Ethnic Inspirations

Part 1 of 2
I must say I was confused with the name shop junCk when I came across it. Their byline is "Don't shop dumb...shop junCk!". This new online boutique does feature some really lovely artisan jewelry from India, Nepal and Tibet amongst other handmade items. The above Tibetan inspired earrings caught my attention not just for the cultural aspect but because of the beautiful and brightly colored gemstones used. Inspirational color combinations to note!

The earrings on the left are what are known as double stone jewelry featuring the traditional mix of turquoise - one of the world's oldest known gemstones - and red coral. Another early known gemstone is lapis lazuli which can be seen in the second earring design complimenting the turquoise and red coral. Lapis lazuli was highly prized years ago not just as a gemstone but as a paint pigment (see my past post Lapis lazuli - The Twice Precious Gemstone).


These gemstones are part of Tibetan culture. According to shop junCk, "turquoise, lapis lazuli and red coral are worn by many Tibetans who believe these help protect from evil and represent faith, fortune, love and wisdom. Coral is one of the seven treasures in Buddhist scriptures, and Tibetan lamas often use coral rosaries."
The 2005 photo on the left is of a young Tibetan girl wearing lots of turquoise and coral.

ReferenceTibet Artwork.com
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