A strand to see you safely to the other shore - as you swim through the strange seas of the literal portal. A strand of being in the thick of it. A strand of Alice's pool of tear's; to keep our head above water. 

Two strange pearls as coins for the ferry man. Pearl tears for Lethe. 

The traveler who is swimming in the River below the River.

This strand is composed of dark, iridescent ,tear shaped pearls, grey moonstones, onyx, and hollow sterling silver 'Pearl' beads that have been hand oxidized and lightly polished. Because of their protective and emotional soothing qualities, this special strand is imbued with the poignant properties of the earth and the sea.

This strand measures approximately 39.5 inches long from end to end, including clasp.

This 'Opera Length' makes it perfect for wearing doubled up as well as at its full length. Designed to compliment other jewels in the Mourning/Ritual bead line it also layers beautifully with other BloodMilk necklaces. Its length and varying bead sizes makes it useful for meditation, mourning or ritual practices.

Pearls:

Pearls have an ancient history of reverence as well as a long legacy of beauty. Pearls are formed when an external irritant, like a grain of sand, breaches the shell of an oyster or shelled mollusk. Once this irritant has gained entrance within the dark fleshy confines of the oyster, it goes to work protecting itself. If this irritant can’t be expelled, it begins to ‘bandage’ the grain, coating it with concentric rings of calcium carbonate, named ‘narce.’ Each layer that is built up forms the shape of the pearl, awash in a brilliant iridescence, a beauty born of a tiny trespass. Thusly, a pearl has at its center, the object of its creation, a foreign intruder.

I associate the pearl and its strange construction to so many things: the jellied caterpillar struggling within a chrysalis, its liquefied body form a new winged shape. An embedded star smoldering within the shell of our hearts. An ink dot, a pin prick, a moon in miniature. History, who has always loved and revered the pearl, writes that we once believed pearls were the result of lightning striking the shell and penetrating the inner skins of the oyster. A small beauty made in duress, a ‘stone’ of initiation. To possess a pearl means to own something that is hidden, sacred.

Lore has it that Cleopatra, to win a wager with Antony, dissolved a large, exquisite pearl in her drinking glass. She swallowed it in one sip. I wonder about her dreams that night.

At its closure is our double sided Other Side clasp cast in sterling silver. At the 'heart' of the strand is our smaller, double sided Key to the Other Side. You can find information about the Key to the Other Side HERE. 

 **IMPORTANT***:

This strand will ship within the next 4 weeks. 

*Length note: Because individual bead measurements vary slightly, total strand lengths are approximate within a few millimeters in either direction. Please reach out via email if you have any questions about this. 

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

Please email any questions to bloodmilkjewels@gmail.com for a timely and kind response.

PEARL CARE:

Pearls are naturally much softer than the majority of gemstones we work with and use in our bead strands and require more care.

-Your pearls should be considered a special occasion piece and not necessarily for daily wear.

-We do not recommend applying perfume or hairspray when you are wearing them.

-Pearls are easily scratched. Do not store them with other jewels.

-They should be the last thing you put on and the first thing you take off.