dramatic jewelry

Engraved by hand, an ebony wood medallion centers this dramatic necklace by Ila Suleyman. Named Paga — "Womanhood" in the Mossi language of Northern Ghana — it features colorful agate, terracotta, sese wood beads and bright disks of recycled plastic.

Ghanaian artisan Harriet Faako Adjei designs this multicolor necklace in celebration of love. She calls her design Lorlornyo, meaning "love is good," in the Ewe language. Adjei threads chip-cut agates dyed in shades of orange, blue, cream, brown, and green with recycled glass beads, creating a waterfall pendant of dramatic elegance.