Happy Chinese New Year
Did you know that next Thursday sees the beginning of a New Year? No, we haven’t lost the plot, we’re not talking about boring old 31st December, that’s so over. We are of course referring to Chinese New Year, one of the most colourful and exciting events going. The 19th February is a new moon day and marks the first month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar system - the result of thousands of years of research by astronomers. Way more mystical than your desk calendar, hey?
If you’ve ever taken an interest in Chinese culture, you’ll know different years are represented by zodiac animal signs, with 2015 marking the Year of the Sheep (though some argue it is a goat, but that's another story).
Chinese people believe sheep are lucky animals because they don’t have to do any farm work. No work, mooching about and eating as much as you like. We’d agree, sounds pretty jammy to us. People born in the year of the sheep are often said to be hard-working, pure-hearted, and loyal. So if you’re expecting a baby this year, lucky you, sounds like you’re in for an easy ride!
There will be celebrations up and down the UK to celebrate the day, including a huge parade in London’s Chinatown next Sunday (22nd Feb) featuring floats and Chinese lion and dragon teams. We at Jana Reinhardt decided to mark the Chinese New Year by creating a very special limited edition sheep charm.
2015 is the year of the wooden sheep, but rather than wood, Jana chose to create her sheep from something a bit more luxurious (Well, you know we're suckers for anything shiny - wood was never going to cut it.. )
She started by carving the ram's shape out of wax:
This was then cast in silver:
Jana and Ross hand finished and polished the sheep to create this super sheep, a glam ram, if you will:
What do you think of the finished product? He’s available to buy for a limited time, in both gold vermeil and sterling silver, so snap him up while you can! The perfect gift for anyone born in the year of the sheep (1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003) or if you fancy celebrating Chinese New Year.
We can’t guarantee he’ll bring you good fortune, but you’re sure to have an even better 2015 with him by your side.
