There’s an undeniably sensuous allure to a hand-knotted strand of gemstones. Each bead moves with a liquid grace, the silk thread giving the necklace a supple drape against the skin. In the hand, they’re a joy to roll between your fingers, smooth and rhythmic with just the right weight. It’s a tactile pleasure, flexible and deeply satisfying. I adore layering these strands, playing with different stones, colors, and lengths, but they’re just as beautiful worn alone. Each one is knotted on silk thread chosen to complement the stones.
Zircon is such an underrated gemstone, and this strand is fabulous. The colors move through pale champagne, warm honey, golden yellow, smoky olive, cognac and soft reddish brown, all with the incredible sparkle zircon is known for. The faceted heshi are graduated in size, giving the strand a beautiful shape and making all of those shifting natural colors even more noticeable.
And zircon is not cubic zirconia. Natural zircon is a real gemstone that formed in the earth, and an extraordinarily ancient one at that. Zircon crystals found in Australia have been dated to about 4.4 billion years old, making them the oldest known mineral material on Earth. Zircon also has unusually high brilliance and dispersion, which gives it flashes of spectral color and a fire that can rival diamond. Colorless zircon was historically used as a natural diamond substitute because of that remarkable sparkle.
Zircon is also found in some of the same ancient alluvial deposits and geological environments that produce diamonds, which only adds to what makes this stone so interesting. Far from being a diamond imitation, zircon is an ancient natural gemstone with its own remarkable history. In crystal lore, zircon has traditionally been associated with wisdom, protection, prosperity and confidence.
✧ Stone: Natural zircon
✧ Bead Size: Approximately 3.5–5.5mm graduated faceted heshi
✧ Length: Adjustable from 23.5–25.5 inches with a 2-inch sterling silver extension chain
✧ Thread: Hand-knotted on silk in a coordinating hue
✧ Closure: Sterling silver lobster claw clasp with 2-inch extension chain
✧ Metal: Sterling silver
One-of-a-kind and made with care in my studio.
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