Every year, Shamballa Jewels sets the stage for a jewellery spectacle unlike any other with its Special Creations Collection — and 2023 is no different. With its latest release, the esteemed jewellery brand embarks on a journey through time and across continents, unveiling a series of remarkable jewels that seamlessly marry ancient bead craftsmanship with rare diamonds and gemstones. These unique creations are a testament to the art of jewellery craftsmanship, bridging the gap between millennia-old traditions and contemporary luxury.
At the heart of this year’s Special Creations Collection lies a treasure trove of ancient beads, each a small yet significant artefact from the annals of history. Crafted from minerals like lapis lazuli, carnelian, jade, agate and jasper, these beads were meticulously shaped by artisans from ancient Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley using age-old techniques, bearing intricate motifs like protective eyes and spirals symbolising eternity. The art of bead-making has a rich history, dating back over 5,000 years, uniting civilisations and transcending time itself.
Greater India, a region encompassing modern-day countries like Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Thailand, Burma and Tibet, was a cradle of ancient civilisations that mastered the art of stone bead-making as far back as 3000 BC. Shamballa Jewels’ 2023 collection pays homage to this storied heritage, featuring artefacts from the Indus Valley Civilization to 1000 AD. Tracing the exact origins of these beads is a complex endeavour due to the vast and culturally diverse territory they hail from. Over the millennia, these beads have embarked on journeys through time and geography, occasionally buried and later unearthed as treasured talismans and adornments.
Today, a passionate community of collectors, particularly in mainland China, is enthralled by these tactile fragments of distant epochs. These beads have transitioned into international treasures, transcending borders to captivate audiences from Africa to Asia. Shamballa Jewels recognises the unique history and individuality embedded within each bead, crafting modern beads with meticulous attention to detail. These contemporary pieces act as markers along this historical trajectory, embodying the progression of artistic creativity and humanity’s ceaseless pursuit of beauty and connection.
With this in mind, Shamballa Jewels’ Special Creations Collection 2023 offers a distinctive blend of ancient and modern, spotlighting the globe’s most exquisitely crafted beads. Wearing a Shamballa Jewels’ bracelet, necklace, or earring is not merely a fashion statement; it’s an immersion in a continuously evolving, multicultural narrative. By choosing these timeless beads, wearers become part of a vibrant tradition, linking the past and present in a fluid tapestry of cultural evolution.
The collection features a stunning array of beads, each with its own story to tell:
Cosmic Harmony: A Mala Necklace for the Soul
The Cosmic Harmony SHAMBALLA® Necklace (above left) is a standout creation that combines the mystical energy of Bhaisayaguru beads with Shamballa Jewels’ ingenuity. Traditionally used in Buddhist practices, Bhaisayaguru beads are celebrated for their deep, earthly hues and are often considered instruments of healing and protection. This necklace invites wearers to partake in the ancient yet ever-relevant ritual, with each bead representing a note in a cosmic symphony that resonates with the essence of one’s being.
The Oracle’s Gaze: A Window to Wisdom
The Oracle’s Gaze (above right) is a SHAMBALLA® Bracelet centred around an extraordinary barrel-shaped agate bead with two unmistakable white eye motifs. In cultures worldwide, the eye symbol has been revered as a gateway to higher consciousness and a protector against evil. This bracelet is more than an accessory; it’s an amulet and talisman imbued with the spirit of ages, offering insight, foresight and spiritual illumination.
The Divine Tapestry: A Blend of Spiritual Roots
Crafted in Central India, The Divine Tapestry SHAMBALLA® Bracelet (above left) features Sulemani beads, also known as Babagoria beads, revered across Sufi, Hindu and Buddhist traditions for their spiritual significance. This unique blend of beads serves as a personal conduit to faith and spirituality through the ages, celebrating the multifaceted spiritual roots of Greater India.
Wanderer’s Odyssey: A Journey Through History
The Wanderer’s Odyssey Bracelet (above right) elegantly combines age-old Sulemani beads with Shamballa Jewels’ innovative craftsmanship. These beads serve as individual waypoints on an endless odyssey, bringing together disparate timelines and geographies, connecting bygone wisdom with today’s vision.
The Mystic Loom: An Ode to Esoteric Traditions
Adorned with Sulemani beads, the Mystic Loom SHAMBALLA® Bracelet (above left) reveals the tales of age-old rituals and hidden powers. Each bead serves as a silent keeper of arcane wisdom, and a link to a past shrouded in mystery.
The Epoch Whisperer: A Glimpse of Ancient Indus Valley
The Epoch Whisperer SHAMBALLA® Bracelet (above right) features a single, small, tubular bead of blackish jasper from the ancient Indus Valley. Wearing this bead on your wrist becomes a poignant reminder of the grand mosaic of human history, a narrative much larger than any one life.
