UFOs (NEW)
I read a lot of science fiction as a graduate student, and the beautifully handmade vintage Indian black, white, gold and red oblate glass beads with their fluted circumference are, in my mind, spaceships, with the transparent amber coloured glass beads casting a slightly mysterious glow. So here they are - a fleet of sophisticated spaceships flying through the galaxy on a mission of amity and goodwill to other worlds. For more info on the necklace, please click on Details, and if interested in my musings, please go to Story. If curious about the influences that shaped my design aesthetics, please visit our blog on How My Years in Britain Shaped My Appreciation for Unique Handmade Jewellery in UK
The naming of the beads starts from the bead in the centre, with measurement for some of the bigger beads, moving upwards, with metal beads named last)
Length: 71 cm (28”)
Weight: 96 gm
Black oblate glass beads: approx. 12 mm in height, and 17 mm across
Transparent amber glass beads: 11mm
Small striped red and black glass beads from the ‘80s
Small striped black and gray glass beads from the ‘80s
Gold coloured metal spacers and gold coloured granulated metal spacers
Gold coloured metal tubes: 20 mm and 30 mm
Gold coloured metal hook and ring clasp
Gold-plated silver Manik identity disc
In the ‘90s, I collected quite a lot of hand-made glass beads, including ones Indian in origin with vibrant colours and patterns, though not all of them were as well made as the black, white, gold and red oblate beads in this necklace. The fluted, wavy gold-coloured ‘skirt’ around the circumference of the oblate black bead, the white lines around the ‘skirt’, and the little red blobs on the skirt all make for a very striking and lively bead.
Given the more complex design of the black beads, I did not wish to clutter the necklace with too many other beads and opted to use my gold-coloured metal tubes from Japan. I also added the small red and black striped glass beads from the ‘80s and finally, my transparent amber glass beads cast an interesting, slightly mysterious glow on the black beads.
I am a fan of sci-fi, and when I looked at the finished design, it made me think of a fleet of sophisticated spaceships all lined up, and ready to take off, on a mission of amity and goodwill to other worlds… I can’t shake off this image, and so I am naming this necklace UFOs!
I placed UFOs against a yellow-gold top, a deep jungle-green one, an orange-red dress, as well as apowder blue one, and it looked good with all of them.
