Mana Khaloo's Lotus Date Recorder: A Blend of Art and Timekeeping

Reviving Ancient Symbols through Modern Jewelry Design

Mana Khaloo, a renowned jewelry designer, drew inspiration from the twelve-petaled rosette, a symbol of immortality and perpetual beneficence in the Achaemenid Empire. This symbol, based on the lotus flower, is engraved on almost all walls in Persepolis, the ceremonial capital of the empire. The flower also embodies the sun and the twelve months of the year, making it a fitting inspiration for a date-recording pendant.

The Lotus Date Recorder is a testament to Khaloo's innovative approach to design. Each pendant in the collection shares the same basic form but is unique in its representation of a specific date. The pendant features 31 small petals representing the days and 12 marquises indicating the months. A gold marking on the selected petal and marquise corresponds to the desired date, which is read clockwise.

Creating the Lotus Date Recorder was not without challenges. Khaloo had to rearrange the petals to correspond to the number of days and months while preserving the original form of the Achaemenid lotus earrings. Choosing colors that evoke the real lotus flower and represent Iranian nobility was another hurdle. Despite these challenges, Khaloo successfully created a piece that is both aesthetically pleasing and meaningful.

The Lotus Date Recorder is more than just a piece of jewelry; it's a personal date keeper. It allows wearers to mark special dates, making each piece unique to its owner. This feature, combined with the pendant's historical and cultural significance, earned it the Iron A' Jewelry, Eyewear, and Watch Design Award in 2023.

The Lotus Date Recorder is a testament to the power of design in merging form and function. It showcases how designers like Mana Khaloo can breathe new life into ancient symbols, creating pieces that are not only beautiful but also rich in meaning and functionality.