The Verdant Gaze: A Symbol of Protection and Renewal
The Verdant Gaze SHAMBALLA® Bracelet (above left) spotlights a greenish cryptocrystalline barrel-shaped eye bead that has stood the test of over two millennia. This bead’s vibrant green tones infuse the age-old emblem with a sense of growth, renewal and vitality — attributes that lend themselves to modern interpretations of spiritual well-being.
The Striped Symbiosis: Celebrating Imperfection
The Striped Symbiosis SHAMBALLA® Bracelet (above right) highlights a lenticular carnelian bead from the ancient Indus Valley civilisation, with minor flaws that make it authentic and deeply resonant. It’s an ode to the fallible journey of life and the beauty inherent in imperfection.
The Jade Echo: A Link to a Lost Era
Highlighting another gem from the Indus Valley, the Jade Echo SHAMBALLA® Bracelet (above left) captures the essence of a long-lost era through its single, elongated, barrel-shaped, olive green jasper bead. This treasure connects to a civilisation that, though long gone, echoes through the corridors of time owing to its artistry.
The Timeless Whisper: Reflecting Inward and Expanding Outward
The Timeless Whisper SHAMBALLA® Bracelet (above right) flaunts a captivating elongated barrel-shaped bead from the ancient Indus Valley, featuring an eye motif and a bold green bow-shaped line. Exposing the balance between symbolic depth and aesthetic allure, this translucent bead beckons on a journey inward for wisdom, urging wearers to expand their boundaries, much like the enduring civilisation from which it originates.
The Crimson Mirage: A Vision of Elegance
The Crimson Mirage SHAMBALLA® Bracelet (above left) showcases a singular lenticular carnelian bead from the Indus Valley, capturing the enigmatic beauty of a civilisation long shrouded in mystery. This bead offers a glimpse into a world where craftsmanship and embellishment were elevated to an art form — a tradition carried forth through Shamballa Jewels’ creations.
The Mystic Oculus: Harnessing Historic Beauty
Boasting an extraordinary elongated barrel-shaped bead from the ancient Indus Valley with a translucent nature and a brownish “eye” at its core, the Mystic Oculus SHAMBALLA® Bracelet (above right) demands attention. Complemented by elegant white lines curving around the central eye, it’s a skilful work of art inspired by history.
The Ember’s Tale: Flair From Flame
Featuring a rare reddish “dry cooked” Sulemani agate bead, The Ember’s Tale SHAMBALLA® Bracelet (above left) celebrates the beauty of imperfection born from fire. This bead’s distinctive appearance results from an ancient heat-treatment process, giving it white-black-grayish tones. Due to this method, the bead carries the risk of cracks and scars but showcases intricate designs, reflecting its artistic value.
The Timeless Voyage: A Nod To Neolithic Treasures
Graced by two extraordinary carnelian beads, each a relic from a nearly Neolithic era, The Timeless Voyage SHAMBALLA® Bracelet (above right) connects wearers to the deep roots of human civilisation and the wanderlust that has driven us for millennia. Shaped as a cylinder and a disk, these beads are believed to have originated in a pre-Indus Valley civilisation and symbolise shared human history and craftsmanship across continents. They likely travelled through trade routes or as cherished possessions, connecting ancient artisans’ creativity to today’s wearers.
ABOUT SHAMBALLA JEWELS
Shamballa Jewels is a Danish luxury jewellery brand that seamlessly merges ancient Eastern philosophy with exquisite Nordic craftsmanship. Inspired by the mythical Kingdom of Shamballa, the brand creates highly personalised jewellery for contemporary individuals. Established in Copenhagen, Denmark, Shamballa Jewels pays homage to the rich tradition of Nordic design, with all assembly, setting, and polishing taking place at its headquarters.
At its core, Shamballa Jewels’ philosophy centres around the idea that jewellery’s value transcends its gemstones and lies in the emotions it evokes and represents. The brand draws inspiration from ancient wisdom, using prayer beads as a symbol of spiritual connection. Each piece is meticulously handcrafted, featuring loose precious stones, diamonds, and semi-precious stones intricately woven together using a traditional macramé braiding technique.
Founded by Mads & Mikkel Kornerup, Shamballa Jewels’ journey began in 2005 when it introduced the iconic SHAMBALLA® Braided Bracelet, inspired by Buddhist prayer beads. This design has achieved global recognition and remains a bestseller. The brand’s signature aesthetic of loose stones and customisable options allows customers to create unique jewellery that reflects their individual personalities.
To find out more about Shamballa Jewels and its Special Creations Collection 2023, visit the links below:
SHAMBALLA JEWELS FLAGSHIP STORE
Ny Østergade 7
1101 Copenhagen
Denmark
Web: shamballajewels.com
Tel: +45 3336 5959
Email: cph@shamballajewels.com
Instagram: @shamballajewels
Facebook: @shamballajewelsofficial
