Half-moon bone drops crowned with coiled brass wirework, finished with a single spiral motif at the base. Hand-carved and assembled by Kenyan artisans, the pairing of pale bone and warm brass gives each pair a sculptural, graphic presence.
- Material: Ethically sourced bone with polished brass
- Size: 1.3" long (plus hook) x 1.875" wide
- Details: Cream bone half-moon, fan of parallel brass coils, spiral drop accent, lightweight on the ear
- Origin / Craft: Handcrafted in Kenya using traditional bone-shaping and brass wire-wrapping techniques
The contrast is the point — smooth, matte cream bone set against the linear rhythm of hand-coiled brass. Each fan is shaped and wrapped by hand, so the spacing of the coils and the curl of the spiral vary subtly between pairs. The antique brass finish softens any shine and lets the carved bone read as the focal surface.
Care: Keep bone and brass dry; wipe with a soft cloth and store away from moisture and perfume.
design: A cream bone half-moon forms the base of each earring, topped with a fan of hand-coiled brass wire and finished with a single spiral drop at the center.
size: 1.3" long (plus ear hook) x 1.875" wide
material: Ethically sourced bone with polished brass
features: Hand-carved bone half-moon, fan of parallel brass coils, spiral drop accent, antique brass finish, lightweight on the ear
care: Keep bone and brass dry, wipe with a soft cloth, and store away from moisture and perfume.
disclaimer: Because each fan is shaped and wrapped by hand, the spacing of the coils and the curl of the spiral vary slightly from pair to pair.
The Story
The half-moon shape paired with a fan of parallel wire coils is a favorite pairing in Kenyan brass jewelry making, where flat bone or horn shapes are used as a stable, matte canvas for wirework detail. The coiled fan and center spiral are built from a single continuous length of brass, a technique that turns a plain wire into a graphic, almost architectural surface without any soldering or casting.
Bone has long been a practical material choice in East African craft economies: it's a durable byproduct of the cattle industry, shaped and polished rather than discarded, and its pale, matte finish sets off metalwork in a way that's both understated and bold. Using it here as the half-moon 'canvas' for the brass fan reflects that same resourcefulness paired with a strong sense of graphic design.
The spiral is one of the most common motifs in African wirework, prized less for a fixed symbolic meaning than for how naturally it forms when a wire is coiled and finished by hand — a motif that shows off the maker's control of the material as much as it decorates the piece.
Each earring starts as a piece of bone cut and hand-carved into the half-moon shape, then sanded smooth and polished to its matte cream finish. A separate length of brass wire is coiled by hand into tight, even rows to build the fan, then wrapped into the tighter spiral that anchors the design at the base. The brass fan is fitted and set against the bone half-moon, and an ear hook is attached to complete the pair — all done by hand in Kenya, with no two coils bending in quite the same way.
Craft & Materials
- Made In: Kenya
- Craft Tradition: Hand-carved bone shaping and brass wire-coiling
- Ideal For: Anyone who likes graphic, sculptural earrings with warm metal contrast and a light-on-the-ear feel
- Wear It With: Pair with a simple crewneck or off-the-shoulder top to let the fan shape stand on its own
- Purpose: Everyday wear, statement dressing, gifting
- Metal: Brass
Questions & Answers
What are these earrings made of?
Ethically sourced bone paired with polished brass wirework, hand-carved and assembled by artisans in Kenya.
Will the coil pattern look exactly like the photo?
Close, but not identical — since each brass fan is coiled and each bone half-moon carved by hand, the coil spacing and spiral curl vary subtly between pairs.
Are they heavy to wear?
No, the bone and brass combination keeps each earring lightweight and comfortable for all-day wear.
How do I clean and store them?
Wipe with a soft, dry cloth after wear and store away from moisture and perfume to protect the bone and the brass finish.
Can I get these wet?
It's best to keep them dry — remove before showering, swimming, or applying lotions and perfume, which can dull the brass finish and affect the bone over time.
