This vibrant necklace blends rich tones of yellow and red horn with brass accents, creating a bold statement piece with earthy textures.
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Design: The necklace features chunky horn beads dyed in alternating shades of yellow and red, accented with small brass beads for warmth. The design graduates in size, with larger pieces centered and smaller, teardrop-shaped beads toward the chain, giving it a balanced, flowing look.
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Material: Made from dyed horn with brass details, adding a lively color contrast to its organic texture.
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Size & Dimensions: Approximately 21.5 inches long, designed to sit comfortably and make a colorful statement.
- Country of Origin: Handcrafted in India, embracing natural variations and artisanal quality.
design: A bold bib-style necklace of chunky, faceted horn beads in alternating amber-yellow and deep red, graduating from small teardrops at the clasp to large geometric slabs at the center front, joined with small brass spacer beads.
size: Approximately 21.5 inches long, with a brass extender chain for adjusting the fit.
material: Dyed horn with brass beads, spacers, chain, and lobster clasp.
features: Graduated faceted horn beads, alternating yellow and red color blocking, brass spacer beads between each bead, brass extender chain for adjustable length
care: Wipe clean with a soft, dry cloth and keep away from water, perfume, and lotion, which can dull the dye and polish over time.
disclaimer: Because each bead is cut and dyed from natural horn, color depth, grain, and facet shape vary slightly piece to piece, so your necklace will be one of a kind.
The Story
Horn has long been worked into beads, buttons, and combs across India, where it's valued as a byproduct of the region's cattle and buffalo trade rather than a material grown or mined for the purpose. Turning it into jewelry is a practice of resourcefulness: a tough, discarded material is cut, shaped, and given a second life as something meant to be worn and noticed.
The faceted, geometric cut of these beads is a hallmark of horn work generally, since the material's natural density lets it hold clean angles and a high polish once shaped and buffed. The alternating yellow and red seen here comes from dye baths applied after cutting, a common way horn artisans introduce color into a material that starts out in muted natural browns and grays.
Graduated bead necklaces like this one, moving from small pieces at the neck to large ones at the center, are a familiar silhouette in South Asian beadwork more broadly, built to draw the eye toward the collarbone and give a substantial, layered look from a single strand.
Horn arrives at the workshop in raw, curved sections, which are first flattened and cut into rough blocks. Each block is shaped and faceted by hand or on a small lathe, sanded down through progressively finer grits, then dyed and left to cure so the color sets evenly through the surface. Once dry, the beads are buffed to their final sheen, hand-drilled, and strung on wire with brass spacer beads and a chain and clasp attached by an artisan working bead by bead rather than on an assembly line.
Craft & Materials
- Made In: India
- Craft Tradition: Dyed horn beadwork
- Ideal For: Someone who wants a bold, colorful statement necklace that stands on its own
- Wear It With: Let it be the focus over a simple solid-color top or dress in black, white, or denim.
- Purpose: Everyday statement wear, dressing up a simple outfit, gifting
- Metal: Brass / Copper
Questions & Answers
What is the necklace made of?
The beads are dyed horn, paired with brass spacer beads, chain, and clasp.
Is the horn ethically sourced?
Yes. The horn used is a byproduct of the cattle and buffalo trade in India, so making it into jewelry puts an otherwise discarded material to use rather than requiring animals to be raised or harvested for it.
How long is the necklace and is it adjustable?
It measures approximately 21.5 inches long and includes a brass extender chain so you can adjust the fit.
Will the color fade or transfer onto clothing?
The dye is set into the horn and buffed to a sealed finish, but as with any dyed natural material, keep it away from water, perfume, and lotion, and avoid prolonged contact with light-colored fabrics when new.
Will every necklace look exactly like the photo?
Close, but not identical. Since each bead is individually cut and dyed from natural horn, slight variations in shape, grain, and color depth are part of the piece's handmade character.
