Kathmandu Dreams II (is finally here)

Kathmandu Dreams II

Kathmandu Dreams II" is full of color and has a bold, geometric-inspired design.  It is the second necklace in my Kathmandu Dreams series. The focal point of this necklace is the solid brass pendant, which features a brass spiral design and turquoise, coral, and lapis inlay. The pendant, which was designed and handmade by a Nepalese artisan, marries geometric styling and feminine details.  Two sets of handmade Nepalese beads add texture and interest: one set is four sided with lapis and turquoise, and the second set is two-sided with lapis and turquoise.  Blue turquoise with lovely matrices, lapis with natural flecks of golden pyrite, faceted red jasper, and pyrite rondelles complete this necklace. 

 
Lapis and Turquoise are December birthstones, so this would make the perfect gift for the December-born woman in your life.

Lapis is known for its protective, stress relieving, and peace enhancing qualities. It also encourages self-awareness, self-expression, and enhances one's sense of confidence. Turquoise is a powerful healing stone that can help wearers with meditation, balance, and communication. It is also a protective stone that enhances love, friendship, and loyalty.

Coral brings peace, settles emotions, and protects against depression.  It also helps with intuition and visualization.  Jasper, a stone of selflessness, is considered the "mother of all stones bringing about Love of all mankind."  Red jasper helps relieve pain and bring calm. 

Pyrite, also known as Fool's Gold, is grounding, encourages positivity and the release of old emotional baggage. It is also a protective and enhances one's "intelligence, mental stability, logic, analysis, creativity, memory, and psychic development" (source: www.thatcrystalsite.com).

Including the artisan-crafted solid brass clasp, this necklace is an impressive 23" long, or matinee length.  The pendant is 2 3/4" long by nearly 2" wide.  The four sided beads are 1 1/8" by 1/4" and the two sided beads are 1 3/8" by 3/4".

Available on Etsy!

*SOLD* Amazonite, Vermeil, and Mother of Pearl Necklace: Kathrina - OOAK

Kathrina: Elegant and bohemian...

"Kathrina" is the first necklace in my high-end collection featuring vermeil, amazonite, and a mother of pearl stone encased in a 22 karat gold plated brass pendant.  This one-of-a-kind necklace is both classic and bohemian as its design combines an elegant shade of aquamarine blue with matte gold components with  organic textures.  The name Kathrina, a variant of the Greek name Katherine, means "pure," which I feel is apropos.

Each faceted amazonite stone is a natural pastel shade of aqua blue and is separated by a piece of faceted vermeil.  There are over thirty pieces of vermeil, 22 karat gold plated sterling silver, in this exquisite necklace.

 

The focal piece of this necklace is a mother of pearl stone in a beautiful 22 karat matte gold plated brass pendant.  Three matte gold plated brass drops add interest and movement to the centerpiece.  The mother of pearl is a lovely opalescent white and looks stunning set against the matte gold frame.  The pendant is 2 1/8" wide and 2" long from top of bail to end of drops.

 

Two organically textured 22 karat gold plated brass tubes echo and compliment the textured bail of the mother of pearl pendant.

Near the ends of the necklace are two 22 karat matte gold plated brass cones with floral scalloping and a lightly textured motif.  Tiny white shell beads terminate each side of the necklace and add balance to the design.

The necklace ranges from 20 5/8" to 22 1/2" long.  At 22", or matinee length,  it is versatile for office, evening, and casual wear.  And, worn at it's shortest length, it would look lovely with a v-neck or sweetheart neckline wedding gown.  Kathrina closes with a vintage-style lobster clasp (see the first three images of this post for details).

For those interested in the necklace's metaphysical properties, the combination of mother of pearl, amazonite, and gold make this necklace perfect for increasing intuition and creativity.  In addition to the latter properties, Amazonite is associated with the throat chakra, which helps communication and understanding.  Mother of Pearl, also known for its ability to increase one's intuition and psychic abilities, is associated with the heart chakra.  Because this necklace has a high gold content, it is important to note that gold holds and therefore increases the energies of the other stones in the necklace (source here) . 

You can buy this necklace here at my Etsy shop !

Kathmandu Dreams I Necklace

Elegant, yet dramatic, "Kathmandu Dreams I" is the first necklace in my Kathmandu Dreams series.  The focal point of this necklace is the solid brass pendant with intricate lotus flower detail and turquoise and coral inlay, which was designed and handmade by a Nepalese artisan.  Free-form green turquoise beads, handcrafted reconstituted blue turquoise beads, faceted and square cut brick red jasper beads, and Tierracast gold plated pewter Turkish and  smooth rondelles complete this one-of-a-kind necklace. 

The free-form green turquoise beads, which are a lovely blend of viridian and blue inflections, have a beautiful, rich matrix.  The handcrafted blue reconstituted turquoise beads are unique and echo the texture of the pendant.  Both varieties of turquoise coupled with the rich, red jasper, and Tierracast beads create harmony with the Nepalese pendant, which rests on a piece of starry, midnight blue goldstone. 

Slightly over 1 ¾" by 2 ½" (including the bail), the pendant weighs about a 1/2 lb.  This necklace is of light to moderate weight with 19 1/2" of stones and is 21" with the antiqued gold flower toggle clasp.

Buy it here on Etsy!