The inspiration:
The light starts to win in February. The sunset starts to tip past 5:30, the sunrise has perceivable warmth in it. As that new year adrenaline starts to wear off, the strengthening light carries us onwards. (Also, I wanted to make a special jewel for the February babies, starring one of the most beautiful amethysts I've ever seen - it was so soothing gazing at this stone for hours! Happy birthday to us, February babies!)

The materials:
Floating within a frame made of 1 mm diameter sterling wire, this magical purple amethyst cabochon is set against a polished background that bounces light through this beautiful stone. A sprout of 10k gold, flanked by two of sterling silver extend upwards from the top of the stone to fan out tracing the wire frame above. A trio of tiny beads: one of 10k gold with sterling on either side, shine from the bottom edge of the stone's setting, while 2 bright 10k gold jump rings connect the pendant to its delicate rolo style chain. The necklace is finished with a sterling silver lobster-claw clasp and 3 14k gold-filled beaded clasps at 16", 18" and 20" for adjustability.

The history:
Amethyst is a crystalline member of the vast quartz family that can range from palest, transparent lilac to dense, regal, grape-jelly purple, often with quartz elements like banding and crystalline structure and inclusions visible. Like most all quartz stones amethyst has been highly favoured since the Bronze Age, carved into decorations with a high degree of detail including ornate vessels and jewellery like finely detailed intaglios and cameos, faceted beads and prismatic shapes.

The Romans associated amethyst’s rich purple to the god Bacchus (the god of wine) and so thought that wearing amethyst would protect you from drunkenness! It has long been considered a talisman that fosters sincerity, inner peace and self-knowledge, and now represents as a regal birthstone for February babies.

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.

Floating within a frame made of 1 mm diameter sterling wire, this magical purple amethyst cabochon is set against a polished background that bounces light through its depths. A sprout of 10k gold, flanked by two of sterling silver extend upwards from the top of the stone to fan out tracing the wire frame above. A trio of tiny beads: one of 10k gold with sterling on either side, shine from the bottom edge of the stone's setting, while 2 bright 10k gold jump rings connect the pendant to its delicate rolo style chain. The necklace is finished with a sterling silver lobster-claw clasp and 3 14k gold-filled beaded clasps at 16", 18" and 20" for adjustability.

The details:

• Pendant diameter: 14 mm wide by 28 mm long

• Stone cut & size: natural amethyst cabochon, 10 mm wide by 14 mm long

• Chain length: 19” (48 cm) total length, with adjustability at 17” (43 cm)

• Recycled components: amethyst setting (sterling silver construction), 10k gold sprout and central bottom bead

• Stone source: Pierre Rouge, Marieville, Québec

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!