DESCRIPTION OF THE JEWELLERY
湛ZHAN is the exceptional collection of our jewellery with the most exquisite and high-qualified work. All the pieces are handmade by experienced artisans with unique skills, only a few in the region even whole China are capable to do it. This silver earrings are handmade by the artisan Kaibing Shi from Kaili, Guizhou. The earrings consist of dragon head with a pearl in its mouth and lantern shaped hangings. This style is closely related to the Dragon Boat Festival. The head of the dragon boat is exquisitely carved by skillful workers. On the festival, the boat sails against the current along the river and brings good luck to the coastal villages as the incarnation of gods. The dragon head earrings and hairpin is the symbol of good luck just like the dragon boat. The silver slice of the main body is fairly delicate and thin, which makes the earrings light and easy to wear.
Technique: Knitting, engraving and filigree skills are used to create this piece. In stencil process, the sculpture of dragon head that designed by artisan is exquisitely carved on the silver slice. The twisting chain connecting head and lantern hangings is made with knitting skills which is one of the most skillful and patient work in the silversmithing process. Artisans need to twist two silver wires which are thinner than human hair and knit with the strand in the frame before welding. Through knitting, various linear decorations are presented, which are exquisite and exquisite. Miao silvermaking has been threatened to disappear and was inscribed in National Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
Material: Fine silver - 15g.
*Fine silver has a millesimal fineness of 999. Also called pure silver, it is less and less used in jewellery making due to its soft feature that increases the difficulty in the making process. However, to respect the tradition in the region, artisans insist to use fine silver to create high-qualified pieces with exquisite technique.
Size: 5cm*4cm
Artisan: Kaibing Shi learned all the technique from his dad and now he is running a family workshop with his wife in Qiandongnan. This style of earrings is one of his signature work. Only the knitting takes him 3 days to finish.
ABOUT THE JEWELLERY
In the remote mountain areas of Guizhou, Southwest of China, Miao and other minority groups carry forward the culture of handmade silver jewellery with traditional techniques that have been developing for hundreds of years. Lacking their own written language, local people use silversmithing to pass down their rich culture. The exquisite craftsmanship, artistic design and soulful approach make it splendid works of art.
Our silver jewellery is inspired by the wisdom of ethnical culture and the harmony of the indigenous communities with nature. Its profound philosophy gives it strong individuality and distinguished feature. We work with eight ancestral workshops and more than 30 artisans from the local communities to create our jewellery. Each piece is carefully handmade with the fine silver (999 silver) and unique patterns. The whole process consists of over 30 complex steps and could last for several days.
We aspire to provide opportunities to preserve this traditional craftsmanship and find its way to a wider world. In addition, we hope to support the development and growth of artisan communities.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS
All silver jewellery will age and tarnish naturally. Store your pieces individually in small zip-lock plastic bags after having removed as much air as possible. We also provide jewellery care services, please contact us if it’s needed.