Hydra by JLL Pearl

Hydra is the black onyx peridot necklace I made for the days when you want something that almost disappears into what you wear. Black onyx beads run along a fine black satin cord from either side of the centre. Their surface is dense and smooth — the kind of black that absorbs rather than reflects. On either side of the sphere, one black spinel toupie, framed by oxidized silver rings.

The sphere

Then, at the exact midpoint, a silver sphere set with pale green peridot. The stones are nearly celadon, and they catch the light differently from everything around them. Moreover, because the surrounding materials pull back so completely, that single point of colour reads with unusual clarity. The eye goes there directly, and stays.

The cord and closure

The cord is fine black satin, threaded through all the beads in one continuous length. Furthermore, the closure is an adjustable lasso knot, finished with two small freshwater pearls at the ends. Because of this, Hydra can be worn at the base of the throat or slightly lower, adjusted by hand in a moment.

I work with onyx because it asks for nothing. Still, this black onyx peridot necklace is not a quiet piece — it is simply concentrated. In this way, it reflects how I think about darkness in design: not absence, but precision. Hydra arrives in its JLL Pearl pouch with a certificate of authenticity. Because the peridot stones are natural, their exact shade varies slightly from piece to piece.

Materials

• Beads: black onyx, round, approx. 6mm
• Central sphere: silver, 12mm, pavé-set with pale green peridot
• Accent beads: two black spinel toupies with oxidized silver rings
• Cord: black satin
• Closure: adjustable lasso knot with two small freshwater pearl finials
• Handmade in Greece by Patricia Mulko