North African Silver Lapis Hamsa Pendant
The North – African tradition of the Hamsa pendant, the amulet, here with a Lapis stone, again, in the nearly melting metal.
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18 Karat Gold Dove Hamsa Pendant
Here, we change the metal of the amulet. Again you see clearly that this is the hand, which is a Hamsa pendant, an amulet, and this time the technique is totally different. The layer of the 18 karat gold which you see here is rather thin, about 0.9 mm, slightly less than one millimeter. You can clearly see the dove shape, which in fact is the hand at the same time. And here you can see a very delicate hammering, in fact made with puntses, into the metal while it lays above peach, to have the relief result with the lines of the hand and the lines which divide the different fingers. And of course the eye of the bird, the dove, can be clearly seen.
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18 Karat Gold Labradorite Stone Dove Hamsa Pendant
And the next one is a larger one this time - 18 karat gold. You can very well see that this is the dove, as well as a hand, and above it. This pendant is hanged in fact from a link which carries a labradorite stone, a very bright, shiny blue. It’s from the same family of stones like the Tiger Eye and like the Cat Eye. This labradorite repeats quite a few times in the other items which you are about to see, and it’s rather expensive as a non expensive gem. I wouldn’t compare it to emerald, but as a non expensive gem, labradorite is rather fine.
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Blue Lapis Lazuli Protection Eye Pendant
The next is a very special eye, with a beautiful and large Lapis Lazuli. Of course you can see that this is an eye, and the blue eye is against the evil eye. And it’s a very interesting story why blue: because Satan may not come back to Heaven after he was thrown away from it by God. The moment he (Satan) sees blue he understands that he is in the area he is not allowed to return to, and that’s why the blue stone. Sometimes you can see blue handprints above doors in the Middle East, and it symbolizes: “Satan – go away!”
This technique is hammered silver. You can see that by the different thicknesses of the lines which create the eye. If you enlarge the photograph you will very well see the difference of the flat to counter the high sides of the eye pendant.
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Silver and Gold Lapis Lazuli Horseshoe Pendant
The next is a horseshoe, which is very ancient, maybe originates from Europe. This horseshoe is made of silver, 18 karat gold and Lapis Lazuli in the center, in the shape of an eye. Here I used the nails which originally are supposed to attach the shoe to the foot of the horse by using 18 karat gold, and hammered them into the silver. As well as the 18 karat gold that sets the Lapis in the center of the blue eye. The technique is by hammer and you can see it by enlarging the picture and seeing the thickness of the silver metal, which is rather thick, nearly two millimeters thick - the horseshoe.
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Green Blue Enamel Silver Dove Hamsa Pendant
You are most welcome to look at the next item in my gallery. This is very fine enamel work. When I say enamel I do not mean any kind of epoxy glue, or cold enamel. This is baked enamel by heat, on silver. The motives are the body of the dove, together with the lines of the hand, which are very important on the palm of the human hand, and above the center of the dove’s body you can see the blue eye, and of course I use here different shades of green, blue and gray. In the center finger which holds the pendant itself, you could see the lines, though upside down, either the Menorah, Menorat Hazahav, it’s a hint of the Menorah, not the Menorah. And above it, if you enlarge the picture you will see the pomegranate. This Hamsa is hanged on the pomegranate.
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Brown Enamel Silver Dove Hamsa Pendant
The next item would be the same one exactly. This is a casted model; it can be repeated in thousands of different coloring of enamel. It’s heated enamel, not any kind of modern epoxy work. This is the colors of brick red or deep ochre or golden ochre. It’s dangled from the pomegranate above the Hamsa itself – the hand with the dove.
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