8 necklaces I just can’t help drooling over

I don’t know about you, but I get tired of looking over the necklaces for sale at Walmart and Target. Yes, that jewelry is inexpensive, but it usually doesn’t strike me as very creative or unique.

Now Etsy, on the other hand, has some talented jewelry designers selling some delightful wares, some spendy, others not so much.


This lemon jade flower choker can be found at HandHeadHeart at Etsy and comes from Thailand. I love the elaborate ribbon wrapping used to make the stems look like wood. Be sure to check out the other products in this shop; HandHeadHeart is a prolific and skilled beader!





This is a polymer clay rose necklace by Simply Chic Lily at Etsy. So feminine, it’s perfect for weddings, Valentine’s day, or just one of those days when you feel extra girly.




This linen and pearl necklace is made by Cynamonn at Etsy. There’s something about this necklace that just grabs me. I think it is the startling contrast of visual textures. Shiny versus matte, round versus long strings. The rhythm of those pearls, along with their asymmetrical placement paired with the rhythm of the linen threads twisting into a knot. This isn’t just jewelry, it’s also art. This necklace makes me think of a barefoot walk on the beach in the morning. It's dramatic, yet somehow informal.





This eye-catching necklace of bronze, copper, and silver grape leaves is made by Connie Colton and can be found at her Etsy shop “inspired by nature.” It’s rather spendy, so it may be a good birthday or Christmas gift. I think it would be perfect for those times that you’re channeling your inner elf. Someone’s Lord of the Rings costume would get a major lift from this.





Here is a “Larimar” necklace from kiwawa on Etsy made by Vlasim in the Czech Republic. It's also a bit spendy, but the workmanship is amazing. I find it fascinating that the stone was set without glue. When I look at all those rich brown textures, I just want to go eat some chocolate or weed my garden like an Earth Mother.





Twirled Treasures sells necklaces made of an unexpected material—paper. This is her “Glistening Honey” necklace and here’s what she writes:

“This exquisite pendant is reminiscent of sparkling drops of honey dripping from a comb. Shimmering loops cascade gracefully, encased in a blanket of tiny gold crimps which perfectly blend with the antique gold chain that houses it. Made entirely of paper, this lovely quilled piece measures 3/4 x 1-1/2 inches, hangs from an 18-inch antique gold-finished chain, has been meticulously hand varnished to make it water resistant, and comes in a gift box. What a unique treasure!”





Here is a necklace called “Moonlight of Saturn” by Lisa Zamcho, who runs BrightFireBeads at Etsy. Right now she is making fabulous “steampunk” necklaces with a lovely mix of gears and crystal sparkle. (You can't see the red crystal very well in this picture, so you'll have to go to the necklace page.)




This raspberry leather necklace is made by Jess Amity at Etsy, as part of her Modern Pocahontas Collection. She writes, “The Modern Pocahontas Collection is my interpretation of the question "If Pocahontas was transported through time to today (and had a killer sense of style), what would she wear?" The answer is jewelry, bags and accessories in leather with both traditional and modern adornments. So, Pocahontas would totally rock!”

Make sure you check out Jess Amity’s other jewelry as well. She does things with old drawer pulls that you never thought were possible.





I know this isn’t a necklace, but it is so “wow” that I just had to include it at the end. These is the "Le Printemps Pearl and Filigree Art Nouveau Head Piece Headdress" offered for sale by the Raven Eve Etsy shop. This would definitely be a neat piece to wear for high school formal dances, for weddings (both bride and bridesmaids), and for high class shindigs. I’m trying to decide what clothes era it would belong better with. These diadems certainly have an art deco element to them, but there’s also a distinct “barbarian princess” look to it too. It could nicely set off renaissance garb, if you don’t mind being a little bit anachronistic. Are they gothic like Raven Eve says? You decide.

Okay, so now that we're all excited and calculating what our Christmas presents are going to be, I'll just leave you with this little thought to remember when you're enjoying new jewelry: it doesn't matter how good you look on the outside if you're not as beautiful on the inside. Let's be beautifully good as well as beautifully accessorized.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”