Turquoise Mountain handcrafted jewellery pieces

Turquoise Mountain: Bespoke Jewellery and Woodwork from Afghanistan

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    His Majesty King Charles III established Turquoise Mountain in 2006 to revitalise historic areas and traditional crafts, as well as to provide jobs, skills, and a renewed sense of pride. Turquoise Mountain has since restored 150 historic buildings in Kabul's old city, trained over 6,000 artisans, treated nearly 136,000 patients at their clinic, and curated major international exhibitions at venues ranging from the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

    Through a major grant partnership, the King Charles III Charitable Fund (PWCF) helps support the Turquoise Mountain Foundation in its restoration projects.

    Turquoise Mountain was established in 2006 by His Majesty King Charles III.

    Their aim is to rebuild historic communities and generate incomes through heritage and craft.

    They now support craftswomen and men in Afghanistan, Myanmar, and the Middle East.

    Turquoise Mountain in Afghanistan

    Turquoise Mountain has been working in Afghanistan since 2006, assisting thousands of families in Kabul, Bamiyan, and the country's north by providing humanitarian aid, education, and family health services while generating livelihood opportunities through craft production and the preservation of built heritage.

    Over three-years, the Institute for Afghan Arts and Architecture in Kabul's Old City trains the next generation of artisans. Young Afghans hone their skills and graduate with an internationally recognised qualification, the knowledge needed to start their own business, and the ability to earn a sustainable income.

    Turquoise Mountain now provides training, tools, equipment, product development support, workshop space, business mentoring, and market access to over 50 independent companies in Afghanistan.

    Hand-carved jewellery pieces set with semi-precious gem stones

    Semi-precious stones like emerald, garnet, kunzite, lapis lazuli, morganite, peridot, ruby, amethyst, and tourmaline have been traded along the Silk Route for many years. Afghan jewellers have been skillfully setting these stones in gold and silver. However, due to the conflict in Afghanistan over the last four decades, the country has become practically inaccessible to international buyers. As a result, Afghan jewellers have been working in isolation and have been cut off from international markets. Turquoise Mountain works to address this issue by connecting Afghan jewellers with museums, retailers, and international designers. They aim to share the beauty of Afghan jewellery design with the world and have over a decade of experience identifying and nurturing the most talented jewellers in Afghanistan. The organization works with these artisans to provide fast and responsive sampling, production oversight, gemstone procurement, finishing, and stringent quality control.

    Charm Collection

    The Tahima Jewellery Collection offers a range of delicate charms that draw inspiration from the local Afghan architecture, flora, and fauna. These charms are crafted by hand using locally sourced gemstones such as lapis, rose quartz, malachite, and black onyx and are carved by skilled gem-cutters using ancient lapidary techniques. You can wear these charms individually or layer them to create your own unique story and manifestation.

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    Tahima Jewellery Collection

    Highgrove Gardens is proud to stock a selection of charm bracelets, necklaces, and pendants from the Turquoise Mountain Tahima Jewellery Collection, which takes its name from a princess in the epic Shahnameh poem and celebrates Afghan heritage and culture. The semi-precious stones used in this jewellery collection, including lapis, rose quartz, malachite, and black onyx, are all hand-carved by gem-cutters using ancient lapidary techniques and are inspired by the ornamentation found in the Noh Gunbad mosque in Afghanistan. The designs echo the hand-carved stucco that decorates the mosque's columns and archways, whilst the colourful stones reflect the colours used in the mosque's decoration.

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    Hand-Carved Artisan Woodwork

    Highgrove is pleased to offer a variety of Turquoise Mountain handcrafted wooden gift boxes, coasters, and bookends made in Afghanistan. The wooden gift boxes feature a colour variation in Afghan woodwork due to the locally sourced walnut. These boxes are inspired by designs found in ancient manuscripts or prominent historic architecture. The Jali Box is also handcrafted from locally sourced walnut wood and features lattice panels similar to those in Kabul's old city. These screens, known locally as Jali, are made by connecting hundreds of intricate wooden joints, and the woodworkers cut the pieces by eye.

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    The sale of highgrove products, garden tours and events support the charitable work of the kings foundation.