At the threshold of autumn, the butterflies reappear: just for a moment, long enough to find each other, to mate, to produce their young before flying off to warmer climes. It is in the last warm days that their vision is realized, for it is this time that begins to fulfill the dreams of a late-summer spirit. Wings honors their hopes, their dreams, their vision of a world for future generations with this barrette, assuming the form, shape, and identity of one of their number in the colors of the Indian summer sky. The setting is cut freehand with a jeweler’s saw, antennae, head, body, and wings all of a piece. Each wing is adorned with large and small hand-stamped sacred hoops, the larger ones forming the backing for small round bezels that hold equally small round cabochons: five per wing, consisting each of one onyx, two lapis, and two deep blue-green turquoise stones. The body is set with a spectacular freeform oval cabochon of ultra-high-grade black water-web Kingman turquoise in rich sky blue, the matrix dark and tightly woven, nestled in the embrace of a saw-toothed bezel. The head features a similar bezel holding a teardrop-shaped cabochon of truly extraordinary New Lander variscite: a stone nearly milky-white in color, yet appearing midnight blue thanks to the rare and wondrous inky blue-black spiderwebbing veining the entire specimen. Body and wings are gently shaped into a slight arc; a small French clip on the reverse holds hair securely. The barrette is 2.25″ across at the widest point by 2.25″ high at the highest point; the Kingman cabochon is 7/8″ long by 5/16″ across at the widest point; the New Lander cabochon is 9/16″ long by 3/8″ across at the widest point (dimensions approximate).
Sterling silver; ultra-high-grade black water-web Kingman turquoise; ultra-high-grade New Lander variscite;
blue-green spiderweb turquoise; lapis lazuli; onyx
$1,150 + shipping, handling, and insurance
SOLD
All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owners.