Turquoise Map Monster intaglio necklace
My trusted, reliable, and ethically sound gem dealer had some turquoise cabochons available that I kept looking at out of pure amazement.
They all have that dreamy, impossible blue-green gradient that sandbanks take on when viewed from a plane. Like islands along the equator. I was so fixated on this that I couldn't find a way into the stone: no image felt quite right because they are so perfect as they are.
I couldn't kick the saltwater feeling and got to thinking about the spaces between islands, specifically on maps. And so, the map monster was designed.
Born of hearsay and unreliable sources, old world maps were populated with sea monsters as big as the masses of land between them. Like most cryptics, their basis points to residents of the natural world. In terms of work, this is the second dance I have done with the Oarfish; the 26ft long deep-water harbinger of doom that only surfaces to die. Or warn mankind.
As with my wax work, all stone carving is done by me in my Newcastle upon Tyne studio in the UK. I use diamond-coated discs and burrs, and the process gives me the most colourful headache.
This piece is completely one-of-a-kind.
Details:
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Material: 925 Sterling Silver and flat top turquoise cabochon
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Pendant Dimensions: Approx. 1.8 cm tall x 1.2 cm wide (0.7″ x 0.5″)
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Chain: 46 cm (18″) sterling silver belcher chain
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Origin: Handcrafted and produced in the UK