Modernist Yin & Yang Pendant
October 2017
14 karat white & yellow gold, South Sea pearls
The first time I saw a naturally golden-colored South Sea pearl in person, I was so struck by its luster I was instantly reminded of the sun. I almost immediately conceived of this piece, a modernist take on the classic yin & yang symbol. Since the most common meaning of 陽 (yáng) is "sun," it was appropriate given my initial impresson. 陰 (yīn), yang's counterpart, doesn't mean moon but is used to indicate overcast weather or even night, i.e. an absence of the sun—the latter of which might certainly give rise to the lunar orb that the equally-lustrous white pearl evokes.
The golden and white pearls contrast perfectly within their settings of opposing white and yellow gold squares, soldered together and textured as one continuous plate. The pearls extend the same distance from the front and back of the pendant and rotate freely for a tactile, fidget-friendly wearing experience.
This pendant is a statement for any wearer—the 24mm x 48mm piece contains ⅓ of an ounce of gold, and each 12mm diameter pearl weighs 12 carats. Modern, bold, balanced. To this day it's one of my favorite pieces that I've ever made.