Amaya Wooden Earrings – Ebony Bow & Inlaid Maple Teardrop Danglers

Amaya Wooden Earrings – Ebony Bow & Inlay Teardrop Dangle Earrings

At the lobe, a bow of black Ebony: sides curving inward to a waist, flaring again at top and bottom, with nothing on its surface. Below it hangs a teardrop of pale Maple, ruled with fine lines of Ebony running the length of the drop.

Those lines are inlaid. Each is a thin strip of Ebony set into a channel cut in the Maple, fixed, then levelled and polished until the face is one continuous surface. Run a fingertip down it and you feel nothing.

The pair weighs 10 g.

What Amaya is made from

• Upper element: Ebony, cut as a plain bow
• Lower element: Maple teardrop, inlaid with fine Ebony lines lengthwise
• Colour: natural Maple cream against natural Ebony black; no dye, stain or paint
• Findings: metal alloy hooks with a metal ring
• Weight: 10 g per pair
• Sold as: one pair
• Made in: India, from responsibly repurposed exotic hardwoods, handcrafted by skilled artisans

Inlaid, not joined — and why it looks different

There are two ways to get a black line into pale wood, and we use both across the collection.

Joining bonds separate strips edge to edge and shapes the block afterwards, so the black runs all the way through. It gives broad, bold bands of roughly equal width — the wood itself is the pattern.

Inlay cuts channels into a solid piece and sets thin strips into them. The base stays whole, which means the lines can be as fine as you like and placed wherever you want them, rather than being determined by how thick a strip of wood can practically be.

Amaya is inlaid. That is why its lines are finer and more deliberate than a joined stripe, and why the pale Maple reads as a continuous field with drawing on it rather than as alternating blocks.

The difficulty is the channel. Cut it a fraction wide and a pale seam appears alongside the black. On a teardrop the lines also have to stay true through a shape that narrows to a point, which is where any drift shows most.

Why Maple

Maple carries visible figure — a fine, even grain with a faint shimmer that catches light as you move. It is the wood on the back of a violin, chosen there for exactly that quality. As a base for inlay it means the pale field is never flat: there is movement inside it, and the black lines sit on top of that movement rather than on a blank.

Ebony is the opposite. So dark that grain almost disappears, which is why it makes a clean line and a clean bow.

How to style Amaya

• Monochrome dressing: black, white, cream and grey — Amaya belongs to that palette rather than accenting it
• Sarees: excellent with cotton, khadi, linen and handloom drapes; especially good with black-and-white or off-white weaves
• Kurtas and co-ord sets: plain cream, white, black or indigo
• Work and formal wear: reads as considered rather than decorative
• Evening: the Maple figure shows most under warm light, which suits dinners and evening events

Keep the outfit unpatterned. Fine inlaid lines against printed fabric cancel each other out.

Caring for your Amaya earrings

• Put your earrings on after perfume, makeup and skincare have settled
• Remove them before bathing, swimming or exercising — moisture is what can loosen an inlay over years
• Wipe gently with a soft, dry cloth after each wear
• Store in the box or pouch provided, away from moisture, heat and direct sunlight
• Handle by the metal findings rather than the inlaid face

Maple is paler than most woods, so it shows marks more readily than a dark timber would. The dry-cloth wipe matters more here than on an Ebony-heavy piece.

Related designs

• Kairavi — the closest pair to this one: the same Ebony bow and the same teardrop, but with broad joined bands of Boxwood and Ebony instead of fine inlaid lines. Bolder, and built rather than cut
• Kavita — Ebony inlay taken further, as a crossed lattice on a Boxwood disc
• Aadhya — both techniques in one pair: an inlaid lattice disc above a joined striped teardrop

Shipping

Dispatched within 2–3 working days. Free shipping on prepaid orders within India; delivery is typically 2–3 days to metro cities and 5–7 days elsewhere in India. Cash on Delivery is available at selected locations with a ₹50 cash-handling charge. Amaya ships worldwide, arriving within 5–10 days of your order — import duties and local taxes are payable by the recipient.

Frequently asked questions

Are the black lines inlaid, joined or painted?
Inlaid. Each is a thin strip of Ebony set into a channel cut in the Maple, then levelled and polished flush. The face is smooth to the touch, and the lines cannot wear off because they are solid wood running into the piece.

How is Amaya different from Kairavi?
They share the same Ebony bow and the same teardrop, and they are made in opposite ways. Amaya's lines are inlaid — cut into a pale Maple field. Kairavi's stripes are joined — broad strips of Boxwood and Ebony bonded edge to edge and shaped afterwards. Amaya is finer and more drawn; Kairavi is bolder and more built.

What is the difference between inlay and joining?
Inlay cuts a groove into a solid piece and sets another wood into it, so the base stays whole and the lines can be very fine. Joining bonds separate pieces edge to edge and shapes the result as one object, which gives broader bands running all the way through. Both are skilled; they fail in different places — an inlay at the channel walls, a join at the seam.

What is Maple, and why use it here?
Maple is a temperate hardwood with a fine, even grain and a faint natural shimmer — the same figure that makes it the traditional choice for the backs of violins. As a base for inlay it gives a pale field with movement in it, so the black lines sit on something living rather than on a blank.

Is the black and cream natural?
Yes. The black is Ebony, one of the darkest timbers in use, and the cream is Maple. Nothing is dyed, stained or painted.

How much do they weigh?
10 g the pair, which is why a design of this size can be worn from morning through an evening without discomfort.

Will the pale Maple discolour?
Maple warms very slightly with age, moving from cream towards a light honey tone. It is gradual and generally flattering. Because Maple is pale, it does show marks more readily than dark wood, so wipe after wearing and keep it away from oils and cosmetics.

Can Amaya get wet?
Please avoid it. Moisture is what can loosen an inlay over years. Remove the earrings before bathing, swimming or exercising, and if they get damp, dry them with a soft cloth straight away and let them air fully.

Why is the top element bow-shaped?
Its inward curve at the waist answers the outward curve of the teardrop below, so the two elements belong together. A bow is also harder to cut than a square — two concave curves must mirror each other exactly, and Ebony is so dark that shape is the only thing the eye can read on it.

What are the hooks made of?
Metal alloy, with a metal ring joining the two elements. If your ears react easily to metal, please write to us before ordering and we will help you decide.

Will my pair look exactly like the photographs?
The design will match. The figure in the Maple and the exact spacing of the inlay will differ, because natural wood varies board to board and every line is cut and fitted by hand.

What outfits suit inlaid wooden earrings?
Plain fabric in black, white, cream, grey or indigo. Cotton, khadi, linen and handloom sarees, solid kurtas, monochrome western dressing. Avoid prints, which compete with fine line work and flatten it.

What if my order arrives damaged?
Write to us within 48 hours with photographs and your unboxing video. The video is required for damage, missing and wrong-item claims, so please film yourself opening the parcel.

Do you ship internationally?
Yes, worldwide, generally arriving within 5–10 days. Import duties, customs and local taxes are payable by the recipient.