by Jeff Gilder | Mar 28, 2016 | Blog
12,000 miles away and we could not feel more at home.
It’s been almost one week since Don and Elaine Helmig reached for their suitcase and ventured out with Bali, Indonesia in their sights. A few countries and an ocean later, the two landed, ground-lovingly, in the vast city of Hong Kong, where they would continue south to reunite with Joy and the rest of the Jinja Family in their month-long home-away-from-home. This home, in particular, quickly became a paradise of its own. Lost in nearly 4 acres of tropical gardens and scenic greenery, our Balinese villa immediately surrounded us in the warm and exotic spirit of Bali before we could even get our foot in the door.
Within the span of a few days, we’ve been blessed to experience the remarkable value of friendship despite our individual diversities. From spending cherished moments with Jinja’s talented silver-smiths to witnessing authentic Balinese history by visiting Tanah Lot Temple, The Jinja Family is over-flowing in excitement to take you all along on the adventure with us! We will be routinely uploading photos and updates of our travels for your viewing pleasure.
As the Jinja Family continues to come together in unity from different corners of the earth, we are reminded of one thing: Where the boundaries of friendship, love, and culture meet full-circle, Jinja Jewelry thrives there also.
May the official Jinja tour guide begin. Like us on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest to stay in touch with our journey!
by Jeff Gilder | Mar 17, 2016 | Blog
3 Best Summer Colors for the Fashion-Savvy Soul
Figuring out the best summer colors that compliment your style can often be a tedious task. Luckily, we have an idea or two to boost your inner fashion genius. As the cold weather begins to warm, our outside adventures get longer and our long sleeves get shorter. The approaching spring and summer seasons inevitably spark an innovative movement in us all. The absolute best way to express this winter-long-repressed excitement is to throw a splash of color into your everyday look!
Blue Coral
When the hot, sticky sun and outside shenanigans begin to mix, some sort of water source is likely to follow soon after. Whether it is diving into a pool to escape the heat rays or chasing the ocean’s waves, all shades of blue have claimed their spot during our summer months. Even more excitingly, Jinja Jewelry has found a way to encompass these beachy vibes with our hand-crafted blue coral necklace!
Yellow
You will not find another color with a more uplifting feel than the color yellow. Present in the metaphors of upbeat songs and the childlike happiness of a frozen banana popsicle on a humid day, yellow is thought to represent increased energy and well, fun! Throughout many cultures and symbols, yellow has signified hope, positivity, and joy. Appreciating the color doesn’t do enough justice alone. The Jinja Family has incorporated yellow into an elegant twist bracelet that also features white coral. The bracelet is structured with sterling silver that has been hand-crafted from skilled silversmiths. For more information on how we form beached coral into beads, check out last month’s blog on summer trends!
Green- Malachite
Embodying the spirt of nature as it breathes back to life, malachite is the ultimate glam stone of the spring season. Throughout the decades, the rich green pigments of this gem have been thought to possess luck, self-transformation, and protection to the one sporting it. In other words, malachite doesn’t just add a dazzling touch to your outfit, the stone also has one or two ancient tricks up its sleeve. If you think malachite green may be your color for the season, check out more about the stone on last week’s blog!
If you’re more confident in the best summer colors for the warm weather after reading this post, like our page on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest!
by Jeff Gilder | Mar 8, 2016 | Blog
Wear Your Luck this St. Patrick’s Day
The crazed search for shamrocks, good luck jewelry, and all-things-green is just around the corner. The Jinja minds have been traveling deep into St. Patrick’s Day history to come up with the luckiest fashion trend of the season. Beginning as a religious feast to commemorate the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day has expanded to become an internationally-acclaimed holiday. Worldwide, the less-traditional green festivities come together to celebrate Irish culture and the hopes of 
gaining a whole, whole lot of luck. Whether you’re covered in green from head-to-toe or embarking on a leprechaun hunt, the luck of the Irish has been sought after for years. Although not a customary St. Patrick’s Day symbol, the Jinja Family has a new holiday tactic to assist you on your pursuit of good fortune!
