The Amber Disco earrings are obviously a spinoff of our classic earrings, Big Spirit. But here the look is perhaps a bit more playful, a bit more summer? The sterling silver hoops have a wavy texture which makes light dance nicely. And the pendants, disc-shaped Polish amber from the Baltic Sea, glow with old wisdom.
20 mm / 0.75 in. diameter earring
10 mm / 0.39 in. diameter discs
Sterling silver
Polish Baltic amber
The index of Jewellery Matters (published by Nai010 and the Rijks Museum in 2017) describes amber as "a fossilized natural resin from an extinct variety of pine tree, which can be up to fifty million years old. It can be translucent or opaque. It is often found floating on the surface of the sea, the Baltic Sea in particular. Compared with metals and stones, it is a lightweight material. It is typically yellowish in colour but is occasionally deep red, sometimes greyish. Amber is soft but tough and lends itself to intricate carving. Inclusions, especially small insects, are generally highly valued. Pressed amber is made from amber remnants and is much used for beads."
The images were created in collaboration with Ramya Ramaswamy, an educator and organizer, on a hot Sunday in our Brooklyn neighborhood park.