- Tamar Collection: Second Light
- Silver Lining Pearl Lariat Necklace
Silver Lining Pearl Lariat Necklace
Silver Lining Pearl Lariat Necklace
This is Silver Lining, a one-of-a-kind pearl lariat built on a hand-bailed light gray pearl chain I brought home from the Tucson gem show and bought down to the last of the length.
Gray pearls are not the flat, colorless thing people expect. These carry a subtle rainbow iridescence underneath, a soft spectral glow that shifts as the necklace moves, and that is what the name is reaching for: not shiny silver, but the light you only catch when you look closely.
The chain threads through a 24k gold vermeil oval that became the centerpiece. Built into that oval is a cluster of opal rondelles, moonstone in two forms, spinel, sapphires, chalcedony, lavender quartz and an aquamarine briolette, with tiny mystic labradorites edging the oval to give it a set, finished feeling. An old ear cuff component, mate to one I used in Fairy Dynamite, became the tassel at the end.
Assembled, the oval hung at an angle. It needed weight to hang straight, so a second drop went in below it: two large blue topaz nuggets and a simple-cut aquamarine, each capped with a pearl cut from the chain itself and spaced with short lengths of the same chain.
It layers over a white cotton shirt without competing and finds its moment under evening light. Made once by Andrea Li in her Denver studio, from the last of that strand.
Necklace Length vs. Drop
Circumference / Length: The full measurement of the chain or strand from end to end (including the clasp): 30 inches
Drop: How far the necklace hangs down onto your chest: 7 ½ inches
Lariat: The "Y" Shape: Instead of a pendant hanging from a fixed circle, a lariat features a junction point where the chain or rope continues downward into a decorative tail, bar, gemstone, or tassel. The "Y" Shape: Instead of a pendant hanging from a fixed circle, a lariat features a junction point where the chain or rope continues downward into a decorative tail, bar, gemstone, or tassel. This makes my lariat design adjustable: tighter around the neck with a shorter drop, and looser around the neck with a longer drop.
• Complete the set with the matching Silver Lining Earrings.
Ships same day (Mon–Wed orders before 4pm MT) FedEx 2-Day | Fully Insured | Signature Required 14-day returns | Full shipping & returns policy →
This is Silver Lining, a one-of-a-kind pearl lariat built on a hand-bailed light gray pearl chain I brought home from the Tucson gem show and bought down to the last of the length.
Gray pearls are not the flat, colorless thing people expect. These carry a subtle rainbow iridescence underneath, a soft spectral glow that shifts as the necklace moves, and that is what the name is reaching for: not shiny silver, but the light you only catch when you look closely.
The chain threads through a 24k gold vermeil oval that became the centerpiece. Built into that oval is a cluster of opal rondelles, moonstone in two forms, spinel, sapphires, chalcedony, lavender quartz and an aquamarine briolette, with tiny mystic labradorites edging the oval to give it a set, finished feeling. An old ear cuff component, mate to one I used in Fairy Dynamite, became the tassel at the end.
Assembled, the oval hung at an angle. It needed weight to hang straight, so a second drop went in below it: two large blue topaz nuggets and a simple-cut aquamarine, each capped with a pearl cut from the chain itself and spaced with short lengths of the same chain.
It layers over a white cotton shirt without competing and finds its moment under evening light. Made once by Andrea Li in her Denver studio, from the last of that strand.
Necklace Length vs. Drop
Circumference / Length: The full measurement of the chain or strand from end to end (including the clasp): 30 inches
Drop: How far the necklace hangs down onto your chest: 7 ½ inches
Lariat: The "Y" Shape: Instead of a pendant hanging from a fixed circle, a lariat features a junction point where the chain or rope continues downward into a decorative tail, bar, gemstone, or tassel. The "Y" Shape: Instead of a pendant hanging from a fixed circle, a lariat features a junction point where the chain or rope continues downward into a decorative tail, bar, gemstone, or tassel. This makes my lariat design adjustable: tighter around the neck with a shorter drop, and looser around the neck with a longer drop.
• Complete the set with the matching Silver Lining Earrings.
Ships same day (Mon–Wed orders before 4pm MT) FedEx 2-Day | Fully Insured | Signature Required 14-day returns | Full shipping & returns policy →
From the bench
The hand-bailed light gray pearl chain came home from the Tucson gem show, and I bought the whole remaining length on the spot.
It was left over from Fairy Dynamite, and the lariat threads through a 24k gold vermeil oval from the same component family that runs through this entire collection.
Gray pearls carry a subtle rainbow iridescence underneath that shifts as the necklace moves, which is the brightness the name is reaching for.
Why I bought the whole pearl chain| Silver Lining | Typical alternative | |
|---|---|---|
| Center stone | Two large blue topaz nuggets, each pearl-capped, with a simple-cut aquamarine nugget | A single gemstone or plain focal bead |
| Metal | 14k gold-filled wire; 24k gold vermeil oval centerpiece | Gold-plated base metal |
| Construction | One of a kind, hand-built in Denver from Tucson gem-show pearl chain; built once, never repeated | Mass-produced, repeated |
| Focal detail | Mystic labradorite-edged 24k vermeil oval with an integrated gemstone cluster; repurposed ear-cuff tassel | A pendant on a plain chain |
| Cluster | Opal rondelles, moonstone briolettes, rainbow moonstone, sapphires, spinel, chalcedony, lavender quartz, aquamarine | No cluster, or a single accent stone |
| Pearl chain | Hand-bailed light-grey pearl chain with subtle rainbow iridescence, sourced in Tucson | Standard silver or gold chain |
Why do these pearls look grey with colour in them?
The pearl chain in Silver Lining is hand-bailed in light grey, and the iridescence you see shifting underneath is called orient -- a structural effect caused by light refracting through the nacre's overlapping aragonite layers. Pearls with strong orient show hints of pink, green, blue and gold even in a neutral-coloured stone. It is not a coating; it is built into the nacre itself, which is why the glow looks like it comes from inside rather than sitting on the surface. You can read more about pearl nacre, lustre and orient in my pearl gemstone guide.
Is Silver Lining one of a kind?
Yes. Silver Lining is built once and never repeated. The pearl chain came from the last of a strand I bought at the Tucson gem show, and the gemstone cluster integrated into the 24k vermeil oval is hand-assembled in my Denver studio. No other Silver Lining exists.
Are there matching earrings?
Yes. The Silver Lining Earrings are the coordinating mate, built to echo the lariat's grey-pearl-and-gemstone palette. The pair can be worn together as a set or each piece holds its own worn separately.
How do I care for this necklace?
Store Silver Lining away from harder stones and keep it clear of perfume, heat and moisture, which can dull pearl lustre over time. Wipe the pearls with a soft, slightly damp cloth after wearing and lay the lariat flat to dry. The blue topaz and aquamarine are durable day-to-day stones, but pearls and opal are the more sensitive materials in the cluster -- treat those gently and the whole piece will last.
