Sunday, June 2, 2013

The Traveler's Talisman

As with all of my current jewelry designs, the Traveler's Talisman was completely inspired by the stone - oh, that tiffany stone! This stone was a true find. I fell in love with it and started designing this most recent pendant by gathering up ideas. I saw a weary traveler in the stone, resting on the mountainside. He's wearing a pointy white cap, pointy black shoes, and a striped coat. Do you see him? He is a traveler of the land... a traveler in life!
 I have done a lot of traveling. Each time I traveled I considered what jewelry to wear, what jewelry to pack, what was comfortable and easy and what worked. Often I wore things that I didn't have to take off. If it's ON me, it can't be left behind, dropped, lost. It's funny, but I think this idea stuck with me through my life. It needs to be well-made and not fragile. It needs to be able to stand up to wear, gathering patina along the way, traveling or not. Enduring.

When traveling in Buenos Aires (this could have happened anywhere) I was attacked for my gold necklace. It was on a short chain and visible, obviously made from a piece of substantial gold, and it made me vulnerable. The thief lunged at me with his grabbing hand headed for my throat. At the time I didn't know he was after my necklace... I thought he was after my throat. (He didn't succeed in stealing the gold ingot/zodiac pendant I had made - the one that matched those made for my daughters!) So here are the considerations I had for my Traveler's Talisman:
- The pendant should be able to hang inside or outside of a shirt... visible sometimes, but tuckable.
- Comfort is essential so it is suspended on a rounded double strand of rolo chain.
- While the front is beautiful and significant, the goodies of gold and amethyst and hand engraving are on the back. It can be reversible, but lovely for the wearer to know they are wearing a unique and personal piece...kind of a secret.
- If the necklace were grabbed, it would break away (the chain that was ripped from my neck was a single strand of gold rolo chain. If it had not broken, my neck would have been injured).
- The amethyst, set in a 14K gold bezel, is a stone that through time has been thought to be good fortune for the traveler. The compass rose that radiates from the amethyst is a traditional fixture on maps. The design ideas for the compas rose (radial design) are endless.

Whether we are travelers of the land or simply travelers through life, the Traveler's Talisman holds beauty and significance.