White Seed Pearl and Brass Bead Necklace

A stunning necklace of sections of 4 strands of White seed pearls alternating with engraved oval Brass beads, on a gold plated clasp

While visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, I saw this profile Portrait of a Woman by the Italian Master of the Costello Nativity, c. 1450’s, and I became fascinated with the pearl and gold necklace this lady was wearing, the technical intricacies of how it was made, let alone how this was translated into paint!

So I set out to re-create this beautiful piece and mould it into a wearable 21st century setting. I must admit it wasn’t an easy task because of the multitude of very small pearls that had to be woven into minute multi-strand sections between the decorated Brass beads. But as nothing is impossible we got there in the end and The Metropolitan Museum of Art liked the design so much that it was taken on for a Renaissance exhibition

In the current Renaissance climate for 21st century women, let’s celebrate ancient designs for new times!