Ghau Pendants

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.

Turquoise is known as "Gyu" (pronounced "yu") in Tibet. Since it is indigenous to that area, turquoise is important to the culture and used in a lot of Tibetan jewelry.

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 an 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 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.

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

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