Balinese CraftBalinese silver, a craft still alive in your hands.
Balinese silver has long been a marker of craft on this island. We are not from Celuk, but the standard of hand work is what we have held to since 1994 in Pasar Sanglah, Denpasar.
Background
What is Balinese silver?
Celuk is a village in Gianyar Regency, about thirty minutes from Denpasar. Since the early twentieth century its residents have worked gold and silver, at first for ceremonial use and for local noble families. As visitors to Bali grew in number, that skill became a livelihood, and the name Celuk stuck as shorthand for Balinese silver craft.
What makes the style recognisable is not the metal but the way it is decorated. Two techniques dominate: granulation, arranging tiny silver beads on the surface until a pattern forms, and filigree, twisting fine silver wire into open motifs. Both are done by hand with tweezers and a small torch, so a single ring can take hours at the decoration stage alone.
Because it is handmade, two rings of the same design are never quite identical. There is always a small difference in the density of the beading or the curve of the wire. For some people that is a flaw. For others it is the whole reason to buy handmade.
Where We Stand
Not from Celuk, but held to the same standard.
This is worth being plain about, because plenty of shops use the word Celuk as a marketing label. Mirah Delima is not from Celuk. We have been on the second floor of Pasar Sanglah in Denpasar since 1994, about half an hour from the village.
What we carry over is the method. Pieces are shaped per order, not taken from a tray. The order is received, drawn, forged, and polished by the same person, Abu Bakar Said Bahasuan. Nothing is handed to a third party.
If what you specifically want is a piece made in Celuk village, you are better off going there directly. But if what you want is real silver, worked by hand, with someone you can actually discuss the design with, that is what we do every day.
Guide
How to tell real silver apart.
The most common worry when buying silver in a market is ending up with plated base metal sold as the real thing. A few checks you can do yourself, before you pay.
- 01
Look for the stamp
Sterling silver usually carries a small 925 or ster mark inside the band. It is tiny and sometimes needs a loupe. A missing stamp is not proof of a fake, but it is fair to ask about.
- 02
Try a magnet
Silver is not magnetic. If a piece is pulled firmly towards a magnet, the core is another metal under a coating.
- 03
Watch how it ages
Real silver darkens evenly as it meets air and sweat, and polishing brings it back. Plated pieces flake at the edges instead, showing the metal underneath.
- 04
Ask for grade and weight
Anyone who actually makes their own pieces can state the grade and the weight in grams without hesitating. If that question gets deflected, take it as a signal.
Our Work
Balinese silver in our hands.
Every order runs the same way. You describe what you have in mind, roughly what you want to spend, and any date you are working towards. From there we propose a design and price it from the weight of silver and how intricate the decoration is. Only once you agree does making begin.
For wedding and engagement rings the detail is set out separately on our custom rings page. If you would rather shape the piece yourself, we also run a private silver workshop in Denpasar.
You are welcome to come to the shop in person, second floor of Pasar Sanglah, Monday to Saturday. Seeing the work happen usually settles more doubts than any amount of explaining on a screen.
Questions
About Balinese silver and the 925 grade.
What makes Balinese silver different?
The material is the same sterling silver 925 used everywhere else. What sets the Balinese style apart is the decoration: granulation, which is tiny silver beads arranged into patterns, and filigree, which is fine silver wire twisted into open motifs. Both are placed by hand with tweezers and a small torch, so the term describes a way of working rather than a different metal.
What grade of silver do you use?
Sterling silver 925, meaning 92.5 percent pure silver with the remainder alloyed for strength. Pure 999 silver is too soft for a ring worn every day.
Can I design my own piece?
Yes, and most of what we make is commissioned that way. Bring a sketch, reference photos, or simply describe what you have in mind, and we turn it into a design before anything is cut.
Is your workshop in Celuk?
No, and we would rather be straight about it. We are in Pasar Sanglah in Denpasar, roughly half an hour from Celuk village. What we share is the way of working, not the postcode.
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