The Ruby Tree

The seeds of The Ruby Tree were planted when Mitchell Abdul Karim Crites saw award winning British designer Bethan Gray’s remarkable ‘Black & White Stripes Collection’. As a renowned Islamic arts scholar known for his revival of traditional Islamic crafts, he was struck by the harmony and intricacy of the patterns, so much a hallmark of the finest Islamic art.

Story • About

M Abdul Karim Crites’ dedication to preserving the traditional crafts of the Islamic world, such as inlay, marble carving, calligraphy, stonemasonry, jewellery, ceramics and textiles has been a lifelong vocation. Bethan Gray’s ability to reinterpret classical Islamic motifs and materials reveals a deep knowledge of the nature of craftsmanship developed over decades working with master craftspeople around the world. The Ruby Tree seeks to keep these highly specialised, endangered and precious arts and crafts alive by updating them for 21st c connoisseurs who look for style and innovation in design.

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Media • Harrods Launch

Launching exclusively at Harrods in London, the ultimate world city, The Ruby Tree Collection draws on the timeless beauty of the courtly arts of the Islamic world, immortalised in 1,001 Arabian Nights, and the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. The Ruby Tree creates works of great beauty and refinement, made from the heart. Whether designed for a private residence, a grand hotel, a national monument or a memorable occasion, each piece is unique, with the subtle, individual variations that separate the handcrafted from the mass-produced.

Inspiration • Materials

The golden age of Islamic culture excelled in science, philosophy, mathematics, astronomy and the arts. Visionary rulers such as Haroun al-Rashid, Shah Abbas, Suleiman the Magnificent, and Emperor Akbar created a world of such style and splendour that its influence spread across the globe. Their courts were the wonder of the age, a fairytale world of dazzling richness and refinement. In the royal ateliers the greatest masters of the age created outstanding objets d’art to enchant their patrons. The Ruby Tree Collection is inspired by the beauty and brilliance of courtly living.

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Bespoke • Unique Comissions

Along with its signature collections, The Ruby Tree offers a bespoke service for those seeking exclusive, exciting, exceptional pieces. Former private commissions include a swimming pool inlaid with thousands of semi-precious stones in the pattern of a floral carpet, a garden pavilion with hand-carved white marble jali screens, water channels, and fountains in the classic Chahar Bagh style, a wedding dining service created specially for the bride and groom in gold, silver and semi-precious stones, and a monumental marble basmala with calligraphy created in raised and gilded Lapis Lazuli.

Bespoke Commissions

Stockist • Harrods

Launching exclusively at Harrods in London, the ultimate world city, The Ruby Tree creates works of great beauty and refinement, made from the heart.