symbolic necklaces

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 collaboration. 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 honor 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 jewel for each chakra center—Abhishek Singla's newest pendant necklace invites you to live in harmony and peace with an ethereal creation by Thai artisans. The team works with sterling silver to create this necklace, whose spiral pendant holds faceted amethyst, iolite, blue topaz, peridot, citrine, carnelian and garnet jewels.

Jewelry artisan Bhavesh, in India, created this pendant necklace to carry with it a symbolic message of world peace. "The pink tourmaline strings encourage peace and understanding, representing peace and harmony between mankind," he explains. Modeling humanity's peaceful coexistence, he embellished this unique sterling silver design with cultured pearls, pink tourmaline beads and faceted cubic zirconia stones.

He explains that the pearls are symbolic of innocence and faith, enhancing harmony between people, while the pendant's pink tourmalines, being symbols of humanity, encourage sympathy and understanding. Comprising the pendant's dome, cubic zirconia stones are believed to help keep selfishness and negative emotions at bay.

A symbol of the universe, the mandala is a circle enclosing a square with a deity on each side. Interpreted in sterling silver, this lacy mandala pendant hosts a faceted gemstone in each corner. Garnet, amethyst and peridot adorn a necklace from Bhavesh.

A lotus pendant dangles at the bottom of this station necklace, representing your spiritual side. Inspired by the ancient Chakra doctrine, Balinese artisan Wayan Trisna uses sterling silver to craft this sublime accessory, adding little beads of garnet, amethyst carnelian, rose quartz, reconstituted turquoise, peridot and citrine stones to the chain, symbolizing the union between your energy centers.

The divine and stunning peacock is an unmistakable sign of luxury and style in any creation of the Balinese region. Inspired by this gorgeous bird and its symbolism, artisan Made Wardika makes a distinguished piece paying homage to this regal creature, now adorning a sterling silver pendant necklace. Enhanced with a carved moon-shaped bone accent—a symbol of mysticism—and a combination of polished and oxidized finishes, the accessory is crowned with faceted amethyst, garnet and peridot jewels totaling over one carat.

A lotus pendant dangles at the bottom of this station necklace, representing your spiritual side in a state of enlightenment. Inspired by the ancient Chakra doctrine, Balinese artisan Wayan Trisna uses 18k gold-plated sterling silver to craft this exquisite accessory, adding little beads of garnet, amethyst carnelian, rose quartz, reconstituted turquoise, peridot and citrine stones to the chain, symbolizing the union between your energy centers.

Command attention with this extraordinary pendant necklace by Michael Krainer. Crafted in Thailand, the openwork floral design draws inspiration from chakra symbols and beautifully showcases radiant amethyst, garnet, citrine, blue topaz, white topaz and peridot stones. The lustrous sterling silver and contemporary ball chain create a bold, sophisticated accessory that's impossible to ignore.

Thailand's Nareerat puts all her expertise into this marvelous creation of multiple gems following a luxurious color scheme. Cultured pearls, amethyst chips and quartz beads come together to form this necklace in a mystic purple tone. This color symbolizes nobility and wisdom, adding a special meaning to the accessory. In addition, the artisan adds a silver-plated brass clasp and extender.

Thailand's Nareerat puts all her expertise into this dazzling creation of multiple gems following a stylish color scheme. Cultured pearls, aventurine chips and quartz beads come together to form this necklace in a joyful orange tone. This color symbolizes warmth and freedom, adding a special meaning to the accessory. In addition, the artisan adds a silver-plated brass clasp and extender.

Handcrafted in Thailand by Nareerat, this beaded necklace is a gorgeous creation featuring multiple gems. Working with aventurine and quartz beads, rose quartz chips and cultured pearls, the artisan forms a sweet palette of pink tones resembling little berries. Equipped with a silver-plated clasp and extender, this precious accessory also has a hidden meaning, as pink symbolizes harmony and friendship.

Thai artisan Nareerat handcrafts this accessory from multiple gems, all following an intense palette that makes an attractive accent for any outfit. With howlite beads, quartz chips and cultured pearls embellishing the necklace, the final touch is in the silver-plated brass clasp and extender. On top of that, the red color scheme adds a special meaning to the item, as it symbolizes passion and courage.