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Ghau Pendants

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Jewelry with more being

Ghau (also known as Gao, Gau, and Prayer Box) is a small prayer box used traditionally by Tibetan Buddhists as portable shrines where prayers and sacred relics are kept and used during their travel to hold their sacred deity inside. Now, "prayer box" pendants are often used as jewelry or personal adornment. They are used to carry prayers or prayer concerns (of any religion) or photos, poems, small items, or memories. I have even seen them being used to carry wrapped up medicine.

Ghau pendants can carry your prayers near to your heart throughout the day. They are jewelry that has a history.

As an added bonus, Ghau pendants are an amazing bargain. You'll get amazing bang for your buck with ghau. They are often large pendants (so as to hold a decent amount inside), and are beautifully and sometimes ornately decorated with stones, especially turquoise, coral, and lapis, and onyx. For the same price you can have an authentic piece of jewelry with far more meaning and character then junk from the mall.

Ghau Pendants with Turqoise

What is Tibetan Sterling or Tibetan Silver?

a.k.a. White metal, Tibetan Sterling, Tibetan Sterling Silver, or Bali Sterling

Well to start with, it is not pure 925 sterling silver.

White metal is a term by jewelers given to a alloy of tin and antimony. It is a silver tone in its colour and in tin plate.

So, if you have a problem with allergic reactions to metals that aren't 925 sterling, check with the seller about exactly what the metal is. If it is truly sterling silver, it will have 925 stamped on it.

There have been problems with some white metal recently where not only does it not contain any silver at all, but that it contains dangerous materials like lead and arsenic. Purchase wisely, and check out the seller first.

Genuine Tibetan jewelry, an artist expression of Tibet's Buddhist tradition, is usually made of an alloy of silver and copper and sometimes with the addition of gold, nickel or brass ornamentation.

Tibetan Prayer Flag Package

This package includes many traditional Tibetan prayers that you can write down and keep in your ghau pendant.

Ghau Pendants with Lapis

Tibetan Jewelry

Tibetan jewelry is among the most finely crafted in the world today. Skilled artisans use the same techniques that have been used for generations to create the most gorgeous silverworks and gem cuts when producing Ghau pendants.

Asia is home to some of the worlds finest gemstones, so grand master artisans have a wide variety of stunning stones to work with. Ghau pendants are often set with green turquoise, red coral, butterscotch yellow amber, carnelian and deep blue lapis lazuli. Stunning emeralds, rubies, sapphires, amethysts, citrines and garnets are common as well. Look for Ghau pendants featuring hand-carved Buddhas and other ornate designs.

Ghau pendants often includes gemstone inlays. Artisans often use shells, like stunning abalone or mother of pearl, as well as turquoise, lapis lazuli and coral in intricate inlay designs.

Ghau Pendants

A Few Shops with Ghau Pendants

(These shops were found online; I have not personally made purchases from any of them)

Hinkyimport.com: A huge variety of ghau pendants with excellent photos (open and closed). The largest selection I have found in one place (other then eBay).
jegem.com: Silver Gemstone Jewelry ~ Sterling Silver Coral OM Box Pendant
Indian Arts: Exotic India: Internet's largest store for Indian art, with saris and salwar kameez, pashmina shawls, madhubani folk art, sterling silver findings, gemstone beads, Indian jewelry, sculptures, Hindu books, and more.
HimalayanMart.com: Ghau is a Tibetan Buddhist prayer box or amulet container, made of metal and usually worn as jewelry.We have wonderful collection on beautifully hand crafted Ghau made of precious metal decorated with semi precious stones.
We also have wholesale option if you want Ghau in large quantity.
Nepal Export Team: Ghau Pendants

Ghau Pendants (non-silver)

Copper and bronze were metals often chosen to make ghau pendants from. They are lovely and have that aged and loved feel to them.

More Beautiful Ghau Pendants

Prayer Boxes

Smaller and more discrete, these prayer boxes are great to hold small rolled up prayers or a list of prayer concerns.

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bechand Jan 16, 2012 @ 4:52 pm | delete

pretty cool :O)

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grannysage Jan 7, 2012 @ 3:17 pm | delete

These are awesome. Each one is so different. Great idea to include the warning on the white metal. I'm very allergic to most metals so have to be careful

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CCGAL Jan 7, 2012 @ 10:22 am | delete

I had no idea what these were called, though I did recognize them. Very interesting and educational lens, imho. Nicely done!

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crosscreations Jan 7, 2012 @ 10:00 am | delete

I learned something new here today, and I do love to learn new words, had never heard of GHAU pendants even though I'll betcha I even own a few among my collections of vitage jewels. Gives me ideas ... might create a prayer box with a ghau pendant on top today, how cool is that? Smiles to you :-) :-) :-)