IMPORTANT: this necklace will be created with an 18" bar link chain. If you desire a different chain length you must reach out to us immediately after placing your order. 

A pair of twin two headed snakes face each other to form a symmetrical collar necklace with a single elongated Purple Labradorite tear, representing the serpentine tresses of the Gorgon Medusa. Additionally, the two headed snake is a meaningful personal symbol for me, it represents the outsider, being misunderstood, those who often live on the edges of life, feeling always a bit slightly out of step with others and the world. 

As a collar necklace, these twin snakes act as protection for the heart - guarding the most vulnerable metaphorical spaces of the energetic body. 

Medusa:

Ancient Medusa lived a solitary, lonely life in a subterranean cave. Her ‘otherness’ was the nest of snakes atop her head: in earlier iterations, she was monstrously grotesque, but as time passed her features gave way to a stunning beauty beneath the hands of the artists who reimagined her.

This re-visioning marked her as one of the first ‘Femme Fatales’ of the cultural consciousness – a creature possessing the beauty of a woman and all the power that physical beauty bestows (seduction, sexual prowess) but also terrifying in her deeper powers of death. She embodies the tension between beauty and terror: one look from Medusa turned anything living into stone, though no women were recorded in Myth to have befallen this fate.

Separated from the body, the head of Medusa took on apotropaic qualities, appearing at the entryway of structures and homes to ward off evil and trespassers. In this way, the head of Medusa took on a protectionary quality, frightening away energies and people intent on harm, contradicting the murderous qualities she possessed when fully embodied. Beheaded by Perseus as a trophy, even her blood held potent magical qualities: Pegasus was born from her severed neck and coral is said to be the hardened blood of the Medusa. Set in fine metal, coral also became apotropaic, often worn on the necks of children that extended past ancient times.

Akin to the lightning bolt of destruction in The Tower, Medusa embodies this energy with her death gaze. Wearing these talismans brings this duality of nature to their wearer: her head as a symbol, became a protectionary talisman, while in life, she was a force of destruction; horror and death. The energy of both beauty and terror exists within us, much as the snake has the power of its deadly venom as well as the power to heal.  Beauty and Terror. Life and Death.

This listing is for Medusa's Collar pendant set with fine cut pear Purple Labradorite stone, paired with our signature bar link chain. Both pendant and chain are oxidized to achieve our favorite shade of stormy gray and then hand finished to reveal the bright luminous silver highlights. 

*Details* :

- Almost 1 ½ inches from top to bottom

- 3.4 inches at its widest

- Pendant, chain, jump rings, and clasp are all Solid Sterling Silver  

- Shown on Miguel at 20 inches

- 8 x 17mm fine cut pear purple labradorite stone 

Purple Labradorite: 

Labradorite with a ‘full range’ of colors, including purple, has also been called ‘Spectrolite’ ~ though over the years these more colorful iterations have been given many other names depending on the range of colors captured in the specific cuts we’ve been able to collect in our “special jewels”, and now, in our specific ring cuts. Sometimes they are called ‘Sunset Labs’ for the way they appear to hold the melting colors of the sun setting - pinks and lavenders as well as even hints of flaming reds and deep purples, are all married within one stone. Other stones under the name ‘Belladonna’ vary from the purples of wet oyster shells to the pale lavender of the petals of belladonna flowers - each stone is unique and carries with it, its time underground - where under pressure, its glorious colors bloomed within. Interestingly, it’s light that enables its range of colors to be reveled - turning it in the light, while on the finger or in ones hand - creates a kind of ‘shapeshifting’ effect - the internal fractures and layers within the stone allow for different colors within the stone shift, flash, and to reveal themselves differently. I’m sure there is more science and scientific words at play here that I could be using more effectively and may be able to as my knowledge expands, but as someone who has been wearing and has been interested in labradorite since I was a child - it is a pleasure and a joy to be able to be working with this beautiful earth made material, to be able to offer it here, now, to you, in these beautiful cuts.

Please keep in mind that these stones are ‘earth made’ and then each one is hand cut and hand formed, to specifically fit our rings. You will see the earth’s inclusions inside and outside each ring - some of which I call ‘eye freckles’ or ‘witch hairs’ ~ ‘tiger stripes’ and ‘crystal glitter or mini galaxies’ these are associative names that I’ve assigned these ‘imperfections’ meaning to, that run alongside the scientific designations of what these inclusions are and why they occur ( perhaps more heat or pressure the stone was under  - apt metaphor for these times ? )  Nothing is imperfect to me. I see evidence of a jeweler’s or a stone cutter’s hand and I think of Rodin, and how his sculptures included the evidence of his hands - from a hundred plus years ago - and how that connects me and my team, to this lineage of hand-making, in a time when machinated ‘perfect’ work is becoming more and more normalized. I am trying to resist this idea of ‘perfection’, and I implore the same of you. These are all hand made, and earth made beautiful objects, so inherently, by today’s standards, they are ‘imperfect’ - because humans had their hands, and more importantly, their hearts on them.

These purple labradorite stones range in color from light grey purple, to deep purple, as well as pink and orange tones. As mentioned above, because we have such a limited amount, specific preferences can not be accommodated but each stone is chosen by hand for its beauty.

***IMPORTANT***

This jewel is handmade to order, just for you, with care and focus. Please allow approximately 6 weeks for creation before shipping.                   

Visit the Policy Page to make an educated and informed purchase HERE.

If you have further questions, we are always here to serve you in a kind and timely manner: via bloodmilkjewels@gmail.com