Fancy Jaspar and Rose Quartz Necklace and Earrings

This piece is a study in harmonizing opposites and for a long time, it was my favorite; maybe because it took so long to get it just right (I restrung it four times). The two gemstones are dissimilar to each other in every way. The jaspar is green, cylindrical, intensely dark and opaque. The quartz is pink, round, very pale and transparent. I could have made the contrast less stark by introducing small, translucent green round beads of Aventurine and perhaps a very deep pink Rhodocrosite in the tiniest size made. And while I may do so someday if I find another Rose Quartz shell to work with, this stands as a tour de force of sorts for me. The only concession I made to the "march" of conflicting stones was this carved scallop shell pendant and the corrugated 8mm, 6mm and 4mm 14K Gold filled beads. One of the things I delight to do when designing is to combine Earth and Sea. Though it came from the earth, it tells of the sea and softens the unrelenting alternation of the other stones, in my opinion.