Ancestral Beauty in Dark Green

For the indigenous people of pre-Columbian America, especially the Mayas, the ya’ax chich or 'jade' meant life, fertility, and power. It was the most precious object, even above gold. These dangle earrings, by Guatemalan artisan Zandra Lorena Sajbin, feature dark green natural jade square beads on silver ear wires above handcrafted teardrops of high-polish sterling silver.

Says Sajbin, 'Jade is a very beautiful stone that I like to work with, as we can create endless shapes that allow us to make wonderful pieces.'