Bali’s Expert Artisans

0 CommentsSunday • July 24, 2011 • by handmadetreasures

What is the Largest Sterling Silver Sculpture Made?

0 CommentsWednesday • April 6, 2011 • by handmadetreasures

The Guiness World Record holder for the largest sterling silver sculpture ever made is the passionate silversmith maestro Nithin Kalkiraju of India.

Mr. Kalkiraju has a deep love for his work and is a passion that always leading him to new challenges.

His world record piece for the largest sterling silver sculpture is the “Symphony of Sound”…

A 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) tall sterling silver guitar, weighing a hefty 21.9 kg (48.3 lb).

Mr. Kalkiraju dedicated the triumphant work of silver to the late “king of pop”, Michael Jackson shortly after he died.

Mr. Kalkiraju’s also holds second place with a magnificent silver sculpture of a 7.33 feet Grandfather Clock. The glimmering timekeeper weighs in at more than 50kg. The clock took just over 5 months to complete for this silver specialist.

Nithin Kalkiraju is the proud CEO of the well known Sukra Silver in Chennai India, the worlds largest silver showroom.

Sukra Jewellery, Chennai India

What Is A Harmony Ball Pendant?

0 CommentsSaturday • April 2, 2011 • by handmadetreasures

History Of Balinese Handcrafted Silver Jewellery

Many people associate Bali as just a lush tropical island paradise, packed with tourists and temples. Yet, to the astute eye, the Balinese people are a culture of extremely skilled and accomplished artisans. They are particularly proficient in the intricate art of handcrafted silver jewellery, having perfected their silver craft over hundreds of years.

What Is A Harmony Ball?

Of the diverse range of balinese silver jewellery, the most purposeful and intricately designed is surely the harmony ball pendant. Unique to Bali, the harmony ball, also known as a dream ball or chime ball, is an exquisite circular pendant, meticulously designed and crafted by skilled artisans from genuine 925 sterling silver.

The harmony ball consists of a silver or brass inner sphere of 2cm diameter, containing a small brass bell which chimes and vibrates against the sphere when moved. The sphere and bell are only the beginning of the silversmith’s creative expression. The outside of the sphere is then elaborately decorated with intricate silver designs. The harmony ball is often crowned with a magnificent gemstone such as turquoise, amethyst, garnet, black onyx or moonstone. Each design style is exclusive to a specific Balinese family, being passed down from generation to generation.

How Can I Use Harmony Balls?

When you hold your harmony ball, you will feel a sense of tranquility drift over you as you listen to the soothing chime of the hidden bell and marvel at its stunning design. And this is their purpose; to soothe, nurture and relax the owner. The calming effect of harmony balls can be harnessed by wearing them on a necklace for personal relaxation, or  hung in any space that you wish to create a sense of tranquility. The pendants are commonly worn to aid in creating a nurturing and positive space for meditation.

In Bali, expectant mothers carefully choose a harmony ball that they feel a special connection with, they then wear it around their neck during pregnancy. There is an age old belief that the tranquil chiming sound helps to soothe and relax their unborn child. Harmony balls are also a beautiful gift idea for special friends and in Bali this is a custom to symbolise the timeless friendship between close companions.

Some other great ways to bring the magic of harmony balls into your life:

• Wear as earrings

• Hang your harmony ball in a window

• Use as a keychain for car keys

• Decorate your car’s rear view mirror

How Do I know I Am Buying Quality?

925 mark on interior of harmony ball

Buyers should beware of cheap imitations when shopping online. There many substandard versions that are poorly made and lack the quality of authentic harmony balls. Always make sure you only buy sterling silver harmony balls.

You can tell you are buying genuine sterling silver if it shows the mark – “925″, “92.5″, “SS” or “sterling”. True sterling silver must contain at least 92.5% silver, which is the reason for the numbers 925. The remaining 7.5% is a mix of other metals (usually copper) as pure silver is too soft to use by itself and must be strengthened with these harder, denser metals.