Cascading Violet Seed Bead Necklace with Painted Ceramic Beads

• Multi-strand cascading design
• Three 17 mm hand-painted ceramic accent beads
• Iridescent glass seed beads
• Base metal clasp

The ceramic beads are hand-painted and the strands individually strung, so color, pattern and bead placement shift from piece to piece.

Multi-strand seed bead necklaces are built one cord at a time, then gathered so the strands fall together in a soft, layered drape. It's a way of turning a very small material — glass seed beads — into volume, movement and depth of color that a single strand can't reach.

The three ceramic beads at the center come from a different craft entirely: hand-shaped, fired, then painted with a fine brush before a final glaze seals the color. The florals are drawn in loose, painterly strokes rather than a repeating pattern, so each bead reads as its own small composition.

Made in India, where the two skills — stringing and pottery painting — sit close enough to end up on one piece.

• Technique: Hand-painted ceramic beadwork

Wipe with a soft, dry cloth after wear. Keep away from water and prolonged sun, and store flat or hanging so the strands don't tangle.