Malachite. Malachite. Malachite. Not only is this gemstone considered a sanctuary for good luck, its ancient history ventures deep into beauty and protection. Just by the way the deep green pigments drift with the serene patterns of the lines, there is something rather significant about this little stone. Embodying the therapeutic essence of nature, malachite has been thought to aid in healing, protection, and self-transformation. Many believe the stone can even foretell negative events by breaking.
Throughout the ancient times, malachite was a major source for embellishment, make-up (when in powdered form), and jewelry. The gem was also incorporated in the building of architectural structures. In some cultures, malachite was even used to protect children from negativity and evil spirits.
Last but easily one of our most favorite, the rich green stone is simply fabulous. We adore the gem’s elegance, and will certainly be sporting this good luck jewelry for the holiday season! Test your luck with Jinja, and enter to win our St. Patrick’s Day Jewelry Giveaway by sharing or liking this post on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, or Instagram!
by Jeff Gilder | Mar 2, 2016 | Blog
Moments in the History of Jewelry
From the talon of an eagle’s claw to Jinja’s sterling silver wrapped coral beads, the rich history of jewelry continues to prove humanity’s obsession with embellishment. Rarely does one ever truly admire the centuries of work it has taken for the necklaces and bracelets we enjoy to reach what they are today. You likely know where this is going, but of course, to your surprise, Jinja happens to be slight experts on the topic! We have frozen a few moments in time (metaphorically, but that would be cool.) to explain how history has influenced the evolution of jewelry.
Pre-historic
Since the brink of civilization, humans have been captivated by adornment. Creating a foundation for modern jewelry, pre-historic inhabitants assembled beads crafted with shell, bone, and stone to cultivate the first known examples. Although little is known about this period, jewelry was thought to reflect the rank of status of an individual. In many cases, it was also linked to protection from every-day outside sources.
Hellenistic- Ancient Greece
Woven in exploration and an abundance of culture, Hellenistic jewelry quickly represented the transitional period in Greek history. Alexander the Great, King of Ancient Greece, defined his legacy through conquering the Persian Empire at age 26. The borders of Greece flooded over the vast lands. Art began to flourish as the intermingling of cultures broadened diversity in everyday life. Ancient Greek jewelry began incorporating precious gems that were now more easily accessible. Bracelets, necklaces, and earrings often celebrated Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty, and pleasure. Much of the designs featured gold, which was a valuable element that was known to embody wealth and power. This inventive period continue to serve as a landmark in the history of jewelry.
Renaissance Period-Europe
Plagued by war, starvation, and the “Black Death”, Europe made its big comeback with the Renaissance. Curiosity towards the Roman and Greek way of thinking sparked an intellectual expansion of science, art, and discovery. The resurrection of classical values reformed education, literature, and religion. In the same way that expression began to thrive across Europe, jewelry became increasingly detailed. Designs were now more personalized, and featured aspects of the new priority in religion and mythological creatures (from classical mythology).
Modern-Current
Just by taking a quick look at a set of earrings, proof of the evolving world is present. Thanks to the modern dynamics of globalization, we can easily hold a conversation from the other side of the globe with just the click of a few buttons. Influences from all corners of the earth have led jewelry design down a new, innovative path. Jinja Jewelry is a beautiful example of two distinct cultures collaborating to form a genuine piece of hand-crafted jewelry. During pre-historic civilization, the discovery of metal-working pushed society into what is known as the Bronze Age. The mastery of metal manipulation tested the boundaries of life and technology. As this new skill progressed, Bali, Indonesia soon earned an international reputation for their remarkable work with gold and silver.
This ancient talent is still present today, and is beautifully manifested in the designs of Jinja. Much of our jewelry features intricate, silver patterns that are crafted by gifted hands descending from the forerunners of silver-smithing. The picture on the left features an ancient bronze bracelet, while the picture on the right resembles a modern, sterling silver Jinja bracelet that reflects the talented advancements in Balinese metal-working. Not only are you participating in a centuries old fashion statement by wearing Jinja Jewelry, you’re embracing an authentic product of love and friendship despite the distance!
