Malini Wooden Earrings – Hand-Painted Boxwood Bud Dangle Earrings

Malini Wooden Earrings – Hand-Painted Boxwood Bud Dangle Earrings

A square of black Ebony sits flat at the lobe. Below it, on a small ring, hangs something quite different: a bud carved in the round from pale Boxwood, domed at the crown and tapering to a point, with fine black lines drawn by hand down its length.

Almost everything else we make is a flat panel — a face, a back, and an edge between them. Malini has no flat side. It is shaped on every surface, which means it turns as it hangs and never presents the same view twice.

The name means garland-maker, and the form is a bud rather than an open flower — the moment before rather than after.

The pair weighs 10 g.

What Malini is made from

• Upper element: Ebony, cut square and flat
• Lower element: Boxwood, carved in the round as a bud
• Finish: hand-painted black line work over the carved surface
• 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 and hand-painted by skilled artisans

Carving in the round is a different craft

A flat panel can be cut, sanded on two faces and finished. A three-dimensional form has to be worked from every angle, and the grain runs a different way at every one of them — what cuts cleanly at the crown will want to tear at the tip. There is no back to hide a mistake on, because there is no back.

Boxwood is the traditional wood for exactly this kind of work. Its grain is so fine and even that it holds crisp detail at small scale, which is why it was used for centuries in engraving blocks and fine carving.

Painting on a curve

Then the line work goes on. Drawing a straight, even line along a curved surface is considerably harder than on a flat one — the brush is always turning, and the wood falls away from the hand as it goes. Each bud is painted individually, so the lines fall a little differently on every pair.

How to style Malini

• Everyday and work: small in scale and quiet in palette — easy with shirts, kurtas and linen
• Sarees: lovely with cotton, khadi and handloom in cream, black, indigo, plum and olive
• Festive daywear: Poila Boishakh, Ugadi, Navratri daytime functions, mehendi and haldi
• Western wear: plain necklines, denim, white shirts, black dresses
• Gifting: a small carved-and-painted piece reads as considered rather than expensive

Because it is dimensional, Malini shows best where it can move — hair back or up, and no scarf or heavy collar to still it.

Caring for carved and painted wood

• Put your earrings on last, after perfume, hairspray, makeup and skincare
• Keep them away from sanitiser, nail-polish remover and alcohol-based products — solvents lift paint
• Remove before bathing, swimming or exercising
• Wipe only with a soft, dry cloth, and never rub at the painted lines
• Store on their own in the box or pouch provided, so the carved tip is not pressed against anything
• Handle by the Ebony square or the metal findings rather than the bud

Related designs

• Aarushi — hand-painted work on a flat Boxwood and Ebony body, in red and black
• Gulmohar — floral work again, this time hand-engraved rather than painted
• Mahek — the same Ebony square at the lobe, with an inlaid Boxwood diamond below

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. Malini ships worldwide, arriving within 5–10 days of your order — import duties and local taxes are payable by the recipient.

Frequently asked questions

Is Malini flat, or carved in three dimensions?
Carved in the round. The bud is shaped on every surface with no flat back, which is unusual in wooden jewellery and considerably slower to make than a cut panel.

Are the black lines painted, engraved or inlaid?
Hand-painted. They are drawn on with a brush, one bud at a time, over the carved Boxwood surface. Painting along a curve is harder than on a flat face, and the lines fall slightly differently on every pair.

What woods are used?
Ebony for the square at the lobe and Boxwood for the carved bud. Both are exotic hardwoods, responsibly repurposed from offcuts of fine wood craftsmanship.

Why Boxwood for carving?
Its grain is exceptionally fine and even, so it holds crisp detail at small scale without crumbling at the edges. It has been the wood of choice for fine carving and engraving blocks for centuries.

Will the painted lines wear off?
Not with ordinary wear. Solvents are what damage painted wood — perfume sprayed directly on, sanitiser, nail-polish remover — along with rubbing. Keep those away and wipe only with a dry cloth.

How heavy are they?
10 g the pair.

Can Malini get wet?
Please avoid it. Water is harder on painted wood than on bare wood. Remove them before bathing, swimming or exercising, and if they get damp, dry immediately with a soft cloth and let them air fully.

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 carved shape will match. The painted lines and the Boxwood grain will differ slightly, because both the carving and the painting are done by hand in natural material.

Is this suitable for everyday wear?
Yes. It is small in scale and quiet in palette, which makes it one of the easier pieces to wear to work or on an ordinary day. The painted surface simply asks for a little more care than bare wood.

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.