RAKSAKA PENDANT

£6,500

Description: Black agate, salt-and-pepper diamond, 925 silver & 22ct gold. Named after the Sanskrit word rakṣaka, meaning guardian, this pendant combines protective figures and symbols from across cultures and histories. Its form draws from the fearsome drishti bommai talismans of South India, the lie-detecting Mouth of Truth in Rome, and the benevolent Assyrian spirit Lahmu, incorporating his curled hair and chamomile jewellery associated with healing. Carved in lustrous black agate and clutching a one-carat salt-and-pepper diamond between its teeth, the figure is a universal protector.

Lead time of 6-8 weeks.
Measurements: 29 x 39 x 8 mm
Condition: New
Mens: US OS
Womens: US OS
Color: Multi
Pick up: Old Selfridges Hotel
Seller: Keshav Anand
London-based jeweller and editor Keshav Anand (b. Pondicherry, 1992) studied Fine Art at Central Saint Martins. Drawing on often-overlooked symbols and imagery, Anand creates ornate talismans and functional sculptures using gemstones and recycled precious metals. An ongoing series of pendants explores queer South Asian histories and the transfigurative entities that populate the region’s mythology – from love scenes carved at Khajuraho to Purushamriga, the elusive Tamil sphinx. His latest series draws on protective symbols from across cultures and histories, from the fearsome drishti bommai masks of South India to Samdumae, the three-headed hawk of Korean folklore. At once appearing ancient and new, Anand’s contemporary artefacts – formed in bloodstone, Dalmatian jasper, obsidian, tiger's eye, emeralds, rubies, diamonds, pearls, gold, and silver – bring life to stories buried over centuries.