The painting
The deity is hand-painted in miniature with mineral pigments on paper, following traditional iconometry — eyes are painted last.
1–2 days · hand-paintedOur Story
A temple you can carry, kept by hand
A gau (嘎乌) is the small portable shrine worn across the Himalayas for centuries — a brass box holding a sacred image, kept close to the heart as a daily companion.
selenecc began with a simple wish: to keep this tradition alive in modern life, in a size you can truly wear. Each pendant holds a miniature thangka painted by hand, sealed inside a hand-engraved brass box on a woven cord.
No mass printing. No assembly lines. Every piece is made slowly, by people who have spent years learning the craft — and signed by the hand that made it.
“We do not make souvenirs. We make a small, quiet place for meaning — something to reach for every day.”The selenecc workshop
Craftsmanship
Four hands-on stages, no shortcuts
Each pendant takes several days and passes through painting, metalwork, cord-making and consecration before it reaches you.
The brass box
Brass is hand-engraved and shaped into the gau, with the endless-knot and lotus motifs chased into the metal.
1 day · hand-engravedThe woven cord
The adjustable cord is hand-braided in your chosen colour, finished so the pendant sits close to the heart.
Half a day · hand-wovenSealing & check
The image is sealed inside, the patina set, and each piece inspected and signed before it is blessed and packed.
Quality checked · artisan signedMaterials
Made to be lived with
Natural brass, mineral colour and woven thread — chosen because they age beautifully rather than wear out.
What we stand for
Slow craft, fair work, honest meaning
Authentic, not printed
Every image is genuinely hand-painted and every box hand-engraved — we never describe printed goods as handmade.
Fair artisan work
We work directly with a small workshop, pay per finished piece above workshop rate, and name the makers where they wish it.
Culture with respect
We explain each deity accurately and treat the thangka as a sacred object, not a fashion prop — with guidance on care and respect.
Begin here
Not sure which deity belongs with you?
Answer one question — your birth year — and meet the guardian traditionally connected to you.