Geometric Lapis, Silver & Gold Necklace

This regal necklace was inspired by the vast knowledge and wisdom of Medieval Islam, from whose culture these gorgeous Lapis beads arose. Fine Afghani Lapis like this was traded all over the Middle East and Europe since antiquity, and the most prized was that cut by the skilled lapidarists of the Muslim world.

Complex shapes like these represented the precise science of geometric form that was revered as a sacred reflection of the mind of the Divine, made physical by the art of the stonecutter. To honour these beautiful beads, I created a graduated set of eleven silver and gold beads with a pattern I found in another great classic art of Islam, tilework. Four simpler silver and gold beads finish the necklace in the back, and the whole piece is sumptuous and rich to wear, substantial in weight and eye catching.

Lapis is a porous stone, and one which interacts with the wearer, so whoever is lucky enough to have this necklace will become a part of it, deepening the blue of the Lapis over time, the piece becoming more rich as it continues to be loved long into the future.