The bees of Malia

One of the most renowned jewelry designs of all time, The Bees of Malia, an incredible artifact hosted by the Heraklion Μuseum, Crete.

The bees of Malia are considered to be of the most definitive archaeological findings of Jewelry from the Minoan civilization. These gold bees are depicted storing away a drop of honey in a comb. 

The finding is displayed at the 'Heraklion' Αrchaeological Μuseum in Crete. It dates back more than 3800 years. Excavated by the French from the Chrysolakkos necropolis in Mallia, Crete, first published in 1930 (P. Demargne, BCH54 (1930) pp.404-21 and pl.19).

Even with today's standards, the skill and craftsmanship evident on the Malia bees is phenomenal and unsurpassed, and still leaves even the most skilled jeweler breathless and bewildered with its granulated detail and extremely challenging structure. This item constitutes one of the most important and renowned specimens of Minoan art and ancient jewelry on a universal level.

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

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 

Greek Jewelry with summer nostalgia

Its not too long ago that these shots were lent to us to photograph from the extensive ancient greek jewelry collection of greek jewelry shop.

The view of them on sandy beaches and on the poolside brings a sigh.. even to me, the photographer.

Why is it that Greece and the Mediterranean is so incredibly blessed in the summertime.. Longing for the Spring and Summer-time. The smell of dryness and hint of herbs in the air... the anxiety and longing in the atmosphere to finish work and enjoy the rest of the day - while the day lasts long into the night.

In Greece you know it has finally arrived when you have that warmth in the air in the late evenings and through the sound of children playing in the 'plateias' (squares) at 8 or 9 o'clock in the evening. No one is in the mood to sleep or let the summer slip away.. yet it always does and now is the time to start looking forward to that tingling feeling of summer again

Greek Jewelry Shop creations now available at the Louvre

It a great honor and pleasure for us, the proprietors at Greek Jewelry Shop, to announce that our Greek jewelry designs are now available to the public in Paris via the official gift shop at the Louvre! The family tradition of Vaphiadis Jewelry) dates back 4 generations to 1928 in Asia Minor, previously a highly populated area by Greeks quite acclaimed in the fields of artisanship and commerce.

Our history and tradition

In the last half century the Vaphiadis family have pioneered in developing prototypes and inspired adaptations of numerous ancient ancient works of art and museum pieces related to classical Greek, Minoan, Mycenean, Etruscan and Byzantine periods. The efforts and consistency in creating fine reproductions of this ancient treasures with due respect to the cultural domains involved have led to numerous successes and to establishing the Vaphiadis family name as one of the pioneers in the field of ancient jewelry reproductions.

Amongst the most well known designs are the 1964 dolphin ring, originally a Minoan symbol, adapted from Minoan wall-paintings by Lefteris Vaphiadis, becoming one of the most recognized and most copied ring designs of this century world-wide.

Clients

Amongst our clientèle, we have been very proud over the years to have served esteemed customers such as several heads of State on official visits to Greece, a long list of European and American movie-stars and a recent Whitehouse first lady. (We would rather not mention names - as such an endorsement is a little tacky without their expressed consent)

Associations

Since 2005, 'Greek Jewelry Shop' collection by Vaphiadis has been proudly featured by organisations and institutes around world such as the city of Luxembourg museum, the Getty Villa museum (California) and has associated itself via sponsorship with various Hellenic artistic causes such as the L.A. Greek Film festival.

From April 2010, part of our collection will also be available at the The Louvre museum in Paris, France via the highly esteemed government-run establishment RMN (The association of National [French] Museums). Such an association and partnership has been a great honor for a family business such as ours that has been developed with much love and commitment to the beauty of ancient works of art, which has now found a new home under what is considered as Europe's most important historical museum.

The collection featured at the Louvre constitutes a 'time-capsule' for several almost extinct ancient aesthetics and processes in jewelry-making which are still manufactured today with many of the same methods used by our ancestors. The selection of designs are mainly of the Hellenistic and Minoan epocs.

Jewelry Museum: A cultural day out in Athens

The Ilias Lalaounis Museum is not only a cultural treasure but its also a great day out if you happen to find yourself in the city of Athens. The Museum’s permanent collection includes over 4000 pieces of jewelry and micro sculptures from over 50 collections designed by the museum’s founder, Ilias Lalaounis, between 1940 and 2000. Amongst the rich collection, find the "Dawn of Golden Art", Ilion (a collection dedicated to ancient troy) and collections inspired from other ancient civilizations (apart from Hellenic). Situated just behind the paved Irodotou Attikou street that runs under the Acropolis, with a dazzling view of the Parthenon monument, an outing to this jewelry museum combines a beautiful walk in the prettiest area of Athens and a chance to see some of the finest ancient inspired jewelry specimens from one of Greece's most respected jewelry designers.