Gasing
This 60 cm long necklace of semi-precious stone, jasper, and haematite, as well as Thai Karen silver harks back to the children’s toy of spinning tops, or ‘gasing’, as it is known in Malay. For more info on the necklace, please click on Details, and if interested in my musings, please go to Story.
The identification of the beads start from the bead in the centre, moving upwards, with measurement for some of the bigger beads, with metal beads named last.
Length: 60 cm (23.5”)
Weight: 169 gms
Red jasper discs: 14.5 across, 6.5 mm high
Haematite: 15 mm
Thai Karen silver discs: 17 mm across, 10 mm high
Thai Karen grooved silver bicones: 17 mm long, 17 mm wide
Silver spacers
Pair of silver tubes
Silver crimp tubes
Silver toggle clasp
I had a version of this necklace in my personal collection, and the silver beads used here, hand-made Thai Karen silver (probably of 98% silver content) are from that original necklace. The shapes of the two types of silver beads remind me of childhood toys of spinning tops, and the dusty looking matte red jasper discs echo the same shape and together, create a visually mesmerising effect. I have always been drawn to the bright round haematite too, which remind me of black pearls, and I added these 15 mm round ones to contrast with the overall more muted feel of the necklace.
When it came to naming the necklace, my niece N and I had the same thought – Gasing, she proclaimed, using the Malay name for the popular game of spinning tops. Gasing would go well against light, brights or darker deeper colours, but if against red, would have to be a shade that doesn’t overwhelm the dusty redness of the jasper discs. Have fun and enjoy!
