dramatic jewelry

From Khalid Ali, this dramatic design combines the glow of silvery aluminum, copper and brass. The unique mini chest of drawers features six different niches to organize jewelry or personal treasures. Handcrafted of wood, the decorative box showcases the art of repoussé.

From Khalid Ali, this dramatic design combines embossed blossoms in three elemental colors. The unique mini chest of drawers features six different niches to organize jewelry or personal treasures. Handcrafted of dark brown wood, the decorative box showcases the art of repoussé in yellow, blue and green.

A Ga woman from southern Ghana is dressed in colorful cotton kente and glistening jewelry. She is on her way to the Homowo Festival, a celebration that honors the trials and success of the Ga people during a dramatic period of famine during their journey from their ancestral homeland. Winfred Korley sculpts the sese wood woman with a pot on her head, filled with kpokpoi, which she made of unfermented corn powder and palm nut fish soup.

Artisan Claudia Castelao of Brazil handcrafts a unique pair of dangle earrings. The artisan carves an exquisite rose out of eucalyptus, dyed a lovely deep red. The wood rose hangs in front of a semi-circular polished piece of ox horn, which descend from an elegant vertical bar of 18k gold plated Zamak with a brushed-satin finish. The earring posts and backs are also of 18k gold plated Zamak.

Dazzling on a sleek, dark square, a mosaic diamond reveals an ancient craft technique. Lacquerware was brought to Thailand from China centuries ago; today Thai artisans have developed their own unique styles. Nantana Sompamitre crafts a decorative box of dramatic beauty. She carves the mango wood into the desired shape and coats it with lacquer. Once dried it is polished, and another coat is applied – up to twenty times – before as many six coats of pure lacquer are present. Next, eggshells are cleaned and cracked into small pieces. Sompamitre arranges them in the desired pattern on a fresh coat of lacquer. The lid is lacquered twice more and sanded in water until the eggshells appear.

Alongside a gleaming gem of natural rainbow moonstone, a serene face is hand-carved from ebony wood in this cocktail ring from Bali. Buana creates this dramatic design, encircling the finger with a handcrafted band of sterling silver.

Engraved by hand, an ebony wood medallion centers this dramatic necklace by Ila Suleyman. Named Paga — "Womanhood" in the Mossi language of Northern Ghana — it features colorful agate, terracotta, sese wood beads and bright disks of recycled plastic.