You want to give someone something for a big moment, a new job, a new home, a fresh start, and you want it to say more than "congratulations". Then you spot an eye on a pair of earrings and wonder: is that lucky, is it spiritual, or is it going to look like you think they're cursed? Fair question. Here is what evil eye jewellery actually means, and when it makes a good gift.
What the evil eye is (and what the blue charm does)
The "evil eye" is the belief that an envious or ill-wishing look can bring bad luck to the person on the receiving end. The charm people wear is the protection against it, not the curse itself. Traditionally it is a blue eye, often in glass, and the idea is that it takes the hit or bounces the look back.
It is a very old idea. Clay "eye idols" from modern-day Syria have been dated to around 3300 BC, and Mesopotamian texts include chants against harmful looks. Greek writers such as Plutarch wrote about envy travelling through the eyes, and the belief still runs strongly through Greece, Turkey and across the Middle East. Even Shakespeare had a version of it. Iago warns Othello:
"O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; it is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on." (Othello, Act 3, Scene 3)
Strip away the folklore and the gift makes sense. The people who receive evil eye jewellery are usually in a moment where they are visible: starting somewhere new, announcing something, doing well. The charm is a small way of saying "I'm looking out for you".
Evil eye vs third eye: they are not the same thing
We get asked this a lot, so let's be clear. The evil eye is about protection from other people's envy. The third eye is a different symbol altogether: an old image of intuition, inner sight and trusting your own judgement. Both are eyes, which is why they get muddled, but they suit different people.
Give an evil eye piece to someone who is about to be on show. Give a third eye piece to someone who needs to back their own instincts, such as a friend weighing up a big decision or someone leaving a job to try something of their own. The Saint-Exupéry line from The Little Prince fits the second one well. The fox says: "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye." (Katherine Woods' translation, Chapter 21.)
The pieces we'd pick, and who they suit
For the friend starting something new, or who has just had good news. The Gold Evil Eye Dangle Earrings (£19) are hammered gold-tone half-circles with a blue evil eye charm hanging from each. They are lightweight, about 4.5cm long, and put together by hand in our Norfolk studio. The ball studs are hypoallergenic stainless steel, which matters if your friend's ears are fussy. They are made from raw brass, so we would call them a bold everyday piece rather than a precious-metal heirloom.
For the person who needs to trust their gut. The Third Eye Earrings in Gold Colour (£18) are small gold-colour drops on stainless steel hooks. They are a quiet reminder rather than a statement, which suits someone who does not want jewellery that shouts about the moment they are in.
For someone who wears silver. The Third Eye Earrings in Silver (£16) are the same idea in a cooler tone, made from stainless steel. We only have a single pair left at the time of writing, so if you want them, don't leave it long.
How to give it without it being awkward
Say what it is. A line on the card does the work: "Blue eye for protection, because you're about to be very visible." People like knowing the reason, and it stops the gift reading as a guess about their beliefs. You don't need anyone to believe in it. Whether or not the charm does anything, the thought behind it is real, and that is what people keep.
Every piece arrives in SHB Studio gift packaging with a free message card, so you can add a line yourself or just send it as it comes.
