The Nusa Story

Who We Are

Nusa began long before we ever envisaged it, as a passion for the culture and people of Bali; for the sights and sounds of one of the most unique places on Earth; Bali, Island of the Gods.

Creativity permeates every aspect of Balinese life, and nowhere is this better represented than in the tradition of working with silver. After seeing the incredible talent of the artisans in crafting raw silver into the most fantastic forms, we just knew that we had to share this with the world.

After showing our friends and telling the story of Bali and its artisans, we discovered that there were others; who like ourselves, had an appreciation for something made with love and skill; for the care and attention to detail with its roots in a simpler time.

Encouraged by those with whom we shared our experiences, we undertook to bring Nusa to the world and make this fantastic jewelry available to all who appreciate skilled craftsmanship over modern production techniques.

We are now blessed to have a growing community of friends, partners, and customers. We thank you all.

What’s in a Name?

Perhaps the single most perplexing task in our early days was how to encapsulate our story and identity into a single word; The Name. Many ideas were considered, and just as many discarded. We needed a word that was simple, memorable, and represented an idea. We finally connected with “Nusa”; which in the local language simply means “island”. It is fitting, as it is Bali’s isolation as an island that led to a culture and tradition that is truly unique. Without it, the distinctive style and traditional techniques would never have evolved.

Today “Nusa”, represents not just our brand and our products, but our vision, our artisans, our customers and our friends.

The Jewelry

Drawing on a cultural heritage spanning countless generations, Nusa brings you the finest handcrafted silver jewelry fashioned by artisans using techniques handed down from generation to generation.

Starting with raw silver and copper smelted to .925 Sterling Silver, each piece is lovingly handcrafted, and finished by a single artisan. Even our chains are crafted link by link using traditional techniques; resulting in a truly unique piece.

Each piece is carefully polished by hand ensuring that the detail of the design is brought out. Each Nusa piece is certified as .925 Sterling Silver and marked with the 925 Fineness Mark.

Staying true to our roots, we only produce jewelry using traditional materials and techniques. We use only materials that have a long tradition of use dating back to a time when the silversmiths served Bali’s ancient royal courts.

Ethically Sourced

The skills of the artisans in handcrafting our pieces coupled with the appreciation that our customers have for a handcrafted product ensures that they will never be replaced by modern production techniques.

Providing sustainable employment where artisans can remain in their villages with their families, enables them to continue to live their traditional way of life rather than having to leave their villages to work in the tourist industry.

By remaining with their families, artisans are able to pass their skills down through the generations ensuring that this knowledge is not lost to time.

Whilst Nusa supports artisans in handing down their skills to their children, Nusa does not use child labor or any form of indenture in any part of the production of our products. We ensure that our artisans receive a fair wage and do not attempt to use our buying influence to push down prices.

In Harmony with the
Environment

All of our production techniques are free from harsh chemicals or pollutants. Traditionally only locally sourced materials have been available which excluded the use of manufactured chemicals. We continue this tradition today. Borax, a form of salt is used as flux in the manufacturing process, and tamarind; a locally available fruit is used to polish and remove tarnish from the silver. These products are naturally available, have no health implications for the artisans and cause no problems of disposal.

Our product packaging is made from 100% recyclable materials, is acid free and is fully biodegradable.

When you buy a piece of Nusa you can be sure that you’ll have no issues of allergy from Nickel or chemicals used in production. Our products are .925 Sterling Silver with no chemicals or residues.

Our Philosophy

At Nusa, we set ourselves the goal of bringing the finest handcrafted silver jewelry to the world. In doing so, we have developed a set of core beliefs that guide every aspect of what we do.

These beliefs stem from the passion to enjoy and share not just the product, but the culture and traditions that helped to bring it into existence.

Our success is a partnership of ourselves, our artisans and our customers; each bringing something very unique.

Allow people’s creativity to flourish

We let people do what they do best. Our artisans are amongst the most creative people on the planet. Who are we to stand in their way? The same goes for those who do our graphic design and build our websites. Ideas abound, you just need to hear them.

Share the success

We believe that one person’s success does not have to be at the expense of another’s. Together we are greater than the sum of our parts and share in the success of Nusa. From our artisans, to our customers, we all benefit.

Let customers participate

Our customers ARE our community and listening to what they have to say about Nusa and our products motivates us enormously. Our customers have influenced every aspect of Nusa from the design of the website and packaging, to our products, and ultimately our story.

Lead the way

At Nusa we know that together, ourselves, our artisans and our customers form a great community; one far removed from traditional business models that offset one person’s interests against another’s. We take pride in our community and aim to set an example for others that will lead to businesses that succeed because their community succeeds.