If you now feel like an expert on the history of jewelry and enjoyed this post, like us on Facebook! Don’t forget to connect on Twitter and Instagram as well.
by Jeff Gilder | Feb 22, 2016 | Blog
Master Upcoming Summer Trends with Handmade Sterling Silver
The most efficient way to get rid of the winter-time blues is to wrap them in handmade sterling silver, and wear them proudly!
As we all know, spring is just around the corner. The transition between chilly bonfires to warm rays of the beach sun doesn’t always invoke as much enthusiasm as we all wish. If we’re being honest with ourselves, who couldn’t fall victim to the lazy hot chocolate binges all winter long? Not to worry! The Jinja Family knows all about these dilemmas. Luckily, our blues come with a little more style, and a fashion savvy compliment to the approaching warm weather!
Just off the shoreline of Java, Indonesia, hundreds of tiny creatures branch together and cultivate vibrant, stone-like homes midst the sea floor. These ancient species secrete an outer skeleton made of limestone; in return, building what many refer to as the “rainforest of the sea”. Eventually, pieces of the coral reef break off, and begin to pile on the beaches over time. Nature’s majestic creativity inspires the hands of Jinja to re-purpose the scrap coral into uniquely designed pieces of jewelry. The coral is chiseled by hand, dyed, and coated in a resin base to form glossy coral beads that beautifully captivate the organic essence of their origin. The coral beads are then integrated into sterling silver designs by skilled silversmiths.
If you feel inspired to ditch the winter-blues for vogue styles after reading this post, like our page on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
by Jeff Gilder | Feb 14, 2016 | Blog
Wedding Day Traditions Across the Globe
Have you ever truly admired the diversity in wedding day traditions? From every corner of the earth and turn of a page in a history book, the notion of love has always been present. Whether you’ve inevitably fallen victim to another classic tear-jerker, or practicing your own customs by covering in intricate works of henna designs (mehndi) before the big day, you have most likely experienced this diverse concept first-hand. Much like love encompasses a great deal of the world; comparably, it does the same with us here at Jinja Jewelry. From Bali to Myrtle Beach, SC, beached coral to now hand-crafted jewelry, Jinja was built and continues to build on the compassion of friendship and family. We advocate for love in all languages, and would love to express that by sharing a few interesting wedding day traditions around the world!
Balinese Friends
The picture above shows two of our cherished Balinese friends who will be getting married in March. We are pleased to announce that the founders of Jinja, Don and Elaine Helmig and Joy Daniels, will personally witness this testament to love and devotion! The gentleman comes from a long line of silver smiths, and is shown with his future wife in the Royal Palace. The delicately crafted tapestry (in the background) is woven with strands of gold, and proves that skilled Balinese artisans have had a rich tradition of creating beautiful works of art for hundreds of years.
The wedding ceremony, or pawiwahan, is a vital aspect of life to the Balinese people. This occasion is performed under very sacred and spiritual means, and is considered to be a commitment witnessed by other human beings, those of the underworld, and the gods. The union between the bride and groom is admired immensely for its spiritual and personal achievement. Those who are wedded are often valued for the ability to continue the Balinese way of life and the reincarnation of elders through offspring.
India- Vivah Homa
In the heart of India, many wedding ceremonies are focused around the ignition of a small fire. The sacred fire serves to embody the presence of Agni, the fire-god of Hinduism. Across the span of culture and history, fire has been used to perform sacrificial practices in many religions. This is seen as a sanctified way to directly communicate with a divine being. Agni represents this concept. By being the translator of the gods and center-stone for sacrifice, Agni’s spirit midst the fire does even more than just confirm the commitment between the bride and groom. A prayer for children, prosperity, and a healthy life is also requested.
Vietnam
While white may be a common first thought when picturing a wedding in the US, in the case of the Vietnamese, red is the new white. The color red is seen as a lucky charm towards a lucrative future. Much of the gifts given during this occasion are wrapped in red silk and boxes. The superstition of luck even carries on into the tedious task of figuring out the date of the ceremony. Many Vietnamese couples turn to fortune tellers and astrologers in hopes of establishing a wedding day tradition full of odds in their favor!
For more awe-inspiring facts and Jinja adventure follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest!
