artistic jewelry

Quetzalcoatl, the "feathered serpent" was a revered deity in Mesoamerican myth and legend. Mariana Llanes depicts him as a sterling silver dragon that take its own tail in his mouth. "When one becomes many, they awaken the dragon, and duality emerges — light and darkness, what is mine, yours and belonging to others," ths artist says. "Our differences, survival and the struggles for power.

"By biting its tail, the dragon places all its energy toward understanding who we are and why we're here. It speaks of overcoming one's own ego, of humility.

"For me, the open hands are a beautiful representation of human collabouration. They symbolize friendship, honesty, respect, solidarity and willingness.

"Black crosses flank the hands along with garnet droplets that represent the death and suffering caused by wars. This is in honour of everyone who has died because of war. And it's a prayer that their lives and their blood be seeds that germinate in green fields of conscience, learning, and respect for life and for our differences.

"The spirals speak of life's cyclical nature and of resilience. Of our capacity to learn and change our reality, converting painful experiences into strength and wisdom.

"The feather pendants are symbols of the birds that collect our prayers around the world — for peace, for justice, for equality and the rights of everyone. They carry our voices in their song and they carry our prayers for peace."

The pendant is worn on a beaded gemstone strand of amethyst, iolite, citrine, peridot, carnelian and garnet.

A medley of colors calls to mind an artist's palette in these original dangle earrings from Neetu Barathi in India. The artisan juxtaposes darkly oxidized sterling silver with polished 18k gold accents to add drama to the design. Over 25 total carats of gemstones include rose quartz, labradorite, sky-blue chalcedony, and cubic zirconia.

Graceful and beautiful, this handcrafted necklace exemplifies Balinese artistry. Colorful gemstones nestle amid sterling silver leaves and flowers in bright array. Faceted amethyst, citrine and garnet total 2.4 carats to complement a cabochon carnelian. Buana crafts this extraordinary necklace and completes it with a braided black leather cord.

.925 Sterling silver

Designed by Mexico’s Patricia Guzman, this mesmerizing pendant necklace graced by a magnetic rose quartz stone as the focal point is sure to make a statement. The intricate artistry of twisted wire and the vibrant palette of dainty tourmaline beads amplify its charm. The addition of peridot beads injects an extra burst of energy as the pendant elegantly hangs from a lustrous rolo chain meticulously plated in 14k gold over stainless steel.

Sparkling with a multi-gem array of peridot, garnet, citrine, amethyst and blue topaz that total over three carats, these dangle earrings showcase Indian artistry. Each earring features a loop that is crafted of sterling silver, displaying an open cutout portion at one side.

Gemstone guardians take the form of beautiful butterflies with blue topaz bodies. They flank faceted amethyst and citrine stones in this extravagant design. Crafted by hand, the sterling silver ring radiates modern Balinese artistry as Buana demonstrates his talent. The gemstones total 3.3 carats.

.925 Sterling silver

Stones of jasper, unakite, lapis lazuli, and calcite create a wonderful appearance along the length of these multi-gemstone bracelets from Thailand, punctuated by petite brass beads. Tiraphan Hasub styles herself a fashionista, transmitting her artistic intuition to the wearer in this pair of beaded bracelets. Each bracelet closes with a brass bell button clasp.