Artisanal manufacturing

fabrication artisanale des bijoux en argent massif

A traditional craft

All jewelry is handcrafted by artisans from the Karen tribe using ancestral techniques passed down from generation to generation.

With simple tools, the craftsmen make the jewelry from A to Z without molding.

Each piece of jewelry is unique and bears the imprint of the person who made it.

découpage de l'argent pour réalisation de boucles d'oreilles en argent

pure silver

Faithful to this ancestral tradition of golden triangle jewellery, Karen craftsmen do not mix silver. This is more than 99% pure, unlike the 92.5% that is generally found in stores.

Only certain welds are made with a mixture of silver and copper.

Thus, thanks to the purity of silver, the metal is softer and can be worked by hand much more easily.

All the jewels are made by cutting, stamping, pushing back, hammering, braiding, punching, welding etc.

Learn more about pure silver

lingot d'argent pur pour la fabrication de bijoux itsara

The Ingot

It all starts with the manufacture of an ingot from pure silver balls using an ingot mould* made by the craftsman (*mold for casting the metal). No other metal is added.

The Rolling Mill

Then the ingot is passed and ironed in the rolling mill to flatten it, until the desired thickness to work flat silver.

Etirage d'un fils d'argent pur pour la fabrication de bijoux

The draw

Karen craftsmen work a lot with silver braiding, so they need more or less fine silver threads depending on the jewel to be made. The work consists of passing the wire through the stretching die* (*pierced metal plate) to the desired thickness.

Discover the stages of the manufacture of traditional earrings of the Hmong ethnic group

in solid and pure silver, made by the workshop of Jintaa.

Family and warm atmosphere guaranteed!

Handcrafted traditional Hmong earrings

pure and solid silver

Some steps in the manufacture of spiral earrings

fabrication artisanale de boucles d'oreilles spirales en argent massif

After being heated to soften it, a pure silver wire is wound on itself

The spiral obtained is heated again to soften the material

fabrication artisanale de boucles d'oreilles spirale avec un fil d'argent

It is reworked by hand

fabrication artisanale de boucles d'oreilles spirale en argent massif

Reheated so that the thread sticks to itself and the piece becomes a mass.

flattened

Ready to take the next step

Verification of the correct size with the model.

travail traditionnel artisanal des bijoux itsara en argent pur et massif

A circle is made with a jig and a mass

fabrication artisanale traditionnelle de bijoux

The top is cut to weld small rings and fix the rod which is used to hang the earring. A wire is welded around for the finish, and the loop is then patinated.

Karen artisans excel in making all kinds of braiding.

We invite you to discover some manufacturing secrets here

Money weaving

Bô, an experienced Karen craftsman, shows us his technique for

a magnificent weave of pure silver slats.

Watch video

Realization of decorations

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All decorations are entirely handmade by freehand punching the jewels with punches of different shapes.

It's meticulous work that makes each piece a little more unique and original.

patine des bijoux — Application of bleach, which will blacken the silver

The Patina

Karen craftsmen like to patinate silver jewellery. This brings relief to the work carried out, character and a vintage touch, especially for ethnic jewelry and reproductions of traditional jewelry.

To achieve the patina, one of the techniques is to apply bleach and put the jewel to dry.

nettoyage de la patine — Patina cleaning

The darkened jewel is then cleaned by rubbing the surface with dishwashing liquid and a stainless steel ball.

For the most delicate pieces, polishing is sometimes carried out by rubbing the jewelry with bergamot leaves in a cloth.

These jewels are a treasure of technicality and ancestral know-how transmitted from generation to generation. It is a real cultural heritage that is expressed through each jewel.

The craftsman is at the heart of the process, but the person who buys a piece of jewelery is an essential link in the continuity of this traditional craft.