Belief in the evil eye—i.e., an envious look that can cause bad luck for the person at whom it’s directed—is widespread in the Mediterranean. In Turkey, it’s warded off with the ancient nazar symbol, a series of concentric circles—usually in blue, black and white—believed to deflect harm away from the intended victim. This fascinating (a word, incidentally, which comes from the name for a charm worn in Roman times to ward off the evil eye) custom is the inspiration for these richly colored, Swarovski crystal-embellished ceramic vases. We admire them for their looks alone...but if they happen to keep bad vibes at bay, so much the better. A great gift for the stylishly superstitious.