ज्यासः jyāsaḥ · noun · the workshop
A place where work is done; a small factory; especially a shop where gold and silver work is done.¹
The other half of the name, pasaḥ, is the counter in front of it. You buy at the counter. Pieces are made, mended and weighed at the bench.
काम०१ / 01 Seven stages, sketch to scale. every piece passes the same bench, in the same order
- ०१
Photograph to come · sketch Sketch
The piece drawn to size, from your photo, a family drawing or an heirloom on the bench.
- ०२
Photograph to come · sheet and wax Sheet / wax
Gold rolled to sheet for hammering, or carved in wax for casting.
- ०३
Photograph to come · raising Raise
Hammered from behind into relief, with the sheet set on a bowl of pitch.
- ०४
Photograph to come · chasing Chase
Refined from the front with fine punches, line by line.
- ०५
Photograph to come · setting Set
Coral, turquoise or glass closed into collets.
- ०६
Photograph to come · polishing Polish
Brought up by hand.
- ०७
Photograph to come · the scale in tola Weigh
Weighed again in front of you, and the weight goes on your bill.
Stages and techniques shown once the family confirms them
शिल्प०२ / 02 Four techniques, and what each means for you. named here only where the bench confirms it does the work
-
Repoussé & chasing
Sheet metal hammered from behind into relief, then refined from the front. Patan masters reckon basic proficiency takes at least ten years.²
Photograph to come · chasing punches on pitch, macro For you
Relief that is hollow, so a large piece stays light and costs less in gold. Dents can be raised out again at the bench.
To be confirmed by the family
-
Granulation
Tiny spheres of gold fused to a surface without solder showing.³
Photograph to come · granulation, macro For you
Texture that catches light on a light piece. Lost grains can be replaced rather than the piece remade.
To be confirmed by the family
-
Filigree
Fine twisted wire bent into open patterns. Newar smiths in Lhasa's workshops were known for it.³
Photograph to come · filigree, macro For you
A large-looking piece for very little weight, so a smaller bill at today's rate.
To be confirmed by the family
-
Collet setting
A stone held in a closed rim of metal pressed over its edge.³
Photograph to come · coral in a collet, macro For you
Coral and turquoise sit safely for daily wear, and a loose stone can be reset in place.
To be confirmed by the family
सेवा०३ / 03 Bring a piece to the bench. what to bring, how it is priced, how long it takes
| Service | What to bring | How it is priced | How long |
|---|---|---|---|
| Custom order | A photo, a drawing or a piece to copy; your rite date | Gold by weight at the day's rate, plus jyālā and jarti on separate lines | To be confirmed |
| Re-sizing | The ring or bangle, and one that fits | Work charge; added gold by weight | To be confirmed |
| Repair | The piece, and any loose parts or stones | Quoted at the bench after a look | To be confirmed |
| Re-gilding | The piece | Quoted by surface and weight | To be confirmed |
| Restringing a tayo or pote | Every bead and the pendant, even broken ones | Work charge; new thread or beads at cost | To be confirmed |
| Old-gold exchange | The old pieces; any old bill helps | Weighed and tested in front of you; the deduction is stated before you agree | Same visit, to be confirmed |
Testing method (touchstone or XRF) and the old-gold deduction will be published here once the family confirms them.
GIA०४ / 04 Who reads the stones.
Divash Shakya
GIA Accredited Jewelry Professional (AJP)
The AJP is a GIA diploma made up of three Essentials courses: jewellery, coloured stones and diamonds. It is written for people who sell and handle jewellery, so it covers how pieces are made, how stones are described and graded, and what to look for at the counter.⁴
It is not a gemologist's diploma. Divash will help you read purity, stones and value, at the counter.
Ratna Sundar Shakya, proprietor
शाक्य०५ / 05 A Valley trade, mended as well as made. community history, not this family's lineage
Goldsmithing in the Valley is principally the trade of the Shakya and Bajracharya.³
Restoration has always been part of the work. Kuber Singh Shakya of Patan (c. 1881–1957) made the silver repoussé doors of Pashupatinath's sanctum and spent years on repairs after the 1934 earthquake; his family carried that restoration work on.⁵
A tayo restrung, a kalli re-shaped and an heirloom re-gilded are the same kind of work at a smaller scale, and the bench behind this counter takes them in.
The bench is behind the counter
Bring a piece.
We’ll look at it together.
Visit us at 98 Wotu Marga, Suraj Chowk, Kathmandu.
¹ Mali's Newar-language dictionary, via the Newar Online Dictionary. ² M. Drdak, "Eternal Visions, Contemporary Forms", Fulbright, 2011. ³ Hejzlarová 2025 and Newar craft sources in the project research. ⁴ GIA, Applied/Accredited Jewelry Professional program. ⁵ Asianart.com, "Kuber Singh Shakya".