NACHT - The dignified black of Nachi Kuroishi. Beauty polished over the years.
Kumano Kodo trail is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The majestic and natural highway is beloved by tourists all over the world. The path acts as an historical highway connecting Ise and Osaka via Mie Prefecture, as well as Mt Koya in Wakayama Prefecture. It has long been known as the ‘path of worship’ in Japan, which people have walked to visit both Ise Jingu and Mt Koya.
Visiting Ise and Kumano was spiritually prosperous, but extremely difficult. It is said that people in the past returned with black stones rounded by the flow of the river as talismans for travel.
The stones of Nachi Kuroishi are produced only in Mie prefecture.
Nachi Kuroishi is a fine black slate. The more it is polished the deeper the blackness and luster become. Like these stones, the pilgrims who walked the Kumano Kodo possessed the will to stick to their beliefs, bolstering their strength by refining the rough edges of their difficulties. Nachi Kuroishi has long been used as a valuable material for inkstones and for the pieces of the board game Go. Works created with the material are beloved by the Japanese as traditional crafts.
Alimano jewelry is designed with the motif of the story of the Nachi Kuroishi travel talismans. To take advantage of the characteristics of the material—which deepens in blackness and luster as it is polished—it is polished dozens of times and gradually rounded into shape. Gold and silver decorations are added to the refined black texture to create a ‘modern traditional craft’ full of rarity and originality.
Each time Nachi Kuroishi is polished it creates a value that increases its luster and connection via its characteristic soft touch. The seed design is based on the motif of the natural beauty of Kumano Kodo. Hanamoto hopes this design will help consumers sympathize with the importance and ethics of preserving such a unique natural environment.
DESCRIPTION
Nachi black stone is a natural stone form Nachi river which is polished to form a unique shape. Nachi black stone will become more and more glossy with silky texture with use, the rich black colour increases through time.
The ring disappears under the stone, making Nachi black stone appear as if it is floating between the fingers. The ring is 18ct gold-plated silver 925 or 18ct gold.
Brand ALIMANO
ColorBlack stone + Gold
Material
Ring top: Nachi black stone (natural)
Ring: 18ct gold-plated 925 silver or 18ct gold
Stone size approx. 18 mm and 11 mm
Ring size Free size max 55 European size
Weight approx. 13g
Made by Yukiko Hanamoto, Japan
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