At Elizabeth Sarah Collections we not only specialize in the use of semi-precious and precious gemstones, but also other materials that are just as sought after.
Organic materials like shells have been used as jewelry for thousands of years for ancient peoples around the world.
Influenced by these beautiful adornments and our love for the sea, our latest design features cowrie shells, which were traditionally worn by royalty among the Pacific islands and ancient Africa.
Elizabeth has been wanting to use these shells in her designs for quite sometime now, and upon finding these beauties at a recent gem show, the timing was perfect to finally design a collection around them. They also happen to be on trend for summer and go along perfectly with our coastal vibe.
These shells are abundant in the Indian Ocean, and particularly in the Maldives and East Indies. They can also be found in the waters of Southern California and just south of the Southeastern U.S.
Before the 21st century, cowrie shells served as a symbol of power and currency. The cowrie shells were easy to transport and virtually protected from forgery, making them a popular form of payment.
They were accepted and traded all the way from Asia, Africa, Oceania and some places in Europe. They even made their way into the writings of explorer Marco Polo, who described the use of cowrie shells as money while visiting China.
Cowrie shells are regarded as symbols of womanhood, fertility, birth and wealth, and were often used in medicinal practices and religious ceremonies.
In some cultures they also served as pieces in a board game, similar to dice.
The exterior of the cowrie shell is very smooth and shiny, like porcelain. The word "porcelain" in fact comes from the ancient Roman word for cowries: porculi, or little pigs.
The unique shape and natural design of the cowrie shell is as beautiful as it is rare.
The design we initially created for them was a little challenging at first to work with. At first we weren't sure if we could electroplate them the way we wanted because of the center opening, and the potential difficulty of making the material work with this shape. After trial and error, we persevered and the shells came out exactly as we wanted them!
We are so excited to release this long-awaited mini-collection!
Combining Elizabeth Sarah Collections one of a kind designs with the simple yet delicate cowrie shell, this new collection is sure to turn heads and win hearts of beach-chic babes from coast to coast and around the world.
© 2024 Elizabeth Sarah Collections. Theme by Clean Themes. This store is PCI Compliant
