Disclaimer: Shop at your own risk! If I don't say I've done business with any of these vendors, assume I haven't. Also, I can't make any guarantee as to quality, store reliability, authenticity, age, or precious metal or stone content of any of these items -- I'm not expert enough to tell the "real stuff" from a good fake -- or even a bad fake, especially using 72-dpi pictures from the Web!
This website is optimized for 800 x 600 screen resolution and for buyers in the United States and Canada, although I've included several international shops from the Middle East. If you'd like to see another page dedicated to shops in the U.K., drop me an e-mail; I may get around to it eventually! All pictures and graphics on this page have been taken from public-domain paintings from the Art Renewal Center. Prices are current as of the last update but don't include shipping (or customs and fees for international shippers).
If you find this page helpful, please consider donating $10 or more to help the Afghan refugees; after all, without them we would have no kuchi (perish the thought!). You could also support The Afghan Jewelry Project. Here are some other charities that take PayPal:
Helping Afghan School Children Organization (HASCO) (Name change pending)
Rabia Balkhi Hospital (Society of Afghan Engineers)
Join and Help Afghanistan Now (JAHAN) (You can sponsor a child here).
Foundation for Self Reliance (FSR)
Afghan Women's Mission
Community Outreach and Advocacy for Refugees (COAR) (Phoenix, AZ)
What are you looking for?
Vintage/old style New style Beaded Discs Other Ethnic Jewelry
Vintage / old style
Tribalbeads.com : Pendants starting at $6; beaded disks $60 a dozen (including shipping), and be sure to click on their two clearance pages!
Often sold out. I can't tell from the picture whether the pieces need cleaning or not.
The Bead Chest : Pendants $18.50
Tribal Bazaar : "Grab bags" of assorted pieces (uncleaned; some may need repair) for around $20. The grab bags are a bit tricky to find: enter their web site and click on "Pendants and Components," then scroll way, way down until you see page 2 of Pendants and Components. I've gotten two of their Rajasthani veils and am happy with them.
Pendants average $12 - 15
Headdresses $25 - 45
Bra covers $25 / pair (under "Textiles")
Organic Jewelry offers wholesale prices to bellydance troupes (and, presumably, to dance studios) as long as they're incorporated as a business. Some sample prices (wholesale):
Pendants $15
Earrings $20 / pair
Single earrings $8
Headdresses $20
Chokers $20
Belts $30 - 45
Update -- straight from the owner: "I also wanted to note that retail prices are double for body jewelry only (in this case, earrings), but wholesale prices are offered to all purchasers of non-body jewelry items, such as necklaces, bracelets, belts, headdresses, etc. We also offer discounts on multiple sets of Kuchi earrings, such as one pair for $20, two pairs for $35, three pairs for $50, etc."
The Red Camel carries both old and new styles, as well as textiles. Always check the sale page! Sample prices:
Pendants $10 - 20
Belts $40 - 75
Headdresses $25 - 55
Beaded discs $4 - 10
New! Shimmybliss is on Ebay, but they also have an online store. Pendants range from $7 - $10; you'll have to click on the image to get the measurements for each one.
New! Wicked Harem Bellydance has pendants for $8. Check out their other items while you're there!
New / new style:
New! The Cobbler Magpie runs an online Etsy store that features kuchi, and kuchi fusion, chainmaille, and other jewelry. Pieces can be custom-made.
You can shop The Afghan Jewelry Project for a good cause or search for "Afghan" or "lapis" on The Hunger Site.
The Ramona Project has fair trade goods with good prices:
pendant belt (7 pendants, 3 with stones) $32
Gypsy belt (one central stone) $44
Bracelet $14
Necklace $28
Pendant $9
Said in Stone has a few kuchi pieces, mostly chokers, for $12 - 25. They also have great customer service!
Africa Direct has a lapis-and-jade necklace for $25.
Afghan Tribal Arts is kind of expensive, but they have a few affordable pieces, notably tribal style lapis handflowers for $25 (that's each, not per pair) and necklaces for $15.
New! Magic City Costumes has 10 *small* pendants for $20.
New! World Emporium Kiosk has pendants for $8, but some are obviously missing parts or stones. Plain flower dangles, 50/$10; domed buttons 50/$10.
New! Tribalrootz.com has a large selection of authentic and reproduction amulets and Turkoman buttons ranging from $9 - $45/hundred. Real coins with soldered loops start at .34 each; plain costume coins available for $12 / hundred.
Beaded discs:
For old ones, try Tribal Beads.
For newer discs, try any of the "tribal specialist" vendors listed above.
For more affordable but inauthentic alternative, you can try one of these shops for Native American dance rosettes -- just be careful which design(s) you pick! Some look far too Western to pass for Middle Eastern wear!
Crazy Crow carries beaded rosettes starting from $1.45 (1 1/2") to $9.75 (5"). S/he offers quantity discounts starting at a dozen discs (presumably of the same design and color). Colors: black, white, red, yellow, and light blue.
The Wandering Bull has slightly different designs and starts quantity discounts at 10 discs ($10.50 for 1 1/2", $14.90 for 2", $26.50 for 2 1/2", $33.80 for 3", $55 for 4" and $78.80 for 5"). No color choices offered, though -- what you see is what you get.
Grey Owl Crafts has similar (if not identical) items but has special prices for "by the pair" and "by the dozen" ($14.95 for a dozen 1 1/2" to $79.95 for a dozen 5"). Colors: black, white, yellow, red, or turquoise. Compare to Tribal Beads' $50/dozen for the real thing, plus shipping.
Other Ethnic Jewelry:
Aarushi's Array has jewelry from India, and they only charge actual shipping. No minimum order!
Beaded Jewelry is also based in India with a minimum order of $50. You'll be disappointed in their "tribal jewelry" selection, with the possible exception of belts. They also carry non-tribal bellydance jewelry and belts, and even mesh bikinis and butterfly-top-and-hipscarf sets for $25.
FAQ:
What if I don't have any money to donate to charity?
Then why are you shopping for jewelry?!?
I run a store. Would you mind adding me?
Not at all, as long as you have good (and fixed) prices and a Web store (and I don't mean auction-only). Just e-mail me with the details. :)
Can I link to your site?
Please do! Here's a nice, compact banner you can use:
If you wear U.S. size 14 or over, you might also want to check out the sister site, Plus Size Dancer's Resources.