The inspiration:
This limited collection of two-stone necklaces was designed to symbolize your own inextinguishable light: the light you see as yourself and the light that you show to the world.

The materials:
A pale, icy aquamarine, lit from within by a tiny flame of hematite inclusion, glows next to a radiant golden tourmaline like water under sunshine in a delicate, organic setting made from gleaming recycled silver.

The history:
A member of the beryl family, aquamarine's name comes from two Latin words: aqua, meaning “water,” and marina, meaning “of the sea". Both the Greeks and the Romans believed aquamarine to be a sailor’s gem, ensuring the safe and prosperous passage across vast and stormy seas. Historically it was thought that wearing beryl quickens the mind, gives one protection against enemies and challengers, and makes the wearer gracious and good-natured. It is now celebrated as the birthstone for March, and has been embraced both as a symbolic wedding gift for a new bride and as a gift to celebrate and brighten 19 years of marriage.

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 almost 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. This luminous, organic design sets the sunny tourmaline at an angle above the aquamarine while a sprinkling of tiny beads sparkle around them. The aquamarine is a very unique specimen, as a delicate, subtle flame-coloured inclusion floats along its bottom edge, suspended like a feather in water. The stones are neatly set in clean-edge bezels on a solid, polished backplate to enhance their radiance, and the silver throughout has been polished and pantinaed for dramatic contrast and shine. A tiny sterling ring connects the pendant to its delicate chain, which is finished with a light-weight sterling silver spring-ring clasp and pale yellow and grey-blue tourmaline beaded links at 16” (41 cm), 18” (46 cm) and 20” (51 cm) for an customizable fit.

The details:

• Pendant height: 20 mm

• Pendant width: 12 mm at widest point

• Stone cut & size: tourmaline cabochon, 6 mm diameter; aquamarine with hematite inclusion, 8×10 mm

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

• Recycled components: silver pendant construction

• Stone source: Tourmaline - this has been in my collection for many years, but I believe it came from a company called New Age gems in Victoria, British Columbia. Aquamarine - NikMak Gems, Montreal, Québec, Canada.

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!