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.
Jewelry materials from Nepal
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.
