Here we have a 18x28mm silver spiral conch shell pendant and a 5x25mm curved noodle tube with a central eyelet, hand-crafted by the mountain people of northern Thailand, known globally as the amazing artisans of the Karen Hill Tribes.
Together these pieces offer opportunities for creativity - when incorporated into the assembly of an exciting ethnic-inspired or tribal-style statement jewellery item - such as necklaces, bracelets, or anklets.
Please note – some images may have been enlarged to show detail, while the silver hue may vary slightly due to lighting variants.
Our unique collection of HillTribe silver, has been hand-crafted by the mountain people of northern Thailand, artisans better known as the Karen HillTribe who have been using traditional tools and adopting similar methods as their ancestors have done for centuries.
Their work has received a well-earned stamp of approval from beaders and jewellery designers alike, who seek out the beautiful beads and charms they create.
The HillTribe artisans use only the purest form of silver, and that silver comes exclusively from Vietnam.
This particular silver has a content value of between 99% and 99.9%.
Because the silver content is so high, the material is more pliable and workable for the simple and crude hand-tools used by the Karen craftspeople to create their master pieces.
Nothing is mass produced here – no two pieces are alike; the beads are all hand-made by families throughout the mountainous region.
Sterling Silver (which has a silver content of 92.5% mixed with 7.5% other metals such as copper, and sometimes nickel or zinc) is unsuitable for the HillTribe artisans due to its hardness and susceptibility to tarnishing.
And, because HillTribe silver contains no additives – it will tarnish at a slower pace its Sterling counterpart.
The origin of the Karen people is uncertain, but many believe they migrated from Tibet, or the southeastern region of the Mongolian Gobi Desert – several centuries ago.
And with them, they brought their exceptional and unique silversmithing skills.
The artisans of the Karen HillTribe settled in the hills of Northern Thailand, Burma (now known as Myanmar) and the southern region of Laos, and began creating their unique style of beads, charms and pendants – using the essential hand-held chasing hammer.