The focal piece of this necklace is an impressionistic elephant head carved out of red jasper. Red jasper barrels, blue lapis, and white quartz complete the necklace. If you are a loyal Republican, or just patriotic and like elephants, this is a fun necklace for you!
The pendant is hand-carved from red jasper and hung on a brass bail. The clasp is brass tone lead-free pewter. The beads are strung on beading wire, rather than hand-knotted. The pendant is roughly 1.5 inches in diameter, and the necklace is approximately 18 inches long, including the clasp.
Please note that the display mannequin in the photo is about half-human scale; the necklace has been draped around the back of the mannequin to simulate how the necklace would hang. Please refer to the other photos for a picture of the entire necklace and an indication of scale. Brass and pewter are not hypoallergenic and those prone to skin irritation should consider one of my pieces using sterling silver or vermeil findings. Like all of my jewelry, this necklace is not intended for use by persons under 13.
About the stones:
JASPER: Jasper is a form of quartz (silicon dioxide) and is a member of the chalcedony family. Jasper is an opaque and fine grained stone and comes in a rainbow of patterns and colors. It is a hard, with a Mohs hardness of 7.
QUARTZ: Quartz is silicon dioxide and is the second most common mineral in the earth’s crust. Many popular gemstones are forms of quartz, such as amethyst, carnelian, jasper and agate. Imagine a color or pattern, and there is probably a quartz to match. It is a hard mineral and takes a very good polish. White quartz, the most common variety, is sometimes called “snow quartz” or “milky quartz.”
LAPIS LAZULI: Lapis is a rock, rather than a mineral, meaning it is a composite of a number of minerals. The main component of lapis lazuli is lazurite (25% to 40%), a feldspathoid silicate mineral . Most lapis lazuli also contains calcite, sodalite, and pyrite. It may also contain other minerals. Lapis has been prized since antiquity for its vivid blue color.
