native necklace

As the sun slowly rises over Man Sagar Lake in Jaipur, India, it stains the morning mist with a dreamy mauve color. Jaipur native Babun Dey uses a two carat pear-shaped checkerboard-cut amethyst to recreate that color in the center of this spectacular sterling silver pendant necklace. Roping borders the pear-shaped pendant whose design features scallop-shaped cutouts and sparkling dots against a darkly oxidized background. A lobster claw clasp secures the necklace's adjustable rolo chain.

Mystical, alluring Jaipur, Babun Dey's native city, is the inspiration for the Indian artisan's design of this fascinating sterling silver pendant necklace in which the metal's dark oxidized hues predominate. In a bezel setting in the center of the oval-shaped pendant, 5.5 carats of dazzling faceted green onyx is gracefully encircled by a dainty leafy vine, tiny silver balls, and arrow-shaped figures. A silver line weaving a serpentine pattern completes the pendant, which is suspended from an adjustable rolo chain and features a lobster claw clasp.

Sporting dangly earrings of natural turquoise, this Catrina is glamorous. The talented Oscar Figueroa Escorcia in Mexico crafts this original pendant necklace from Taxco sterling silver, with oxidized areas enhancing the detail. The pendant centres a sterling cable chain.

The original "La Calavera Catrina" was a zinc etching created by the artist José Guadalupe Posada in Mexico around 1910. Posada created the character, a female skeleton with an elegant hat, as a satirical portrait of Mexican natives who aspired to European style and denied their own heritage. The catrina has since become an emblem of Mexico's Day of the Dead celebration and a popular folk art subject.

Blue topaz centers a chakra motif in sterling silver. This beautiful unity necklace from Alok Jain celebrates our sameness. "The Ashok chakra, or 'wheel of duty' has 24 spokes that represent the 24 religious paths of humanity and all lead a nation on path of progress," he explains. Six sprigs of rice flank the wheel. "Rice is part of India's a cultural identity and also symbolizes global unity, as almost half of the population on this earth eats rice."