The Asp
This is an old old ancient design, supposedly originating in Egypt. I get endless complimets on this piece when I wear it. It's a complex design, connecting one piece through two. This joining creates a snake-like quality that is elegant and sensual (and even fun to play with!). I chose to give it the name "asp" due to that snake-like quality, and because rumour has it, that's the snake Cleopatra clutched to her breast, in order to end her life.
Each link is hand cut, wound, bent, and hammered before joining. When the piece is completed, I go back over it and bend the middle upwards, creating a slight rise. This adds a texture to the piece, gives it a little more "play" with light, and enhances the snake-like flexibility. Each necklace takes anywhere from 60 to 80 pieces, depending on how long it is.
The necklace is supposed to be worn just at collar bone length, loosely "hugging" the base of the neck. Due to the wide variance in neck sizes, I add two inches in chain to the back, just to ensure a good fit. To know what size to get, measure around the base of your neck, where you want to wear the necklace (a piece of string and a ruler work just as well for people who do not own soft measuring tapes), and order that size, or the nearest smaller size (remember, there's chain on the end to adjust the size bigger).
It can be worn as a choker, but to do so, you would need to order a smaller size. Measure around your neck, and order that size, or the nearest size smaller.
