustable rings and golden jewelry the ethnic jewelry and chic and sober silver jewelry remains at the heart of the Omyoki collections, with a little more boho-chic gold jewelry.

The new ethnic and bohochic jewelry is being created for the coming months. It will take a little more than a month for the first jewelry to arrive! To be continued…

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See you soon on Omyoki!

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And if you choose an ethical fashion?

Omyoki offers a line of ethnic jewelry in fair trade silver. Handmade jewelry by talented artisans that we have sought out in the heart of Asia, in India, Nepal, Thailand and Indonesia.

The style of our ethnic jewelry is largely influenced by Indian arabesques. Most of our creations have been designed in collaboration with artists from Rajasthan, a region of northern India renowned for its expertise in goldsmithing and stone cutting. You will also find original pieces made by Karen tribes from northern Thailand and other jewelry with perfumes from elsewhere.

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Our Lotus Flower jewelry

Artisanal jewelry Omyoki are handmade by artisans from India, Nepal, Thailand, Indonesia. Discover their craftsmanship in this video.

We introduce you to some of the people who work with Omyoki. The manufacture of artisan jewelry is made by locals who have become friends. The workshops have all been visited and the working conditions checked, in order to propose ethical jewels.

Handmade jewelry Omyoki, handmade

Mahesh's workshop in Nepal

Mahesh lives in the suburbs of Kathmandu, in the family house, with his parents, his wife and his 2 children. He has been making malas and pearl bracelets for 14 years! 14 years of threading pearls, with patience, gentleness and tranquility. Mahesh is very religious, when he puts on beads he seems to be meditating. There emanates from this person an absolute calm, a peaceful force. Well known in his neighborhood, it is not uncommon to see one or two friends from the surrounding area come to chat and drink tea. Mahesh was introduced to me a few years ago by a Polish volunteer teacher in a Nepalese village for more than 7 years. A great meeting.

Govin's workshop in India

The handcrafted jewelry workshop is nestled in the heart of Rajasthan. This region of north-western India has been renowned for its jewelry know-how since the dawn of time. Rajasthan is a very colorful region of immense cultural wealth. It is not for nothing that it is one of the most touristic destinations in India. I met Govin in 2017, thanks to several business friends in Europe. Everyone advised me to go see Govin and what a meeting! Govin, Muku, Eddy, and a few craftsmen fervently work silver, crimp, brush, polish. The workshop is a real Ali Baba's cave, full of a thousand semi-precious stones. No machine, apart from something to polish! All silver jewelry is handmade, from A to Z. Forget the machines, even the simplest. It is all the more incredible to see the birth of these handmade jewels.

Fon & Lek's workshop in Thailand

Lek's workshop is located in northern Thailand, near the Burmese border. The Karen, tribes of the northern mountains are very skilled with their hands. The Karens work in fabric and silver and are renowned for their handcrafted silver jewelry. Unlike many countries, they use purer silver, which is 95-98% silver, instead of 92,5%, which is the standard. I first met Fon and Lek in Bangkok, because they go down there to shop. Believe it or not, communication was very complicated at first because the Thai people are not that English speaking! By dint of gestures and time we have come to understand each other. I have been to the north of this country a few times and the creativity, color and ingenuity there is incredible.

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The mandala is a very elaborate design, formed of circles and concentric figures. Since the dawn of time, the circle has been the symbol of the cycle of life (birth, maturity, death, resurrection). But the elaborate mandala comes from Hinduism and Buddhism. The painting of these graphics is used as a means to channel the mind and bring about calm and inner peace. Mandala in Sanskrit means circle, and symbolizes the sphere, the environment, the community.

Why are we talking about it ?

Our logo is a mandala, did you notice that?

Definition of the Buddhist Mandala

In Buddhism, the mandala is used to meditate and reflect on the impermanence of life. The mandala is at the same time a summary of the spatial manifestation, an image of the world, and a representation of divine powers. Mandalas are full of symbols, all of which have meaning, and sometimes mystical characters. Some, very elaborate and codified, become semi-figurative, semi-abstract.

The sand mandala

To emphasize the impermanence of things, Buddhist monks make sand mandalas on rare occasions. Most of the time, it is made by 4 monks, who will spend days drawing the mandala, while the other monks of the monastery will meditate and pray. Each monk takes care of ¼ of the drawing and deposits colored sand with natural pigments. They use a small funnel-shaped tool, the chak-pure, to deposit the sand almost grain by grain. Gradually the drawings take shape to become true works of art. Once finished, the mandala will be scanned, in a snap.

Paintings

In Nepal, India and Tibet, artisans paint mandalas. Most are destined for Buddhist temples but also for Buddhist houses.

Mandala and nature

The mandala is the reflection of nature. It is found there, from the infinitely large to the infinitely small: from the spiral of galaxies to the planetary orbits of our solar system, celestial spheres with concentric shapes of crystals, snowflakes, flowers or atoms.

A bit of psychology

In 1928 the psychoanalyst Carl Jung introduces the mandala in the West. His studies show that when people go through difficult phases, they spontaneously draw rosette shapes. After conducting extensive research, Jung comes to the conclusion that in psychological terms, the mandala represents the totality of the person. He uses the drawing of mandalas for the therapeutic treatment of some of his patients. For Jung the mandalas inspire serenity and drawing them source of structure, balance, and harmony.

