The Oriental Allure Of Jade

Doesn’t the colour of mint or pistachio sooth you? It’s cool to look at and a sense of serenity begins to seep into your being. Jade, a ’50 shades of green’ gemstone is certainly one that evokes that kind of calm.
As a designer I craft jewellery that isn’t just stunning to look at, but one that has a story to tell. To create this, I collect unusual gemstones that are unique in character or my idea of beautiful, which often is unconventional. At an international trade fair it is a grand exquisiteness of sparkle and colours – gemstone heaven! As I walk around in this heavenly arena, I am conscious of any piece that ‘speaks to me’ – a subconscious connection that draws me to it. Inspiration begins at the soul. I feel the gemstone in my palm, sense and admire its natural beauty while spontaneously penciling a mental design around it. This process feels natural and intuitive. 

  

Once I came across a bunch of jade chips. These waxy looking stones were tucked away at the far end of the showcase in a tray mixed with many more. I asked the vendor to bring them out. I remember it was a lady from Singapore with her son and daughter at the stall. Carefully I sifted through and began to organise the myriad shapes and shades of green to form a necklace layout. Soon the lady figured what I was trying to do and began to help in a friendly manner. Then the daughter & son too joined in. If your ideas come from a place of passion, people are drawn into that energy. A pleasant and satisfying exchange later I bought a few pieces from them & parted happy carrying the precious bundle of jade back home
3 months later I discovered an antique store in my city. The shelves were loaded with mixed trinkets, beads, old tarnished silver chains and pendants in a haphazard manner. Some broken some pristine. It was one of those modest shops that looked like it transcended from some ancient era. A broken pink Belgian glass chandelier hung precariously from the crumbling ceiling. Amidst this grungy space there still was some pleasing spirit defining it. A light rose scent lingered in the shop as a cup of mint tea was served to me by the benign presence of a warm gentleman behind the counter. The aha moment struck when, the wavy green swirls of an enameled pendant popped, reminding me of the jade chips archived in my memory.’ They match!’ I thought. As I picked it up, a vision of the whole necklace materialized before me. A week later this gorgeous green ornament born out of a vintage costume pendant and dash of red rubies was ready in all it’s oriental glory. 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *