OUR ROOTS
What we choose to carry
Chinese jade carving has given stone a place in human life for thousands of years. It is also where our own work began.
A small carving with a long history
More than 5,000 years ago, the Hongshan culture of northeastern China carved jade into coiled animal forms now known as pig-dragons. Archaeologists have found them in high-status burials, and museums associate them with ritual and spiritual life.
Much about their meaning remains uncertain. Yet the care in a carved eye, a polished curve, or a hole made for suspension is still visible today.
Someone took the time to give this stone a face.
Something to live by
Over later centuries, Chinese writers associated jade with qualities such as integrity and humility. An object could make an idea tangible, something to keep close.
This is the part of that history that matters to us: the possibility of carrying a reminder of how you want to live.
Worn your way
You may be drawn to the shape of a carving, the way it works with your clothes, or the story behind it. Each is a reason to wear it.
For some, a necklace becomes a personal amulet, a reminder of someone or a promise to themselves. Putting it on can become a small daily ritual. Others choose it simply because they love how it looks.
At Z-OATH, we bring our jade-carving background to contemporary jewelry in obsidian, agate and chalcedony. The design is ours; how you wear it, and what it means to you, is your own.
Wear your oath.
Meet the studio