The purple, indigo, and violet tones of the Iris Pendulet will remind you of one of spring's first flowers — the iris. Like the flower, this particular bracelet was named for the Greek goddess of rainbows.

Amethyst Beads

According to ancient Greek legend, amethysts were the inadvertently created by Bacchus, the Greek god of wine. One day, an ordinary mortal insulted him. Enraged, he created a team of tigers to destroy the next hapless mortal who crossed his path. Sadly, that mortal turned out to be a beautiful maiden named Amethyst. Diana, the goddess of the moon, was watching, and she did what she could to protect Amethyst: she turned her into a statue of pure quartz crystal, impervious to the tigers’ claws. But when Bacchus saw how beautiful Amethyst had been, he regretted his foolish, poorly planned display of bad temper. He wept bitter tears of dark red wine over the crystal, and stained it purple. Since then, amethyst has been known as the sobriety stone.

From the Egyptian pharaohs to the British royal family, amethysts have always been popular among royalty — in part because purple has always been thought of as a regal color. Leonardo da Vinci believed that amethyst could dispel evil thoughts and make people more intelligent. During the Middle Ages, Catholic church administrators believed that amethyst could not only help people sober, but that it could also help keep priests celibate. Amethysts eventually came to be regarded as the stone of bishops, and many bishops still wear amethyst rings to this day. In Tibet, Buddhists think of amethyst as a sacred stone, and commonly craft rosaries from amethyst crystals.

Important note: Don't wear this Pendulet to the beach or leave it on your windowsill: amethyst crystals can fade, change color, or lose their color completely if they're left sitting in direct sunlight.

The amethyst beads are linked with Swarovski crystals, imported from Austria. Swarovski crystals are the highest-quality cut and polished crystal beads in the world, known for the stunning way in which their perfect, diamond-like facets catch and reflect rainbows of colored light.

The focal point of the Iris Pendulet is a faceted cone of polished fluorite — which is sometimes called the genius stone. In its natural state, fluorite looks like something from a futuristic science fiction movie. Its purple and violet-colored rows of evenly spaced, grid-like crystals could even be mistaken for high-tech computer components. Not surprisingly, fluorite is often associated with high technology, and it can be a good crystal to have on hand if you do a lot of work with computers, or if you need to program yourself to think in more logical and rational terms.

The silver accent beads are seamless pieces of Argentium® silver, a high-quality sterling silver that's been melded with germanium, so it's tarnish-resistant. The clasp is also silver, and the entire Pendulet is strung on silver wire. Silver is associated with the moon, and it is generally understood to have feminine, reflective properties. Like the moon, silver can mirror the soul and augment psychic abilities.

The Iris Pendulet measures 8 inches from clasp to clasp, and the fluorite focal point is about 1.25 inches long.

About the Goddess Iris

The Greek messenger to the gods traverses between the earth and heavens, appearing as a winged maiden on a shining, hopeful rainbow. In this form she represents the calm after the storm — the end of the year's activities and the advent of a new beginning. Traditional offerings to her include figs, cakes, wheat, and honey. In some stories it was Iris's job to gather water from the underworld for use in taking sacred oaths.

— from 365 Goddess: A Daily Guide to the Magic and Inspiration of the Goddess
by Patricia Telesco (HarperSanFrancisco, 1998)

$67.99

The genuine crystals and gemstones in every Pendulet make each piece a custom, one-of-a-kind creation.
For even more personalization, visit the custom orders page.