Kikyo

Kikyo takes its name from the Chinese bellflower, one of the seven grasses of autumn in Japan and the old color word for a blue that leans toward violet.

Three beads fall along a fine chain. The top two are dyed agate, small faceted, set with space between them so the chain shows; their blue-purple is even and saturated, the way stone rarely is on its own. At the bottom hangs a cathedral cut Czech glass bead in deeper violet, its ends capped in silver Picasso, cut to break light where the stones above hold it flat.

Everything metal here is stainless steel. Posts, chain, and head pins, all of it. There is no plating to wear thin, which makes this a good pair if most earrings give you trouble. Stainless steel contains a small amount of nickel bound into the alloy, but it releases very little and is well tolerated by most people with metal sensitivities.

The agate is color enhanced, which is standard for a stone this saturated. Even so, the banding runs differently through every bead, and no two pairs are alike.

At 1.75 inches, Kikyo sits just below the earlobe. Long enough to move, short enough to wear with a collar.

Care
Agate is a natural stone and can dull with harsh cleaners, so keep it away from anything abrasive. The stainless steel resists tarnishing and requires little maintenance. Wipe with a soft dry cloth only. Remove before swimming or sleeping, and store in the pouch provided.

A note about some of these photographs:
These images were created or edited with AI assistance to show color and scale consistently across our catalog. The piece itself is entirely handmade by us. Bead placement and color will vary slightly in the pair you receive.