Garuda Jewelry

Our garuda jewelry is hand-carved in solid S925 sterling silver: a garuda pendant carved fully in the round, a slim garuda pinky ring, and three vajra pendants with a garuda at their centre. The ring and the vajras carry hand-set garnets, and every piece is made with, or offered in, traditional 24K fire-gilding. The garuda, khyung in Tibetan, is the great bird of Himalayan and Indian tradition, the enemy of the serpent nagas.

His story, from the Indian epics to the Bön mountain bird: Garuda in Tibet.

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  • Garuda vishvavajra pendant in hand-carved S925 sterling silver, four five-pronged vajra heads crossing at right angles

    Garuda Vishvavajra Pendant – Crossed Dorje in Sterling Silver

    Garuda Vishvavajra Pendant
    $1,070.00
  • Garuda garnet pinky ring in hand-carved S925 sterling silver with a fire-gilded line along the band

    Garuda Garnet Pinky Ring – Slim Open Band in Sterling Silver

    Garuda Garnet Pinky Ring
    $570.00
  • Sterling silver edition of the upright garuda vajra pendant in hand-carved S925 sterling silver

    Garuda Vajra Pendant – Upright Five-Pronged Dorje in Sterling Silver

    Garuda Vajra Pendant
    $770.00
  • Garuda five-pronged vajra pendant in hand-carved S925 sterling silver, worn horizontally

    Garuda Five-Pronged Vajra Pendant – Sterling Silver Dorje Necklace

    Garuda Five-Pronged Vajra Pendant
    $1,030.00
  • Garuda Pendant front view – sterling silver Tibetan amulet with fire-gilded 24K gold crown

    Garuda Pendant – Sterling Silver Tibetan Amulet Necklace | 24K Gold

    Garuda Pendant
    $1,570.00

The pieces

  • Garuda Pendant: our heaviest pendant, 67 g and 57 × 53 mm, carved fully in the round, wings curving forward, talons hanging free and two serpents along his flanks. Gold is fire-gilded onto the crest, eyes, serpents and talons. On a 60 cm titanium chain.
  • Garuda Garnet Pinky Ring: a slim open band feathered the whole way round, with a garuda's head no larger than a grain of rice and a natural garnet in its brow. US sizes 7 to 13, about 6.8 to 10 g; pinky sizes usually run 3 to 4 sizes below your ring finger.
  • Garuda Vajra Pendant: the five-pronged vajra worn upright, 60 mm and 33 g, a garuda head between two lotus thrones and eight garnets.
  • Garuda Five-Pronged Vajra Pendant: the vajra on its side, 50 mm and 22 g, worn on a hand-braided Tibetan cord, with gold on the garuda's eyes, brows and beak.
  • Garuda Vishvavajra Pendant: two vajras crossed at right angles, 39 g, a garuda seated at the crossing and sixteen garnets.

The garuda and the naga

In Indian myth the garuda is born already grown, and after he wins his mother's freedom from Kadru, mother of the serpents, the nagas, the serpent beings of water, become his food and his lasting enemy. In Tibet he merged with the khyung, the horned bird of older Bön belief, shown with horns, a wish-fulfilling jewel at his crown and a snake in his beak. That old rivalry is why the garuda and the naga sit side by side in our workshop: our serpent pieces are in the Mystical Serpent collection, and their story is in The Naga. We carve the garuda for what it has meant in these traditions, not as a charm that protects.

How they are made

Every piece is carved by hand, and gilded details are re-cut under a 40× microscope; garnets are set by hand after the carving. The gold is traditional 24K fire-gilding. Our gold goes on the old way, by fire. How it works. Shipping is free and tracked, with duties paid.

Questions

What does a garuda pendant mean?

In Hindu and Buddhist tradition the garuda is the king of birds and the enemy of serpents; in Tibet he is merged with the khyung, the horned bird of Bön. People wear him for what that story means to them.

Which garuda piece is the lightest?

The pinky ring, at about 6.8 to 10 g depending on size. Among the pendants, the five-pronged vajra is 22 g and the Garuda Pendant 67 g.

How should a garuda pinky ring fit?

The band is open and takes a small final adjustment by hand. Our pinky ring guide explains sizing and which hand to wear it on.

Is the gold plated?

No. It is 24K fire-gilding. There is no glue and no plating tank.