[Earrings] Mai earrings (brass / red coral)

A crown found in an old museum

For many years, I have wanted to make earrings using this motif. The motif is a small jeweled crown that I found at the "Antiques Museum," where old household items are collected, stored, and exhibited by Saeko Itoshiro, born in 1933.

It is thought that it was probably worn by shrine maidens when performing dances dedicated to shrines, but this is not certain.

I came up with this design after gazing for a long time at the jewelry, which resembles a bird's wing, softly fluttering about and swaying and dancing along with the shrine maiden.

A prayer design embodied in hand-drawn lines

If you look closely at old crowns, you will see that they were made by stamping thin copper plates. They are also made using a mold, but this time, the mold was made with lines engraved by hand.

This gives each piece its own unique expression, creating a very organic and warm design.

Red Coral

There are red coral beads on the brass parts. Red coral has long been valued as a power stone.

Red coral in particular has been said to bring health and vitality.

Enjoy the changes of brass material

Brass is a material that changes beautifully over time. It will take on a historical character reminiscent of the copper crowns of the past, so we encourage you to use it for a long time.

Earring hooks are 14K Gold filled

Gold-filled is a material that has become popular in recent years because it allows you to easily enjoy the elegant shine of real gold. It is a material that has a core of metal, mainly an alloy such as brass, coated with an alloy that contains gold in an amount of 1/20 of the total weight, i.e. 5%.

Compared to gold plating (gold plated: GP), the gold alloy coating layer is 20 to 30 times thicker, and it is also more durable because the gold alloy coating is applied by applying heat and pressure.

[Product quality and care]

Main unit
Material: Brass

Earring Hook
Material: 14K gold filled

beads
Material: Coral Origin: Taiwan

size
Length (including earring hook) 4.3-4.4cm
Length (motif only) 2.2cm
Width 3cm

※Care instructions

After wearing, wipe off sweat and sebum with soft cotton or cloth (such as a glasses cleaner) to keep the product in good condition for a longer period of time.
Also, if you notice any darkening, you can use a jewelry cleaner to clean it and restore its shine.

[Replacing with earring parts]

This product can also be changed to earring parts for an additional 550 yen. In that case, please click on the earring part you want (screw spring type or resin). If you have any questions, please contact us in the comments section.

Screw spring type

Both the screw and the spring can be used to adjust the thickness of the earlobe. Recommended for those with thick earlobes. The color is antique gold, which matches the aging of the brass. At first it looks darker than the main body, but the color will gradually match.

resin

The side with the pearl is behind the ear. The thickness of the earlobe cannot be adjusted. It can be firmly fixed. The parts are not noticeable and look neat.

*Please note that it will take about a week to replace the item.

[Short story: Kagura of the Five Stages]

Currently, the Godan Kagura dance is dedicated at the spring festival held at Hakusan Nakai Shrine in Itoshiro on the third Sunday in May.

This dance is said to be a secret secret from outside Itoshiro, and two elementary school girls master it after more than a month of practice. It is a divine, refreshing, and wonderful dance that attracts many people every year. The girls are wearing modern-day crowns on their heads. They shine divinely.

For us who live in Itoshiro, the spring festival is a very important time to pray for a bountiful harvest in the fields after the snow melts.

Sister Earrings

We also have a sister product, Mai earrings (silver/lapis lazuli), which has the same design but different sizes, materials and beads, so please check them out here.