N°187 Christmas 2025 Special Set

For the first decade of making jewellery,  I have never used religious symbols, but I have to admit I have been completely drawn to these Ethiopian crosses... admittedly initially from an aesthetic point of point of view.

And while this might be not a logical connection for many of you - for me the cross has strong visual links to coral reef basket stars (I can't take the Marine Biologist out of my brain - but neither do I want to; see image below).

Besides the aesthetic, it is the symbolism of the elaborate & intertwined latticework representing everlasting life that I find myself attracted to.

Unlike crosses in western Christianity, the artisans of Ethiopia are being allowed the freedom to exercise a measure of individual taste and creativity in their choice of shape and patterns. I love that... and together with all the other oceanic turquoise blues - the colours off my home by the Sea - they build an harmonious group.

 To add depth and contrast, I added intense black Onyx, Lava, Agates & Spinel, providing a striking backdrop to the oceanic hues.

This statement necklace (the two strands are connected and cannot be separated) celebrates the beauty of nature, the richness of diverse cultures, and the harmonious balance of contrasting elements - at least it does so for me!

For this set, the necklace already carries the visual weight — the colour, the geometry, the presence. So I kept both pairs of earrings intentionally simple, more like quiet punctuation than competing statements.

The first pair features onyx triangles set into a clean silver-plated base, a sharp monochrome accent that echoes the stronger lines in the necklace without overwhelming it. At 5.2 cm, they’re long enough to register, but restrained enough to stay out of the necklace’s way.

The second pair uses agate geode slices in that same fresh turquoise tone as the Ethiopian cross — organic, translucent, a little unpredictable. At 4.5 cm, they soften the silhouette while keeping the colour story cohesive. Natural shape, controlled profile.

Because the necklace does all the talking, the earrings don’t need to shout — just align.