Pearl Cross Pendant Necklace with Freshwater Pearl Drops

There is something quietly devotional about a pearl that has been shaped into a cross. Each of the approximately forty-one beads on this strand carries the soft, lunar luminescence that has made pearl jewellery a constant in Indian ceremonial dressing, from the gem-laden sarpechs of Mughal courts to the restrained chokers favoured by South Indian brides. Here, that tradition takes on a contemplative geometry: the cross motif, repeated in pearl, speaks to the long history of Indo-Portuguese jewellery that flourished along the Konkan and Goan coasts, where Catholic devotion and Indian lapidary skill met and quietly transformed each other. At sixteen millimetres average bead size, each pearl is substantial without being theatrical. The strand measures sixteen-point-three inches (approximately forty-one centimetres) and weighs just under forty-four grams, settling against the collarbone with a presence that is felt as much as seen. Wear this necklace over a raw-silk ivory kurta at a family gathering where understated elegance reads louder than ornament. It is equally at home against the neckline of a midnight-blue linen shift at an arts opening or a literary evening, where its devotional undertone adds intellectual weight without effort. At free size and strung to a standard length, the necklace requires no adjustment and fastens securely for all-day wear. The pale, consistent colour of the beads means the piece moves across occasions without effort, asking very little of its wearer and giving back considerably more.

Details

• Dimensions: 16.3" String
  16 mm Avg Bead Size
  Avg 41 Beads Per Strand
• Weight: 43.61 g
• SKU: JQU21