Description
The Buddha black obsidian pendant, one of the most widely worn pieces of jewellery in the world, and one of the least understood in detail. The posture, the expression, the position of the hands: every carved Buddha says something precise, and rarely the same thing. Handcrafted from natural stones, this is the one you wear to remind yourself to slow down.
The Buddha shown in jewellery is almost always the meditating Buddha: eyes half closed, features smoothed, hands resting one on the other. It does not portray a person but a state, a peace reached at the end of a path, not granted in advance. That is what explains its presence far beyond Buddhist practice: most of the people who wear it see a universal reminder to stay calm rather than a sign of religious belonging.
Carved in black obsidian, that face gains a material worthy of it. Obsidian is a volcanic glass, born of lava cooled so fast that no crystal had time to crystallise. It is hard, brittle, and forgives no hesitation from the carver, a botched face cannot be rescued. When the carving succeeds, the features stand out with a sharpness few stones allow, against a deep matte black.
In crystal healing, black obsidian is associated with the root chakra and with grounding: it is said to hold back outside tension and bring you back to the concrete. The Buddha works the other way, inward, towards settling whatever is stirring inside. The two are not doing the same job: one protects from the outside, the other calms the inside.
Worn on a simple black cord, against the skin or under a jumper, this pendant belongs to the tradition of the amulet you keep on you. To learn everything about the stone, read my complete guide to obsidian or obsidian, protection and grounding.
- 100% natural black obsidian, carved Buddha pendant
- Meditating Buddha, crisp features and polished finish
- Handmade in my workshop, in France, each piece unique
- Delivered ready to wear on its black nylon cord
The piece from every angle
 |  |  |
Specifications
- Stone type
- Black obsidian
- Colour
- Deep black, polished finish
- Pendant
- Carved Buddha, 25-30 mm / 1-1 1/4 in
- Posture
- Meditating Buddha
- Setting
- Black nylon cord, included
- Length
- 45 cm / 17 3/4 in, adjustable
- Gender
- Women and men
- Brand
- Bijoux Obsidienne
Handcrafted by Camille
Every pendant is assembled by hand in my workshop, in France. On a carved face, quality control is far more demanding than on a smooth stone: I check each piece under several lights, because a tiny chip or a poorly finished edge shows immediately on facial features. A good part of the batch does not make it through.
What I like about this pendant is that it forces you to stop for a second. A smooth stone, you wear without thinking about it; a face, you always end up looking at. Discover the story of the workshop, or my whole collection of obsidian pendants.
“You don’t carve a face in obsidian the way you would in another stone. It breaks clean, without warning. The ones that come out intact, I keep preciously.”, Camille
Care: a soft cloth is all it takes; avoid salt, knocks and prolonged water, and take it off before showering or exercising, carved reliefs are more vulnerable to knocks than a smooth surface. All my advice is in the care guide.
