artisan jewelry

Discover the allure of Ghanaian artisan Tina Quaye's jewelry, where style meets sustainability effortlessly. Meticulously crafted by hand, this enthralling strand necklace combines recycled glass and plastic beads with exquisite agate and coconut shell accents. Finished with a brass clasp closure, this chic creation adds a touch of glamor and eco-conscious sophistication to your attire.

Colors of lava and volcanic earth combine in this unisex stretch bracelet from Efrain Espinoza in Costa Rica. The artisan combines natural lava stone with bright carnelian and earthy agate, as well as polished stainless steel beads.

Variegated colors of earth and jungle combine in this unisex stretch bracelet from Efrain Espinoza in Costa Rica. The artisan combines assorted agates with polished stainless steel beads.

This bold and colorful unisex bracelet is from Costa Rica's Omayra Jaramillo. The artisan chooses crackled black agate, purple crystal beads, and rondelles of polymer clay in sky blue and black to create the unique stretch bracelet.

Exquisite agate gemstones are interspersed with disc coconut and spherical zamac beads for a long necklace that will become your instant favorite. The exotic necklace is topped with a sterling silver clasp in a design hand-crafted by artisan Jaques in Brazil.

Created by Thai artisan Nareerat, this lovely necklace captures the elegance of night. Black agate combines with glimmering glass beads, pink agate, and gleaming brass beads. Closing with a brass button clasp, this bohemian necklace can be worn long or wrap-style.

Created by Thai artisan Nareerat, this lovely necklace captures the elegance of night. Black agate combines with glimmering glass beads, red-orange agate, and gleaming brass beads. Closing with a brass button clasp, this bohemian necklace can be worn long or wrap-style.

Costa Rican artisan Efrain Espinoza creates this pretty beaded necklace in a unique color combination. Beads of natural wenge wood accompany green and black agate, bright carnelian, hematite and stainless steel. A barrel-shaped pendant of black agate completes the necklace, which is secured by a stainless steel clasp.

This appealing and colorful necklace is from Efrain Espinoza in Costa Rica. The artisan strings together assorted beads, including peridot, green and blue agate, wenge wood, reconstituted turquoise and stainless steel. Centering the strand is a barrel-shaped bead of black agate. A stainless steel clasp secures the necklace.

An ancient Maya legend tells how the gods gave a specific mission to each being they created. But they realized none had been chosen to carry thoughts and desires from one place to another," says Rosa Padillas of Rosa Roja. "So they carved a small piece of jade into a a slender arrowhead, and it became a beautiful hummingbird with iridescent feathers — the x ts'unu'um. Its mission was to carry good thoughts to all human beings, even those who had died.

"Today, if a hummingbird appears in front of you, it is delivering a message of love from someone who is thinking of you. And if we wear the image of a hummingbird, we carry good thoughts and desires to others.

"The hummingbird legend says that we can fly to the six cardinal points of the universe, therefore the hummingbird is the ideal link to transmit thoughts of love, of respect, tolerance and peace to all creatures on the planet."

The talented Mexican artisan reinterprets the legend as a necklace of dramatic beauty. She creates a hummingbird pendant in the pre-Hispanic style, and adds an agate geode representing the hummingbird's nest. It poses on a strand of gray cultured pearls.