Silver Bee Jewelry—Mother of Pearl Flower and Honeybee Necklace

Is there a more lovely sight than a bee doing what he does best? Bees are the world's great pollinators. In fact, we rely so heavily on the bee to pollinate our plants and so ensure the survival of the entire food chain that recent declines in honeybee levels have experts very concerned. This honeybee necklace celebrates the part our beloved bee plays in nature's abundance—an abundance we must never take for granted.

Jenny Byrne, Zealandia's lead designer, began her silver bee jewelry collection when we first heard reports that the honeybee populations were dying out. It is her hope that her silver bee jewelry pieces bring their owner pleasure but that they also help raise awareness for this global problem. She selected mother of pearl in a soft blushing pink shade for this piece to complement the deep red garnet accent stone and the honeybee's ancient ivory body.

Our honeybee is carved from fossilized mammoth ivory, which has lain in the earth for over 15,000 years. There minerals color it rich and variegated shades of cream to honey or deep cocoa brown. This ancient material reminds us how, like the honeybee, our animal species can become threatened or even eventually extinct. Fossilized mammoth ivory is valued across the world for its age-old story and for the touch of irreplaceable quality it brings to art work and fine jewelry.