Raga Wooden Earrings – Boxwood Disc & Banded Half-Round Boat

A plain Boxwood disc at the ear, and below it a half-round boat shape banded across in Boxwood and Padauk.

Raga is a pattern of notes — a structure that repeats with variation rather than exactly. The bands here do the same thing: broad gold, narrow red, broad gold again, each one a different width from the last because the shape narrows as it falls. Nothing repeats precisely, and that is what gives the piece its rhythm.

Two elements, deliberately unalike

The upper disc is completely plain — one wood, one colour, no pattern at all. The lower boat is the opposite: five or six bands of two woods crossing it.

That contrast is the design. A patterned element above a patterned element would compete; a plain round above a banded shape lets the eye settle first and then read the detail. It also means the pale Boxwood disc and the pale Boxwood bands are the same wood, which ties the two halves together without repeating the same idea twice.

Banding across, not down

The bands are joined, not painted or inlaid: separate strips of Boxwood and Padauk bonded edge to edge, with the whole block shaped afterwards — so the colour runs all the way through the wood rather than sitting on the surface.

Running them across the shape is the harder direction. A horizontal line reads like a horizon: a fraction of a degree off and the eye registers it as crooked immediately, where a lengthwise stripe is far more forgiving. And because a boat shape narrows towards its base, every band is cut shorter than the one above it, so each join has to stay true across its whole length even where there is very little length left.

The colours are the woods' own. Boxwood grows pale gold, Padauk a deep coral red; nothing here is dyed, stained or painted.

Details

• Woods: Boxwood and Padauk (African Coral Wood), both responsibly repurposed
• Craft technique: joined banding — hand-shaped and hand-polished
• Design: a plain round disc above a half-round boat shape banded horizontally
• Lower element: approximately 2 cm
• Weight: 10 g per pair
• Colour: natural wood colour, undyed and unpainted
• Findings: metal alloy with a metal ring
• Unit: one pair
• Made in: India, handcrafted by skilled artisans

How to style Raga Wooden Earrings

With a saree. Gold and red is the warmest palette in Indian dress, and Raga sits naturally against cotton, khadi, linen, tussar and handloom drapes — mustard, rust, cream, olive, maroon and off-white especially. It is particularly good with a printed or ajrakh-style drape, because the banding echoes a woven border rather than fighting it.

With a kurta. Keep the fabric solid so the bands stay legible. Ivory, ochre, terracotta and indigo all give it room.

For festive days. Warm without competing with gold jewellery, which makes it an easy choice for Durga Puja, Navratri, Diwali, Poila Boishakh and daytime wedding functions.

With western wear. Linen, denim, white and earth tones. The geometry is clean enough to read as contemporary despite the traditional palette.

Two tones and a strong pattern is already a lot. Keep the outfit solid and other jewellery quiet — gold accents suit this palette better than silver.

Caring for your Raga Wooden Earrings

• Wipe with a soft, dry cloth after every wear. Never wash them.
• Put them on last, once perfume, makeup and skincare have settled.
• Take them off before bathing, swimming or exercising — moisture is what stresses a join over time.
• Store in the box or pouch they arrive in, somewhere cool, dry and out of direct sunlight.
• Handle them by the metal findings rather than the wooden body.

Frequently asked questions

Which woods are used in Raga Wooden Earrings?

Two. Boxwood gives the plain upper disc and the pale gold bands; Padauk — also called African Coral Wood — gives the deep red bands. Both are responsibly repurposed exotic hardwoods.

Are the stripes painted or printed on?

No. Each band is a separate strip of wood, joined edge to edge by hand and shaped afterwards, so the colour runs all the way through the piece rather than sitting on the surface. Nothing on Raga is dyed, stained or painted.

What shape is the lower element?

A half-round — flat across the top, shoulders curving outward, then tapering to a soft base, like a boat seen from the side. It measures approximately 2 cm.

What does the name Raga mean?

A raga is a pattern of notes in Indian music — a structure that repeats with variation rather than exactly. The bands here behave the same way: no two are quite the same width, because the shape narrows as it falls.

Why do the bands run across rather than down?

It is the harder direction and the better-looking one. A horizontal line reads like a horizon, so any tilt is obvious immediately, where a lengthwise stripe is far more forgiving. It also means each band is a different width as the shape narrows, which is what gives the piece its movement.

Is the red colour natural?

Yes. It is Padauk, which grows a strong orange-red without any treatment at all. The gold is Boxwood.

Will the red fade?

It deepens rather than fades, moving from bright coral towards brick red over months and years in light and air. All Padauk does this, and most people prefer the settled colour. Storing the pair away from direct sunlight slows it.

Will the joins come apart?

Not with ordinary wear. A properly prepared joint in dense hardwood is as strong as the wood on either side of it. What stresses any join over time is moisture, which is the main reason to keep wooden jewellery dry.

How much do they weigh?

10 g for the pair — a fraction of what the same design would weigh in metal, so there is very little pull on the lobe.

What are the findings made of?

Metal alloy, with a metal ring joining the two elements. If your ears react to particular metals, please write to us at reachchandrakalakriti@gmail.com before ordering and we will tell you exactly what we know rather than guess.

Are wooden earrings durable enough for regular wear?

Boxwood and Padauk are both dense, close-grained hardwoods chosen for strength. Handled with ordinary care — not dropped onto tile, not left sitting in water — Raga is built for years of wear rather than a season.

What if they get wet?

Take them off before showering, swimming or working out, and keep them away from sustained damp. If a splash lands on them, dry it with a soft cloth and leave the pair in open air for a while before storing.

Will my pair look exactly like the photographs?

The design will match, but the band widths, the grain and the exact depth of the Padauk will differ, because two natural woods vary independently of one another. Two pairs are never quite the same.

Are these a good keepsake, and how are they packed?

Yes. Every pair is quality-checked and packed in premium protective packaging, ready to give — a considered keepsake for birthdays, anniversaries, festivals and corporate gifting.

How long does delivery take, and what if the parcel arrives damaged?

Orders are dispatched within 2–3 working days. Inside India, delivery takes 2–3 days to metro cities and 5–7 days elsewhere, and prepaid orders ship free; Cash on Delivery is available at selected locations with a ₹50 cash-handling charge. We ship worldwide, with import duties and local taxes payable by the recipient. Please film an unboxing video when your parcel arrives — if anything is damaged, defective or incorrect, write to us within 48 hours at reachchandrakalakriti@gmail.com with the video and photographs and we will put it right.

Related designs

• Kala — the same boat shape banded in Boxwood and Padauk, below a Padauk square
• Tarangini — the same boat shape in three woods, below an Ebony disc
• Vasanta — Maple and Padauk without the banding