Hand-repussed brooch with labradorites from the Nepal collection

• 70% silver-plated alpaca, 20% labradorite, 10% silver-plated brass
• Brooch length approx. 8 cm
• Width approx. 4 cm
• Diameter of the smaller labradorite approx. 0.5 cm
• Diameter of the larger labradorite approx. 1 cm
• Approximate weight approx. 21 g

Return to the cradle of metalwork - Crafts of the World

After many years, Anna Orska returned to Nepal, the place where it all began. And to the people who made that first step the beginning of something greater. Returning was a test of how experience changes perspective. From above, things regain their proper proportions, and a familiar landscape can reveal paths previously unseen. The new collection was created in the rhythm of hammer and chisel. In repoussé metal, each ornament retains the subtle differences resulting from the movement of the craftsman's hand. "There is no path in the sky," says a verse from the Dhammapada, which accompanied the designer on this journey. However, there are encounters that point the way. And returns that allow us to understand where the first step led.

Hand-decorated brooch from the Nepal collection

The brooch has an irregular, openwork shape that resembles a drop, and the decorated edge gives it a distinct contour. It is made of silver-plated alpaca, which was then oxidized. The graphite hue settles in the recesses of the ornament and highlights the bright, convex lines. Repoussé vines and fan-shaped leaves spread across the entire surface of the brooch. A fine, polished labradorite shimmers within the openwork. A second, larger stone hangs at the bottom of the brooch, where it moves freely with every step. Its blue reflections illuminate the silvery composition. Labradorite symbolizes intuition and inner transformation. Its surface, shimmering with reflections of gold, blue, and green, evokes new perspectives and the courage to pursue them.

How are the plant ornaments in the jewelry from the Nepal collection created?

Some stories are written in words. Intricate ornaments tell them in jewelry from Nepal. The vines winding across the surface of necklaces, bracelets, and earrings allude to the "lata-petra" motif, present in local tradition. They symbolize the continuity of life, growth, and the rebirth of nature. They are often accompanied by lotus motifs, associated with purity and rebirth. The designs are created using the repoussé technique. The craftsman shapes the metal from the bottom, striking it, extracting convex leaves and vines. He then refines the ornament from the front, deepening the lines and emphasizing the contours. He draws on the symbolic language passed down from his predecessors, but leaves the mark of his own hand in each design.