Fossilized Ivory Jewelry—Garnet, Walrus Tusk, and Silver Bee Earrings

Zealandia's award winning silver bee jewelry is beloved worldwide for the special attention and care we take with one of Nature's smallest and most precious creatures. Honeybee populations are on the decline, and we need these friendly insects now more than ever. The honeybee is the world's essential pollinator. His work supports the proliferation of plant life and so supports every member of the food chain.

Jenny Byrne, our lead designer, conceived of a bee jewelry line shortly after hearing of the honeybee's plight. It is her hope that our garnet and silver bee earrings will bring beauty, inspiration, and awareness into others' lives. The more we can raise awareness about declining honeybee levels, the better involved we can all become in reversing this alarming trend.

These earrings are a favorite from our fossilized ivory jewelry collection for their delicacy and warm colors. Deep red garnet—the heart stone—beautifully complements the fossilized ivory's earthy tones, and 14k gold fill accents lend an extra touch of honey color to the carved ivory earrings.

Our honeybees are carved from fossilized walrus tusk, a prized natural material that is between 500 and 3,000 years old. The walrus tusk ivory has spent centuries buried in the earth where minerals stain it warm caramel to soft brown colors. Native peoples gather this fossilized walrus ivory for use in their carvings and for sale or trade. It plays a vital role in their cultural traditions as well as their indigenous economy.