About our horsehair jewellery

For as long as we've been around horses people have made use of horsehair: from fishing line, upholstery and brushes to violin bows. The possibilities of horsehair for jewellery are endless. It's versatile, very strong and comes in an incredible range of shades and hues. 

 

At The Burnished Horse we marry this beautiful material with burnished precious metals to create quality, wearable jewellery. We work with one of the UK's leading design and casting houses to produce quality pieces in gold, platinum and sterling silver. All precious metal jewellery is hallmarked by the London Assay Office and we offer a range of engraving options to make your jewellery truly personal.

 

We use either your own horse's hair (Couture) or we supply the hair (Ready to Wear) so if you don't have a horse from which you can borrow hair, you too can enjoy this very special jewellery.

 

Working with natural, untreated horsehair, we both braid and weave:

 

Braided horsehair

 

Japanese silk braiding techniques are used to make our chunky, braided pieces. The Victorians made "lovers" jewellery in the same way from human hair. From flat-braided inlaid rings to necklaces and our iconic stacking bracelets, our jewellery is all beautifully put together, contemporary and stylish.

 

Woven horse hair textile

 

It's rare to weave with horsehair but it makes a wonderful textile, strong and smooth. We use an ancient hand weaving method to produce fine horsehair textile on a loom. Juxtaposing the different colours of natural horsehair, or combining gold, silver or coloured silk thread with plain coloured horsehair, can produce extraordinary patterns.

 

Our unique jewellery honours the very special relationship we have with our horses. What more fitting memento of that relationship than a lock of your own horse's hair made into a precious bond for you to keep with you? It's especially treasured where, sadly, the horse  has passed on. We understand how precious your memories are and so we keep each customer's horsehair separate and always return any unused hair to you. All jewellery is dispatched Royal Mail Special Delivery or equivalent.

 

Surprisingly little horsehair is needed for jewellery. See How much hair do I need? for details. 

 

Caring for your horsehair jewellery

Horsehair jewellery is strong and durable and so, provided you look after it, it should last you for many years. It is designed to be worn regularly but please treat this special jewellery with the respect that it deserves. Horsehair is obviously a natural material and so avoid wearing your jewellery next to anything that may cut or abrade it, like a metal watch strap. Where possible, if you are riding or doing something active like yard work, tuck your bracelet away under a sleeve or glove to avoid it catching on anything. It's fine to wear horsehair jewellery in the shower but you should avoid exposure to chlorinated swimming pool water.