Copper Mahasthamaprapta Square Tag Bracelet

The square plaque is one form of protective plaque: corners rounded, an image or inscription on the face, a flat back, and a hole for hanging at the wrist or the chest. It is a little more assertive than a round plaque, and the straight edges make the whole piece look like a small seal. On a bracelet the plaque usually sits at the centre, with beads or chain running out to either side. Square plaques were first worn at the chest and were later reduced to an ornament for the wrist; once the size changes, the proportions have to change with it.

Vajra in Buddhist usage means indestructible — like diamond, able to break anything and not broken by anything. The face here takes a protector as its subject, and in this particular design the figure is Mahasthama Vajra, shown wrathful, brows pressed low, wearing necklaces and ribbons. Carving that is too shallow blurs in any light and has to be read from the side. The features of a wrathful face crowd together, and once the engraved lines go astray you can no longer tell brow from eye; that is the hardest part of the subject.

The bracelet comes in four versions: white short, yellow long, white long, yellow short. The short one sits close to the wrist and the plaque is less inclined to turn over; the long one is looser and more comfortable in hot weather, at the cost of knocking against the edge of the desk when you type. White and yellow are simply a warm and a cool option — choose by skin tone and by the clothes you usually wear.

Copper, with the edges of the plaque chamfered so they do not cut and do not catch the threads of a sweater. Every link is soldered shut and will not open under a pull. The clasp is a common lobster type that closes one-handed; the spring weakens with use, and once it stops closing firmly it is time to replace the clasp rather than risk losing the bracelet. The chamfering cannot be omitted — leave it out and the edge is like a blade, and a cuff will be fuzzy within two days.

Measure your wrist at the bone before buying, then add a finger's width of ease, and take the short version by that number. Copper darkens as it is worn, and as it darkens the relief on the plaque becomes more pronounced, which is one of the small pleasures of the material. Do not use silver dip; that is formulated for silver and reacts quite differently with copper. The solder joints should be filed flat and smooth to the touch before the piece can be called finished.