The Evil Eye

When it comes to warding off bad luck, there is nothing more recognized or renown than the “evil eye”.  Found everywhere, the popular image of the cobalt-blue eye has appeared not only in the United Stated, but also in the bazaars of Istanbul and everywhere from all corners of the world to the pages of comic books.

From the Eye of Horus to Gigi Hadid, ‘for thousands of years the eye has maintained its steady hold on the human imagination,’ writes Quinn Hargitai.

The evil eye is a specific magic curse that is known to cause harm, misfortune, and bad luck. It states that if someone if envious of you, they will have the power to give you an “evil glare” and send bad luck your way.  

In the last decade, the Evil eye has most frequently appeared in the world of fashion. Kim Kardashian has been photographed on multiple occasions wearing bracelets and headpieces featuring the symbol, while Gigi Hadid launched the EyeLove shoe line in 2017. Many have been photographed wearing beaded bracelets with a blue evil eye amulet as a protection against the curse.

The recent views from well-known celebrities resulted in the appearance of online DIY for making evil eye bracelets for women and men, women necklaces, and unisex keychains. Although this attention may suggest the evil eye is gaining in popularity, the truth is that the symbol has maintained a steady hold on the human imagination for thousands of years.

There’s a key distinction between the evil eye, which is a curse, and the eye amulet, which dispels the curse

Although the ocular amulet is often called “the evil eye”, it is the charm meant to protect against the true evil eye curse. The amulet, called the Nazar, has existed in various permutations for thousands of years. The curse which it protects against is much older and much more difficult to trace.

Plutarch said those best at delivering the curse were blue-eyed.

Belief in the evil eye has been omnipresent throughout generations, with several well-known thinkers supporting its existence. A significant example was the Greek philosopher Plutarch, who in his writings suggested a scientific explanation: that the human eye had the ability to release invisible rays capable of killing children and small animals. He also wrote that certain types of people had an even stronger ability to project the glare. Most often then not, those said to be the best at delivering the curse were blue eyed.

Although the symbol may have the ability to go beyond cultural, geographical or religious boundaries, it may be worth considering its meaning beyond any fashion trend. It dates back to humanities most enduring and profound beliefs. To wear the charm without any knowledge might not only make it useless but provoke an even more potent curse.

Here at 22 Jewelry, we sell evil eye charms, more specifically the Nazar in some of our bracelets. We have a strong belief in the evil eye curse and wear amulets to protect against it in our daily lives. If you are a believer, you are in the right place!