Cranberry Silk Band Necklace with Antique Gold Pendant
- A number of years ago I was able to come across this vintage vermeil pendant from Afghanistan. It, along with others, were part of an old necklace and quite frankly, I fell for this piece because it is so ancient in its design. It is a female portrait, embossed in a Hellenistic style, with her flowing hair and her high waisted robe. It is 4 cm long by 3 cm. wide.
- She is surmounted by a vintage, (now rare) handmade 18K gold-on-silver-on-hardened resin bead (12 mm) from Afghanistan. This was made by the ancient Afghan craft of taking sheet metal and moulding it over hardened resin, a technique handed down through the craftsmen of Alexander the Great in 330 BC.
- Lastly, I have used an antique, royal blue, moulded glass bead (12 mm) from Thailand.
- The blue and yellow gold make a rich combination with the handmade, cranberry silk/polyester band.
- The band’s clasp consists of a jade bead which fits into one of two stretchable which fits into silk rings, enabling the wearer to vary the length. My silver label is attached at the ring.
- The necklace comes, like all my necklaces, with its own colour co-ordinated silk brocaded pouch bag, made by a Shanghai tailor.
- Length 46 cm (18") with a 6 cm (2 1/2") pendant drop.