Part 2: Afghanistan, Chapter 4: Meet the Jewels 

One of my favourite pieces we’ve made in Afghanistan is one that I designed in collaboration with Saeeda Etebari – a young Afghan jewellery maker. The piece was commissioned by the Smithsonian in Washington D.C., to show contemporary Afghan work in an exhibition seen by millions of people. It’s an amulet that is made from over 300 Panjshiri emeralds, with an opening box behind it where we put a handful of soil from Afghanistan. It felt symbolic that as the piece left Afghanistan, it held a bit of the country within it. 

My favourite piece that we’re producing in Afghanistan right now is the Zindagi necklace. This is a very simple cord necklace with two rough lapis lazuli pieces and a gold bead, 100% of the profits from this piece goes to supporting Zindagi Now in their training of women in jewellery skills in Kabul and Badakhshan.