The inspiration:
What can I say - this stone says it all. This luminous slice of opalized, ancient wood, transformed from tree to stone over millennia, almost hums with circle-of-life energy.

The materials:
A exceptionally cut and polished opalized wood cabochon from Indonesia, glowing translucent aqua licked with warm amber along its long side, is set in the grasp of 18k gold prongs against a minimalist, recycled sterling silver frame. Thanks to this incredible stone, this pendant is truly one-of-a-kind.

The history:
Opalized (or opal) wood is a variety of petrified wood formed when ancient trees that were felled by volcanic eruptions or flooding have slowly turned to stone by water-borne, silica-rich minerals gradually replacing the tree's organic matter with gleaming opal. Instead of simply rotting away, the complex nature of the wood's structure remains, preserved with gleaming opalescent hues of blue, aqua, green, golds and even red. Opalized wood offers an extraordinary view of earth's history: opal wood takes between 50 - 500 million years to form, transforming coniferous trees (like pine, spruce and cedar) into gems whose wood structure and chemical makeup influence the resulting stone's colours. Much like amber, opalized wood has come to symbolize growth, renewal and a connection to the ancient wisdom of the natural world.

The process:
I have recycled all of the silver used to make this pendant; melting sterling scrap down to form silver ingots, flattening and drawing the silver down to plate (and sometimes wire) using hammers and my rolling mill, and then using this newly reclaimed silver to create my work. The dramatic, soft triangle of opalized wood is set against a solid, polished backplate for stability and light, while 6 18k gold prongs securely hold the stone so that light can enter from all sides. An arc of matching 18k gold nests below a silver one that connects the pendant to its chain via 2 silver jump rings. The necklace is finished with a sterling silver lobster-claw clasp and 3 gold-filled beaded clasps at 16” (41 cm), 18" (46 cm) and 20" (51 cm) for adjustability.

The details:

• Pendant height: 39 mm

• Pendant width at its widest point: 16 mm

• Stone cut & size: natural Indonesian opalized wood cabochon, approximately 30 mm h x 12 mm w (at widest point), 3.5 mm deep (including the setting)

• Chain length: 20” (51 cm) total, with adjustability at 16” (41 cm) and 18” (46 cm)

• Recycled components: silver pendant construction, 18k gold details

• Stone source: Pierre Rouge, Marieville, Québec

My promise:
All of my jewelry is made by me, by hand, in my little home studio and will be shipped to you as shown, beautifully packaged and ready for gift-giving to someone special (like yourself!) I am a life-long artist and designer, and I take great care and pride in creating one of a kind jewels that evolve from my own design, emotion and inspiration, rather than trend, imitation or artifice. It means the world to me that you've witnessed my work - thank you for being here, and for shopping and supporting handmade!