Graduated Silver Rondelle Necklace on Cord

• Graduated bead sizing for a sculptural silhouette
• Oxidized antique-silver finish
• Hand-knotted black cotton cord between each bead

The antiquing and knotting are done by hand, so patina and bead spacing shift slightly from one piece to the next.

The graduated silhouette — largest bead at the front, smaller ones tapering back — is a long-worn form across South Asian jewelry. The rounded rondelle shape and the darkened finish read as settled and lived-in rather than freshly polished, which is the point of the antique surface.

The two-tone effect is deliberate. An oxidizing solution sinks into the grooves and undercuts, then the raised surfaces are buffed bright again, so shadow and shine sit on the same bead and give an otherwise simple form real depth.

Stringing on cord rather than chain, with a knot between each bead, does two things. It stops hand-finished beads from wearing on one another, and it frames each rondelle against black so it reads as its own small object.

Wipe the beads with a soft, dry cloth after wearing. Keep them away from water, lotion and perfume, which can lift the antique finish.