Chinese zodiac jewelry

We have welcomed the new year, 2026.

We look forward to your continued support this year.　

This year’s zodiac sign is the Horse. It carries strong positive connotations of galloping, leaping, and advancing, making it an auspicious sign.

At OKURADO, we create pins featuring animal motifs and pins featuring zodiac signs.

Personally, I have a special fondness for jewelry featuring animal motifs.

Since ancient times, humans have created countless works inspired by animals.

The Lascaux cave paintings, created 15,000 years ago (unfortunately, I could only see replicas), depict an immense number of animals, and one can feel the overflowing respect and affection for them. Furthermore, parts of the shapes of horses and cows are stylized, expressing the strong feelings of the artists from 15,000 years ago, which deeply moved me.

The Assyrian lion hunt relief I saw at the British Museum depicted the lion’s powerful form with a beautifully designed composition.　

Furthermore, ancient Greece and Rome gave birth to griffins and Pegasus, while ancient China produced dragons and other imaginary creatures.

Particularly within Scythian culture, numerous exquisite gold animal ornaments emerged, designed using bold stylization. Each artist of that era sculpted these forms with profound affection for the animals.　

It’s been quite a while since we last shared such stories, but we at OKURADO continue to create many captivating sculptures imbued with various emotions toward animals—affection, respect, and awe.　

Though I may not match the craftsmanship of those who came before, as a jewelry creator, I too wish to craft animal jewelry in the style of OKURADO using precious metals, diamonds, and colored stones.

I believe people in the past used these as symbols of “faith,” “amulets,” and “powers beyond human reach.” Now, I hope they can be worn as jewelry, becoming companions to be cherished and worn daily.

I create zodiac jewelry every year. The zodiac features twelve animals, and I’m deeply drawn not only to the beauty of the number twelve itself, but also to how it represents time—twelve cycles forming a full rotation—not as a straight line, but as a circular, cyclical flow.

A linear timeline feels irreversible, but a cycle feels like a full rotation where each turn builds upon the last in a circular stack.

This year’s Horse-themed pins depict the animal leaping over various obstacles and moving forward, expressed through its flowing mane and tail set with diamonds.

I hope you’ll wear these animals and feel the years passing, piling up in cycles, as you go about your days.

As we welcome the New Year, OKURADO will continue to create each piece with care, step by step, just as we always have.

I sincerely appreciate your continued patronage.

Hitoshi Okura

OKURADO