New product - Large faceted 'ionic' Greek-key motif earrings

Its not regularly that we promote or announce new products - namely because most of the 2000+ jewelry designs in the Greek Jewelry Shop range go back 3-4 generations in the Vaphiadis family history back to the early 1900's and the essence of our jewelry range is virtually timeless. In this sense there's nothing 'new' about this design that constitutes an exception - apart from the fact that it was added to our online store today following the request of a customer who browsed our entire catalogue and 'needed' these earrings for his wife for Christmas.. but this has been a great opportunity to say something about this sensational design.

I felt that the specific earrings - Timothy's 'find' in the full catalog section of our site - deserved not only to be added to our online store, but a special note. Upon reading his email we were actually baffled as to why we missed these earrings in our earlier selections and why we hadn't made these available in our earrings section far sooner!

These large glossy meander earrings have a distinctly feminine appeal in true Grecian style. Despite that their surface is curiously simple (ie, not covered with intricate detail like other Hellenistic rhythms), their incredibly simple and attractive silhouette embodies a pure feminine form in archetypical Greek rhythm - that one would most likely associate to being Ionic.

There is certainly a profoundly contemporary and modernistic feel derived from minimalist forms such as these, which revives the essence of classical Greek perception. A timelessness which is always current (much like in the case of an Ionic column) because of the 'wisdom' surrounding it's simplicity of form.

It is perhaps no coincidence that most professional and skilled designers today, whether in jewelry, architecture, fashion or even industrial design will most likely confess that it is a much greater challenge and more difficult to reduce a form to the essentials, than to add features - which often lead to clutter.

The fact that the Greek civilization achieved to reach the core essential, archetypical and fluid lines in their structures and art - is a reflection of the phenomenal advance which they also achieved in social sciences, politics, philosophy, fine art and theater. The principle of reduction (αφαίρεση = subtraction) alone leads to conclusions and a deeper understanding of nature and key motives which not only appeal to the senses but are building blocks in civilization.

Greek Jewelry Shop Product Link: Large faceted 'Ionic' Greek-Key motif earrings

Material: Sterling Silver

Length: Approx 4.6 cm in length (approx 1 3/4 inches)

GreekJewelryShop's jewelry collection visits Sydney on the 24th November with ancient Alexander treasures

We're happy to announce partnership with another one of the world's key museums. November 24th is the opening date for the first ever display on such large scale of Greek antiquities at the Australian Museum in Sydney lent from the permanent collection of the Hermitage. Apart from viewing one of the most significant collections of antiquities from the reign and era of Alexander the Great, visitors to this event from around the world will also be able to view and purchase a large collection of Ancient Greek Jewelry from our very own collection which will be the official merchandise at the Museum gift shop.
Over 400 significant ancient artifacts from the hermitage will be on show which are travelling in 3 different shipments from Russia for security purposes. The selection of our jewelry available for purchase at the gift shop consists of numerous Hellenistic jewelry and coinage jewelry in the form of rings, necklaces, bracelets, cufflinks and earrings.

Tickets and further information about the event are available from the dedicated Alexander in Sydney website

Eroica (heroically)

A nostalic composition by the sensational Marios Strofalis. The collection of photographs in the slide show depicts immense Hellenic personalities of the past - among others the one and only Konstantinos Kavafis, the brilliant Manos Hatjidakis, Nobel prize-winning poet Odysseas Elitis and George Seferis while it opens with rare photos from Athens in the 1920's.
Revisiting these hauntingly nostalgic images, if one has a familiarity and long connection with Greek people.. one cannot ignore the fact that however small the country, its impact on humanity is too often under-rated and that the survival and growth of Greece has never been an easy business.

Greece at its best has been a birthplace of culture and this has always been its wealth, its abundance.With a mythology so rich embedded in its very language, with the understanding of the compassion, the anger and even the fears of 'the gods', there's no comedy or tragedy that you can teach a Greek nor can you better explain the concept of irony to him. The mere meaning of democracy and tyranny,
the difference between syp-pathy, em-pathy and anti-pathy
poly-nomy, auto-nomy and anti-nomy,
mono-poly, duo-poly and oligo-poly
pluto-cracy vs demo-cracy vs theo-cracy
and hundreds if not thousands of concepts more that are Greek principles by birthright that have evenhandedly gifted the rest of the world with their own wealth.

