Lapis Lazuli Drop Earrings

These versatile earrings make every day a special occasion.  Made using the traditional Afghan shabakari technique of hand-cutting delicate patterns from a metal sheet, artisan Arif Khan Khalidi utilizes vermeil and lapis lazuli to create these striking earrings.  The lapis lazuli from Badakhshan province in Afghanistan has been mined for over six millennia and is one of the most highly-prized stones in the world, most famously used to adorn the regalia of the Egyptian Pharaohs.  

Details

• Metal: Gold Vermeil (high quality gold plated sterling silver)
• Stone: Lapis Lazuli 
• Height: 5cm Width: 1cm
• Stud fastening 

____

Turquoise Mountain was founded in Afghanistan in 2006 by HRH The Prince of Wales to rebuild historic communities through heritage and craft. Since then, they have restored 150 historic buildings in the old city of Kabul, trained over 6,000 artisans, treated almost 136,000 patients at their clinic, and curated major international exhibitions around the world, from the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha to the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.  Beautiful gemstones masterfully set in gold and silver by Afghan jewelers have been traded along the Silk Route for millennia, but four decades of conflict have left the country virtually inaccessible to international buyers.  Turquoise Mountain is working connect Afghan jewelers with the world.