creative necklace

Precious gemstones embellish a breathtaking creation presented by Bhavesh. Crafted by Indian artisans, this sterling silver pendant necklace features faceted cubic zirconia stones enhancing the dome of the pendant. Green onyx beads and cultured pearls hang gracefully from the accessory, adding a mystic tone to the item. These stunning gems also symbolize intellect, memory and peace, adding a special meaning to the necklace.

Capturing the classic essence of Bali, artisan Yuniati creates this splendid pendant necklace with a polished finish that enhances its intricate design. The artisan, an expert in metalworking techniques, uses sterling silver to craft the pendant's round structure, adding traditional motifs that enrich the precious blue cultured pearl that adorns the center, symbolizing peace and calm.

An ancient Maya legend tells how the gods gave a specific mission to each being they created. But they realized none had been chosen to carry thoughts and desires from one place to another," says Rosa Padillas of Rosa Roja. "So they carved a small piece of jade into a a slender arrowhead, and it became a beautiful hummingbird with iridescent feathers — the x ts'unu'um. Its mission was to carry good thoughts to all human beings, even those who had died.

"Today, if a hummingbird appears in front of you, it is delivering a message of love from someone who is thinking of you. And if we wear the image of a hummingbird, we carry good thoughts and desires to others.

"The hummingbird legend says that we can fly to the six cardinal points of the universe, therefore the hummingbird is the ideal link to transmit thoughts of love, of respect, tolerance and peace to all creatures on the planet."

The talented Mexican artisan reinterprets the legend as a necklace of dramatic beauty. She creates a hummingbird pendant in the pre-Hispanic style, and adds an agate geode representing the hummingbird's nest. It poses on a strand of gray cultured pearls.

Jewelry artisan Bhavesh, in India, created this pendant necklace to carry with it a symbolic message of world peace. "The pink tourmaline strings encourage peace and understanding, representing peace and harmony between mankind," he explains. Modeling humanity's peaceful coexistence, he embellished this unique sterling silver design with cultured pearls, pink tourmaline beads and faceted cubic zirconia stones.

He explains that the pearls are symbolic of innocence and faith, enhancing harmony between people, while the pendant's pink tourmalines, being symbols of humanity, encourage sympathy and understanding. Comprising the pendant's dome, cubic zirconia stones are believed to help keep selfishness and negative emotions at bay.

Members of the Jalapa Girl Jewelsmiths Association find a new take on a symbol originating in 1958. Crafted of silver, the pendant depicts the peace symbol so popular in the 1960s and '70s, and they add a heart, an olive branch and a creamy cultured pearl.

"We're inspired by what we're living today, and this made me think that we need to be united to create a better world and united to achieve peace," the Guatemalan artisan says. "This pendant represents the strength of union needed for us to achieve, together, the victory of peace. This image was designed for one of the first marches for Nuclear Disarmament in London, and later became widely used as a symbol for peace."

She displays the pendant on a brown leather cord.