Alphabet
Signal Flag Necklace
Bright, brilliant, beautiful. They spell fresh air, sunshine and the sea. Here we have the entire alphabet in signal flags set in sterling silver. A heart follows the letter “Z”.
Signal flag colors are comprised of the following natural gems: lapis composite, black onyx, red spiny oyster, yellow mother of pearl, and white mother of pearl. Made in America.
My Teacher with the Little Black Dress
and the Signal Flag Necklace
I probably should be the last person to be impressed with a complete alphabet natural stone signal flag necklace. I don’t know the complete alphabet. Yes – A, B, C, D, E, F, and X, Y, Z – the stuff in the middle I have to sing it to get to it. Hand me a letter somewhere in the middle, I have to think about it or write it out to figure out which letter comes before or after.
I had someone who taught at Harvard offer to teach me the middle part. I refused and used one of my favorite excuses: I’m 72. I’ve made it this far and I love to write, I don’t need to know the relationship of J to K and which one comes first. I imagine everyone else can see the entire alphabet in their mind’s eye. I can’t. So, to me it is a curious thing that I would be fascinated with signal flags which are color patterns representing the alphabet. I see it as a 26-piece art project. As a jeweler, the signal flag alphabet is an object of great beauty.
I imagine the buyer and the recipient as both straight-A students, they sat in the front row with raised hands and mastered Dick, Jane, and Sally in a few weeks. I always admired those kids and the ease with which they navigated new information.
Who would cherish a natural stone signal flag alphabet necklace? One of those straight-A students, or a schoolteacher, or a captain of a sailing ship with an art degree and a strong sense of history. Why? Because the colors are natural stones, hand-cut, and inlayed into sterling silver.
A schoolteacher would get my vote for best candidate for the necklace. With toggle bar and catch ring, the necklace is 27.5” long and can be adjusted to 26.5” and 25.5”, which means if she has a waist size of one of those three measurements, it could also be worn as a belt. Jeans would be nice; the very best combination would be a black dress. Her students would never forget her or it. I imagine several students would join the naval academy, inspired by the signal flags.
Most of our jewelry are gems and geometry, this piece transitions into fine rare art. Our partner who makes this for us has only made five in 12 years. We sold three of them, this will make four. Buy this and you will have a piece of rare, wearable art.
Gems: red spiny oyster, white and yellow mother of pearl (both sea stones), black onyx, and a blue lapis composite. And yes, there is the full compliment of 26 letters plus number 27 – which is a red heart on a white mother of pearl background.
