Destination Spotlight: Creating Bali Jewelry Through Ancient Tradition

Each piece of Bali Legacy Collection jewelry is a beautiful symbol of the goddesses of Bali. Each piece of jewelry is unique and created with precision. Techniques are passed from generation to generation over many centuries. Many Balinese craftsmen are descendants of the artisans who crafted jewelry for the Royal Courts of Bali. Bali jewelry making is a dying art as few young artists are joining the profession.

Bali Jewelry Inspiration

Balinese Hinduism is the form of monotheistic Hinduism practiced by most of Bali. The people residing on the island represent distinct worship incorporating local animism, ancestor worship, and admiration for Buddhist Saints. The Bali Legacy Collection draws inspiration from a range of deities unique to their religion.

• Devi Danu – Goddess of the Lakes
• Devi Ratih – Goddess of the Moon
• Devi Sri – Goddess of Rice and Prosperity
• Devi Laksmi and Sri Sedana- Goddess of Money
• Devi Parvati- Lord Shiva’s Wife
• Devi Durga- Goddess of Power
• Devi Saraswati- Goddess of Wisdom
• Devi Supraba – Angel from Arjuna Viva

Bali Jewelry Techniques

The beauty of this gorgeous collection lies in its design. Four significant elements play a crucial role in creating a finished jewelry piece.

Ox Bone Carving

A Bali artisan carving a goddess face.

A highlight of the jewelry, it is imperative that the face carved on the ox bone present the calmness, beauty, and poise of a goddess. The first step is sketching a princess on the bone. With the help of specialized tools and techniques, the artisan begins carving. Each face has a different expression, portraying the carver’s thoughts, such as their mood or the day’s weather. A single face takes about one hour to sketch, carve, and shape.

Designing

Jewelry designing is next. Drawing upon tradition and imagination, designers bring their ideas to life in Bali jewelry. The process is very delicate and challenging. Bali designers create around eighty designs in a month. An average of ten is selected for production.

Production

Silver undergoes stretching to create wire.

The next step is making the silver base. Silver is used for sheets, wires, and other details. For making wires, a silver bar about four inches long can be stretched to a 20-foot long cord, depending on the required length. Hammering and threading then take place, which is done by hand.

The process also includes the creation of tiny spheres or beads of silver called granulation. Bali jewelry is incomplete without these granulated silver beads. These metal balls are rolled and placed one by one in the jewelry using berry glue before heating to set the metal.

Soldering

A Bali artisan uses berry glue to assemble jewelry.

The final step is connecting the parts. The goddess’s face, sterling silver, and other gemstones come together to produce an exceptional piece. For joining all these parts, a special ancient glue, called as “The Peeling Berry Glue,” is used. Spelled as ‘Piling’ in Bali, it is known as Abrus in English. This glue has been in use for thousands of years in jewelry making. Only one berry is used at a time. The hard outer layer of the fruit is peeled and is mashed up into glue with silver shavings. The glued product is soldered by heat to make a single piece. The final addition is the gem setting. It must be done manually to avoid any damage to the carved face or other gemstones.

Make Bali Jewelry Your Choice

As the process is mostly manual, mass production of the Bali Legacy Collection is impossible. It makes them unique in every way. The workmanship of Bali jewelry is known worldwide. These designs can be produced only by a small percentage of silver-smiths, who are highly skilled. So, every piece from this gorgeous collection is a collector’s item.

Shop LC is proud to introduce the jewelry of Bali. Through long-term relationships with artisans who work exclusively with us, Shop LC helps ensure there is enough work throughout the year to keep this tradition alive.

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What inspires you most about Bali Legacy Collection? Tell us in the comments!