Evil eye jewellery casts its timeless spell, finding fans in Rihanna and Gigi Hadid
Schiaparelli and independent designers Suzanne Kalan, Ileana Makri, Begüm Khan, Sydney Evan and Delfina Delettrez are all keeping the evil eye motif alive
The belief in the evil eye can be traced back around 5,000 years to ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt. The idea then spread widely, appearing more than 2,500 years ago in ancient Greece, where people would wear protective amulets or jewellery – often decorated with an eye motif – to deflect the negative energy of a jealous stare. Nazar is the name given to such eye-shaped amulets, from the Arabic for “vision” or “sight”.
Other cultures adopted such amulets for similar reasons, including the Turks, Indians and people across the Middle East. Today, evil eye jewellery is found in bazaars and village boutiques across much of the world.
For the more fashion-oriented, talented jewellers are now taking this ancient symbol and transforming it into contemporary designs that are chic, wearable and luxe.
“The evil eye has always fascinated me because it transcends time and culture, and holds significance in so many traditions around the world,” says Greek jewellery designer Ileana Makri, who is often credited with bringing evil eye jewellery to a modern audience.
Traditional evil eye jewellery is made from glass or enamel and features a distinct eye design using circles or teardrop shapes, in colours such as white and various shades of blue. Makri changed the game when she launched her now bestselling Dawn pendant, which she calls a “modern-day amulet”. The circular pendant with its eye motif is embellished with pavé-set coloured diamonds as well as other gems such as blue sapphires and green tsavorites.