Claiming that Greeks also have to make excellent bankers, financial analysts and politicians is like expecting all people to be the same when they are not. Almost like giving little mirrors and bangles away to an indigenous people in south America who are nomads and years later expecting them to be like you, dress like you and talk like you. Greeks are apparently also a little different. While Anglo-Saxon cultures have excelled in banking and insurance, the Greeks have freely gifted them most of the words and concepts which their contracts are worded with.

But apparently there is some trade-off...
The current sticky situation in Greece is an ugly one but not a new one for the Hellenes who have spent their entire existence conquering and being conquered and cycling between rise and declines. The test of time shows that after Nemesis (Νέμεσις) has washed away the Hubris ('Υβρις) there will again come a peaceful time for the Hellenes and they will stand on their feet again. The question is will Europe be able to eventually see through its 'defeat' and embody new meanings to its new state when Greek words have finished.

Hot discounts at the hottest time of year!

Its that time of year again when our skilled artisans simply deserve to spend quality time with their families after a hard year's work!
The heat is on in Greece for good.. in more than the Celsius scale! And rest is the best way to prepare before another battle this September. The sky is blue, the sea is soothing and there's nothing new to us-Greeks about comedy and tragedy - all an inseparable part of life.

While we're on a break, and dipping in the rich Aegean blue waves, your orders get a bonus of 25% off all our prices - That means that by waiting to receive the items just a little longer, you get an incredible 1/4 of our prices off for your valued custom!

Customer service will still be open to answer any customer questions by email.

Details about how to participate in this super-deal can be found at special discounts and promotion codes (the offer is 25% at the time of publishing but will finish if you wait longer than August 20th or so)

An old house entrance on the island of Kythnos 

I love acorns?

Now this does sound typical of Snoopy (I love peanuts?) - for those of you have been around for long enough to remember.. Gosh I sound old.. but actually this entry is about less retro than the 1970's comic strip and actually very much happening today..

To get closer to the point, I heard of somebody recently which actually has a true passion and a true plan for reviving a local traditional industry in Greece on the picturesque island of Kea in (naturally in Greece), which is not far from the Athenian mainland. It was only yesterday however that I was invited over to try her famous acorn cookies to learn a lot more about the story 'hands on'!

Baking acorn cookies with kids from the village

Marcie, a dynamic Californian woman who has lived on the island for many years has taken a challenging initiative to revive the agricultural development and the contemporary use of acorns for all sorts of purposes. She recently raised over a whooping $10,000 on the internet alone via kickstarter for this precise passion. The acorn which grows abundantly in Kea, was once a strong sector and a main source of income for the locals. Since the development of tourism and the drastic increase of the value of land however, the locals lost interest completely in this agricultural activity. What is most interesting is the incredible number of uses that acorns can be used for which I never imagined previous to hearing of Marcie's passion and eating her acorn-cookies and home-made wine at the Red Tractor Farm

The interior of one of the cottages on the Red Tractor Farm

As she explained to me acorns offer a pigment for dying leather (shoes, bags etc) which is far superior to any other method of dying and treating leather. Acorns can also derive flour which can be used to cook numerous foods with and these are only just some of the uses.. Marcie has not only raised funds to equip the community with machinery able to harvest them, she has 'cooked up' old acorn recipes and acorn recipes of her own! She also keeps a journal to keep the world up to date with whats new in her project.

Marcie and her husband Kostis (who is Greek and from Kea) own a beautiful farm called 'The Red Tractor Farm on the island which is very much a part of their family history. It is exquisitely serene and hosts numerous visitors from around the world every year offering each visitor a large number of activities and to fully enjoy the true less 'touristy' atmosphere of the island.

Well done Marcie, keep up the excellent work!