Woods
In the production of our pieces we use five different kinds of wood:
Palm
wood: This varies in colour from pale beige with thick orange veins
through to a dark brown with beige veins. It is very light in weight.
Blackwood:
Very black in colour and looks like ebony. It is important not to confuse
this material with horn as it is a good alternative for people who don't
use animal products.
Indian
Rosewood: Dark red hardwood with a natural sheen.
Sandalwood:
Mid-beige in colour and somewhat oily with a distinctive sweet fragrance.
Sandalwood is not used for any piercing jewellery - but mainly for necklaces
and bracelets. it naturally occurs in Eastern India in the states of Mysore,
Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnatika.
Spiritual Uses of Sandalwood:
Sandalwood is used in many different ways in the spiritual traditions
of the east. It is considered beneficial for meditation, calming and focusing
the mind. It is used in incense in temples or personal altars to remind
us of the fragrance of the heavenly realms.
Sandalwood was also used to construct parts of temples, when it was more available. Meditation beads or malas are made with sandalwood in which Mantras or a personal prayer is repeated as the beads roll through the fingers.
Sandalwood paste is used in many rituals including fire ceremonies and to anoint the forehead as a blessing, as well as to make a design symbolic to particular religious sects.
The oil of sandalwood is used to anoint deities. In this way the fragrance
which is emitted over time also helps to remind one of the spiritual realm.
This oil is one of the best fragrant aids to meditation. A drop or two
can be applied to the forehead, the temples or rubbed between the eyebrows
before beginning meditation, a way to set the stage and prepare the mind
to begin its inward journey.
Sono:
Dalbergia latifolia is a premium-quality timber species internationally
known as "Indian Rosewood". It is a mixed brown colour or Dark
red hardwood with a natural sheen and is used to manufacture furniture,
panelling, and other ornamental products.
Medicines and an appetizer are made from tannins in the bark. The tree
is commonly called sitsal, beete, shisham or Bombay Blackwood in India,
and sonokeling or sonobrits in Indonesia.
Shells
We use a wide variety of shells for various different products. The most important among these are the Cowrie shell and the Eye of Shiva. Further more we attempt to source as many of our shells as possible from freshwater locations to help reduce the imapact on the overworked salt water habitats.
The
Cowrie is the small, white 'crab-claw' shell used in many of our
belts and necklaces. This shell can be found on almost any beach in the
world and is believed to have magical powers by the inhabitants of the West
African coast.
The
Eye of Shiva with its distinctive spiral markings can be found
across the world from Greece to Australia. the 'Eye of Shiva' is
the name of the small 'trap' door (operculum) protecting
the tropical Turban Shell sea snail when danger looms. When the creature
dies naturally, this little protective door drops off the shell – and
becomes a sought-after treasure, brought up from the sea bed by divers.
Abalone-Paua
Shell:
Found in the sea around New Zealand Paua Shell is the most colourful of
all the abalone shells. Most other abalone is pale in comparison. The colour
in the paua shell changes when viewed at different angles is what makes
paua shell so amazing as a gem material for use in jewellery.
Each shell is different in its colour tonings, and in the patterns within
the shell.
The black patterns in the shell come from layers of protein that are laid
down between the layers of calcium that make up the shell. The brilliant
colours are from light being refracted within the crystal layers. It’s
the same effect as the iridescent colour found in Opals.
Paua shell was traditionally used by Maori to illuminate the eyes of their carving and artwork. The reddish coloured shell were most prized for depicting the flashing red eyes of the warrior.
Paua meat is a traditional delicacy for the Maori and the shell is a by-product of catching paua for their meat. By purchasing a piece of paua shell jewellery you are increasing the value of this resource and helping ensure that It continues to be a managed in a sustainable way.
Mother of pearl is the shell of molluscs such as mussels
and oysters, the shining, playful, and reflected light of mother of pearl
has attracted the
attention of humanity since the beginning of time.
White Mother of Pearl: This is from pearl-bearing oysters.
Its reflective properties are high and it is one of the most commonly
used types of this
material.
Iridescent Mother of Pearl: This is a type in which the colours of pink
and green are predominant
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