The inspiration:
Autumn's burnished leaves, fiery late-afternoon sunlight, radiant water drops. The inescapable contrast of brilliant light and deep shadows that herald the darker, quieter months of the year.

The materials:
A clear dendritic agate, cut into a smooth cone shape marked with an amber flame and dark feathery dendrites, is crowned by a glowing golden tourmaline, echoing with bright silver and dark patina. Thanks to this incredible stone, this pendant is truly one-of-a-kind.

The history:
Agate has been an important creative material throughout human history, its use dating back to the Bronze age. Found all over the world, used by so many different cultures, agate has been used to make ornamental items such as jewelry and carvings, and for practical objects such as knives, seals and cups. Agate stones are even used as tools in jewellery making: an agate tipped burnisher is used to raise a mirror shine on silver.

Dendritic agate is a different variety of agate that doesn't exhibit the same colourful banding as most other agates, but instead is marked with feathery dark inclusions of different minerals such as manganese and iron that suggest forested landscapes or delicate botanical details. Sometimes referred to as "garden agate", or "garden stone", dendritic agate was considered a symbol of grounded power and victorious outcomes, a perfect talisman for gardeners, farmers, and anyone playing "the long game."

Tourmaline has been adored as a gemstone for centuries, but was often mistaken for other coloured gems like emerald and ruby because of its vast colour range. The ancient Egyptians believed that tourmalines were fragments of a rainbow that the crystals broke through as they grew up from the earth. Historically (when not mistaken for another gemstone!) tourmaline was worn to strengthen insight and awareness, and was thought to have a strong calming and balancing effect against the stresses of everyday life. It is now celebrated as a birthstone for October.

The process:
I have recycled all of the silver used to make this pendant; melting sterling scrap down to form silver ingots, flattening and drawing the silver down to plate (and sometimes wire) using hammers and my rolling mill, and then using this newly reclaimed silver to create my work. The golden tourmaline is set in a simple bezel with a solid, polished backplate to reflect light through this bright stone. Its stepped oval setting features a dramatic patina to further contrast the stone's glow. The unique dendritic agate hangs below, set in an open back "window" setting so that both sides of this striking, cone-shaped stone can be enjoyed. Arcs of silver and double jump rings connect the pendant to its chain, which is finished with a sterling silver lobster-claw clasp and 3 ochre-gold faceted tourmaline beaded clasps at 16", 18" and 20" for adjustability.

The details:

• Pendant height: 37 mm

• Pendant width at its widest point: 17 mm

• Stone cut & size: natural dendritic agate cone cabochon, approximately 15 mm diameter, 8 mm deep (including the setting); natural golden tourmaline oval cabochon, approximately 5 x 7 mm

• Chain length: 20” (51 cm) total, with adjustability at 16” (41 cm) and 18” (46 cm)

• Recycled components: silver pendant construction

• Stone source: dendritic agate: private sale, Montreal, Québec; tourmaline: this has been in my hoard for many years, but I believe it came from a company called New Age gems, Victoria, British Columbia

My promise:
All of my jewelry is made by me, by hand, in my little home studio and will be shipped to you as shown, beautifully packaged and ready for gift-giving to someone special (like yourself!) I am a life-long artist and designer, and I take great care and pride in creating one of a kind jewels that evolve from my own design, emotion and inspiration, rather than trend, imitation or artifice. It means the world to me that you've witnessed my work - thank you for being here, and for shopping and supporting handmade!