Bold, earthy, and full of artisan character, the Olmedo Necklace pairs polished bombona seeds with smooth Tagua nut chips and vibrant red accents. Handcrafted in Ecuador, it’s a striking piece that connects natural beauty with timeless design.
-
Design: Mixed bead strand featuring round bombona seeds, triangular black Tagua chips, and red Tagua bead accents with subtle spacers.
-
Material: Sustainably harvested Tagua nut (“vegetable ivory”), bombona seeds, and natural dyes.
-
Size: Approximately 24.5" long.
- Country of Origin: Handmade in Ecuador.
The Story Behind the Design
Each Olmedo Necklace is a blend of Ecuadorian craftsmanship and organic textures. Bombona seeds, known for their natural grain and warmth, are combined with Tagua—polished to a smooth finish and dyed in deep tones. The fiery red beads at the center add vibrancy, symbolizing vitality and strength. This necklace is versatile enough to pair with casual or dressy looks and makes a bold statement when combined with matching lightweight Alma Earrings.
Care & Disclaimer
Due to the natural origins of Tagua and bombona seeds, variations in color, texture, and shape are to be expected and valued as part of the artisan character. Avoid water and harsh chemicals. Store flat and clean with a soft, dry cloth.
design: A bold single-strand necklace mixing rounded bombona seed beads with faceted, triangular Tagua nut chips in deep charcoal, punctuated at the center front by a cluster of vibrant red Tagua beads.
size: Approximately 24.5" long.
material: Sustainably harvested Tagua nut ("vegetable ivory"), bombona seeds, and natural dyes.
features: Mixed bead shapes and sizes, hand-dyed red accent beads, polished natural finish, lightweight for its bold scale
care: Keep away from water and harsh chemicals, and wipe clean with a soft, dry cloth; store the necklace flat.
disclaimer: Because Tagua and bombona seeds are natural materials, expect gentle variation in color, texture, and shape from piece to piece — a mark of its handmade character, not a flaw.
The Story
Tagua is the seed of a palm native to Ecuador's coastal and Amazonian regions, and it has a long working history there. Once cut, dried, and polished, the hard white interior of the nut takes on a density and sheen close to ivory, which is why traders began calling it "vegetable ivory" over a century ago — Ecuadorian tagua was exported by the ton for buttons and small carved goods before plastics took over that market. Artisans have kept the material in circulation since, turning it into beads, buttons, and small carvings that lean on its natural grain rather than disguising it.
The Olmedo Necklace pairs that tagua with bombona seed, a separate palm seed prized for its warm, mottled brown surface and rounded natural form. Combining the two — one faceted and dyed, one left in its raw rounded state — is a common approach in Ecuadorian seed jewelry: it lets each material's own texture do the visual work instead of relying on uniform, machine-cut beads.
The red Tagua beads at the center are hand-dyed, a step done after the nut is cut and polished so the color sits in the material rather than over it. Deep, saturated red is one of the most requested tones in this craft because it reads as a deliberate, graphic accent against tagua's natural charcoal and ivory tones — exactly the effect used here at the front of the strand.
Tagua nuts are harvested once they fall naturally from the palm, then dried for weeks until the interior hardens enough to cut and shape. Artisans slice the dried nut into chips or rounds, sand and polish each piece by hand to bring up its natural sheen, and dye select pieces in small batches to get the saturated red seen at this necklace's center. Bombona seeds are cleaned and polished separately to highlight their natural grain. Every bead is then hand-strung in sequence — seed, chip, accent bead, spacer — so no two necklaces come off the same strand exactly alike.
Craft & Materials
- Made In: Ecuador
- Craft Tradition: Tagua nut carving
- Ideal For: Anyone who wants a bold, statement-making necklace with natural texture and color
- Wear It With: Layer over a turtleneck or simple crewneck to let the beadwork stand out, or wear with a plain neckline for both casual and dressy looks
- Purpose: Everyday statement wear, layering piece, gifting
Questions & Answers
Is this necklace made with real ivory?
No. It's made from Tagua nut, a plant seed often called "vegetable ivory" for its dense, polished look — no animal ivory is used.
How long is the Olmedo Necklace?
It measures approximately 24.5 inches long, designed to sit as a bold statement piece at the collarbone or slightly below.
Will the color and shape of the beads match the photos exactly?
Close, but expect natural variation. Because Tagua and bombona seeds are organic materials, color depth, grain, and bead shape vary slightly piece to piece — that's part of its handmade character.
How do I clean and store it?
Wipe with a soft, dry cloth and avoid water or harsh chemicals. Store it flat rather than hanging to help it keep its shape.
What does it pair well with?
It's designed to be worn solo as a statement piece; for a matched look, pair it with the lightweight Alma Earrings.