And nowadays ...

Today is a drawing that we find everywhere, in tattoos, jewelry, coloring for children ... If you want to learn how to make a mandala, here is a tuto Very well done. Here are some of Omyoki's mandala jewelry.

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The larimar, a fine stone that has such a beautiful history! This mysterious blue and green water stone comes straight from the Dominican Republic. It's the the world's only larimar deposit. It was discovered in the 1900 years by a priest but the government refused to extract it. It was only from 1975 that it was exploited by Miguel Mendez who managed to obtain the exploitation right. He gives the semi-precious stone the name of his daughter Lari, to whom he adds the word "mar", sea in Spanish. Hence the name of larimar. The Bahoruco mine has created a whole local economy and offers work for many people in the area. Work in the mine but also in many local jewelers, at the museum of Santo Domingo.

Exploitation of the Larimar

To get you in the mood, you can watch the presentation video of the larimar jewelry museum.

The larimar mine, located near Los Chupaderos, is exploited in two different ways. Part is managed by the State of Dominican Republic with mechanical means. The other part is mined by small local farmers who work with archaic means. Here is another video that shows the simplicity of the means implemented.

Interview tip

The larimar is photosensitive, storing it in the dark will prevent it from losing its color over the years.

The properties of Larimar

In lithotherapy the larimar is reputed to be a stone of extreme softness, which brings calm and balance. The stone stimulates vital centers and self healing. It stabilizes the nervous system and enhances the joy of living. Stone of well-being, it is recommended to wear the larimar close to the body. It can also be associated with other stones (rock crystal, turquoise, chalcedony ...)
Colors: Light Blue to Blue Green
Chakras: chakras of the throat and solar plexus.

Larimar jewelry

So much to see... rings in silver and larimar, entirely handmade. Jewelry with a modern and refined design, for a beautiful enhancement of the fine stone.

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The tree of life is the symbol of evolution, of the common origin, but also of the union between the terrestrial and the celestial. The sign of the tree of life has been used since the beginning of history and on all five continents.

What Darwin said about it

Darwin proposed a tree of life to represent the common origin of all living things. The relationship or link between birds and dinosaurs was represented using this tree. It is also possible to draw an analogy between the biological classification system and the concept of the tree of life. In this system, a given species can be traced through its roots.

The tree of life in the West

In the West it represents a link with the 4 elements. The tree draws its food from the Earth but also feeds on the light of the Sun, drinks the Rainwater it receives, and grows thanks to the Wind. Fire (Sun) therefore gives it energy, Water (Rain) gives it existence and life; Air (Wind) gives it growth and movement; and Earth gives it a base, a form. So we have here the 4 elements present in the tree (Fire-Water-Air-Earth), and its 4 structural characteristics (Base, Life, Movement, Form). These 4 categories also turn out to be the 4 divisions in man: Head/Fire, Lungs/Air, Intestines/Water, legs/Earth.

Symbolism in Buddhism

In Buddhism, the tree of life symbolizes the saving knowledge that delivers the being of its illusions. It is a Ficus bengalensis that grows in India, Nepal, etc., carrying small figs but inedible. It was at the foot of this tree that Siddharta Gautama knew enlightenment and became the Buddha, the Awakened, or the Awakener. He loved, indeed, to stand under this tree to teach the way to his disciples.

The tree of life in jewelry

The tree of life is found in many pieces of jewelry. The symbol conveys a very strong image and brings together many concepts. It is very popular in Europe and the West. Here are some examples of contemporary jewelry.

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So much to see... zen jewelry

The jewels of Nepal are mainly made by the Newar, a Nepalese ethnic group, living in Kathmandu and its surroundings. The Newar have been recognized artisans for centuries and their history is closely linked to Tibet.

Nepal jewels through the centuries

By the 11th century, Nepal and Tibet had very strong trade links. Nepalese artisans imported from Tibet: turquoise, coral, lapis lazuli and all kinds of semi-precious stones. Newar craftsmen also worked with wood, metal and pearls. In the 12th century, these Nepalese artisans began to migrate to Tibet and work for the great monasteries. Nepalese jewelry became popular for everyone in Tibet, then synonymous with wealth. Due to the unstable political situation in Tibet in the 50s, most of the jewelry makers returned to Kathmandu between 1950 and 1960.

Stones / material

Most jewelry from Nepal is made of brass, copper and silver. Some jewels are in 22 karat gold (dark yellow). Jewelry was made from turquoise and coral until the 16th century. Then the Nepalese used other stones, including rubies and sapphires from Sri Lanka and Burma. Today they use a lot of semi-precious stones, coming from India: amethyst, amber, jade, agate, garnet, lapis lazuli, carnelian and opal. Yak bone, wooden beads and seeds are also popular in Nepalese jewelry.

Contemporary Nepal jewels

Today the Nepalese are renowned for their silver work and their ability to set and mount semi-precious stones. There are very beautiful engraved silver coins, with Buddhist or Hindu symbols. Very trendy, malas and zen bracelets, these necklaces / bracelets in semi-precious stones, wood or seeds, are very popular. As you will have understood, Nepalese jewelry remains strongly linked to Buddhism.

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