Joie de Vivre jewelry

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w h e r e   &   w h e r e a f t e r

A long, beautiful strand of double-drilled labradorite gemstones was not to be missed, and I wanted to create pieces that captured the beauty of the collection of stones and maintained a high degree of wearability. A challenge with a trapezoidal stones is to string them in a way that enables them to lie flat; that usually means a greater degree of stiffness in the design than with round stones to ensure edges don't rub. The longer necklace with many gemstones has great geometry and interest, but a low degree of flexibility. The shorter necklace has great fluidity but a smaller accessory "punch" for an outfit. Each features the lovely stones, and each offers a different way to wear them - bold statement versus subtle accent. The "where" of an occasion says which is best first, whereafter the other can be used to dress up or down an outfit. Necklaces are designed to be worn together or separately.

Cost: $199.00 USD

m a k e   i t   a   g i f t   s h i p m e n t :

Looking to ship this item separately as a gift? Gift shipment includes gift boxing and an occasion specific card sent to the recipient via USPS Priority Mail. Fill out the fields below including this jewelry item name, the recipient name and address, and occasion and this item will be sent to the recipient with a card and note. See the gift box section for samples of shipments with different occasion specific cards.

Cost of gift shipment (domestic shipping only): $5.95 USD

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c a t e g o r i e s :

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M a t e r i a l s  &  C a r e 

Length: necklaces - 22", 24"

Materials:

  • labradorite gemstsone beads
  • Japanese glass seedbeads
  • sterling silver cones and toggle
  • sterling silver rectangle link chain and lobster clasp
  • sterling silver chain with freshwater pearls and hook & eye clasp
  • Soft Flex moderate duty nylon coated stainless steel cord (30 lb. load test)

Care & cleaning: Beading cord may be kinked or broken through hard jerks or severed through prolonged exposure to rough or sharp edges; store necklace flat when not in use to prevent stretching or kinking cord. Clean with warm soapy water and avoid chemical or abrasive cleaners. Use a soft jewelry polishing cloth to clean tarnish appearing on silver.

This necklace pair is unusual in that one of the necklaces (the strand of labradorite gemstones) can withstand determined tugs and pulls but the other necklace (with the delicate sterling silver chain) is likely to become bent or distorted with the same kind of tugs and pulls. Yes? No? Maybe? Kind of? The graphic "yes" refers to the longer necklace, but it's recommended to keep the shorter necklace out of reach. As with all beaded jewelry: do not let young toddlers chew on it.

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W h a t  t o  W e a r 

These long necklaces (22" and 24") are heavy on style but light on weight. Together, they are a strong geometric focal element to an outfit; however, the longer labradorite necklace doesn't have the same degree of drape and fluidity as the shorter necklace with sterling silver chain so it might be difficult to pair with a jacket or blazer. This same stiffness means the necklace duo looks terrific with a deep neckline, such as shown on the unexpected elegance page.