Tusk Shell Charm with Diamond Bail

Details

Materials
Shell and 14K gold
Real tusk shell (scaphopod) with natural grey-green, sage, celadon, and ivory coloration
Stones: 5 besel set diamonds

Dimensions
The tusk measures 3 inches tall and 12mm at its widest at the top.
The bail opening is designed to accommodate a range of chains, at 15mm tall and 5 mm wide inside the opening. 

Origins and Transformation
Natural found shell combined with an antique diamond bail and newly fabricated 14K gold work by Karen Yost. Hand made in NYC.

Shipping
in stock and ready to ship

Quantity/Availability
One of one

Chain
Not included

A real tusk shell. An antique diamond bail. Three inches of something that has already outlived most of the things you own.

This piece did not begin at the bench.

It began in the ocean, where a tusk shell spent years becoming exactly this shape, this color, this particular curve from grey-green to ivory white. When I found it I knew it had to be a feirce and beautiful pendant. I hand-constructed the 14K gold cap and used a delicate and substantial antique bail from a different piece of jewelry to finish it off.

The Shell

The shell is a real tusk shell, or scaphopod, named for the long, tapered form that makes it look almost carved despite being entirely natural.

Its color is particularly good. Near the cap, the surface is darker and more dimensional, with grey-green striations running through it. The tone gradually lightens along the curve until the end becomes pale ivory.

At roughly three inches long, this is not a tiny shell charm pretending to be important. It has enough scale to hold the center of the body when worn, while the natural taper keeps it from feeling heavy or blunt.

Three Histories, One Object

This is the part of Anomaly Relic that cannot be manufactured on demand. The shell came from the natural world. The diamond bail came from an older piece of jewelry. The cap came from my bench. Three materials with completely different beginnings now exist as one object.

That is what makes the Reliquary work compelling: not making new jewelry look old, but allowing real things with existing histories to collide with new handwork. It has a past, a present, and whatever happens after you claim it.

How to Wear It

The pendant is sold without a chain so you can decide what kind of life it has next.

Wear it long, where the full curve of the shell can move against the body. Put it on an old chain with some weight to it. Add it to a collector's chain already crowded with other relics, or keep the setting almost severe and let the tusk stand alone.

Relic Care

Natural shell should be treated more gently than solid metal jewelry. Store the pendant separately in a soft-lined box or pouch where the shell cannot knock against harder pieces.

Avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaners. Clean the gold and diamonds carefully with a soft cloth, and wipe the shell gently with a barely dam

The Tusk

A real tusk shell. An antique diamond bail. A piece of gold made by hand to persuade the two that they had always belonged together.

The shell is a real tusk shell, or scaphopod, named for the long, tapered form that makes it look almost carved despite being entirely natural.

Its color is particularly good. Near the cap, the surface is darker and more dimensional, with grey-green striations running through it. The tone gradually lightens along the curve until the end becomes pale ivory.

This pendant did not begin as a drawing at the bench. The shell already existed, with its long natural curve and a surface that shifts from deep grey-green near the top through softer sage tones and into creamy ivory at the tip. I sourced the shell, then found an antique diamond bail from another piece entirely, and saw they belonged together. 

Three Histories, One Object

The shell came from the natural world. The diamond bail came from an older piece of jewelry. The cap came from my jewelery bench. Three materials with completely different beginnings now exist as one object.

That is what makes the Reliquary work compelling: not making new jewelry look old, but allowing real things with existing histories to collide with new handwork. 

It has a past, a present, and whatever happens after you claim it.

How to Wear It

Wear it long, where the full curve of the shell can move against the body. Put it on an old chain with some weight to it. Add it to a collector's chain already crowded with other relics, or keep the setting almost severe and let the tusk stand alone.

The large hinged bail gives you major flexibility for pairing with very thick chains.

The Rarity

The shell cannot be duplicated. The antique bail cannot be sourced again in this exact form. Its scarcity is built into the materials themselves making this charm completely one of a kind.

Relic Care

Natural shell should be treated more gently than solid metal jewelry. Store the pendant separately in a soft-lined box or pouch where the shell cannot knock against harder pieces. The shell is very sturdy, but not unbreakable.

Avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaners. Clean the gold and diamonds carefully with a soft cloth, and wipe the shell gently with a barely damp soft cloth when necessary. Avoid harsh chemicals, perfume, hairspray, and household cleaners.

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