Solidarity Pin ‘For Nepal’

• 90% silver-plated brass, 10% labradorite
• pin dimensions: approx. 2 × 1.5 cm
• clasp fastening
• approximate weight: 3 g

This pin was created in Nepal, which Anna Orska returned to 10 years after her first journey there. It was in Nepal that her entire adventure with crafts from around the world began, making this place particularly special to us. We were originally going to unveil the pin a month from now, as part of our new collection. But on August 26, something happened that broke our hearts. Severe flash floods swept through our beloved Nepal, causing the deaths of many people and cutting entire communities off from the outside world. Today, this pin can support the place where it was created. It costs PLN 180, and the entire proceeds from its sale will be donated to an organization helping the victims of the disaster. We want this to be a shared gesture of solidarity, so we will make sure that the full amount supports the work of the Nepal Red Cross Society, which is providing essential first aid on the ground.

Repoussé Pin with Labradorite from the Nepal Collection

The pin is made of silver-plated brass. The repoussé ornaments, depicting winding vines, were created by master artisans at a local Nepalese workshop, the same craftspeople who also created our first collection from this region. The artisans decorated the surface of the metal elements with raised, precisely hammered reliefs. From the Kathmandu Valley, the embellished elements made their way to the ORSKA studio, where our jewelers added polished labradorites.

Each pin is handmade, so individual pieces may vary slightly in size and ornamentation from the one shown in the photograph. These subtle differences are a mark of authenticity and of a living craft tradition.

Repoussé - a Craft Passed Down Through Generations

The rhythm of the workshops in the Kathmandu Valley is set by the steady tapping of hammers. This is where the Newar people have perfected the art of repoussé for centuries: shaping thin metal sheet from the reverse side, blow by blow, bringing raised ornaments and expressive textures out of the metal. The pattern is then refined from the front: lines are deepened, contours perfected, and steel punches and chisels are used to give the design its final character.

In this tradition, ornament carries memory. The knowledge of how to create it has been passed down from father to son for centuries, while the methods of working by hand remain close to those used hundreds of years ago.