It's glass. Amber-brown at the edges going molten orange up the center, a scatter of black along the stripe, all of it under a gloss that reads deeper than the piece actually is. Not amber, not resin, not stone — glass, worked hot, which is the only material that does this particular thing with light. We would rather name it than let the color imply something older.

MAKE · FORM · WEAR

MAKE — Glass pendant on a 14K gold-filled snake chain. Tarnish-resistant. No plating.
FORM — One oval pendant on one fine round chain. Nothing else on it.
WEAR — 18+2" or 20+2" chain. Lobster clasp. Everyday. Store it hanging or laid flat, and keep the pendant away from hard surfaces — glass chips where stone would only scuff.

DETAILS

• Glass pendant
• 14K gold-filled snake chain, tarnish-resistant
• 18+2" or 20+2" | Pendant is approximately 1" by 0.5"
• Remove before swimming or showering.
• Wipe with a soft dry cloth. No polish, no cleaner.

THE FINISH

Gold-filled is not gold plating. Plating is a microns-thin layer that wears off in a season. Gold-filled bonds a layer of solid 14K to the core under heat and pressure, at a minimum of 1/20th of the total weight — roughly a hundred times the gold of a plated chain. It does not flake, and with ordinary wear it lasts years rather than months.

IN THE TRADE

Glass has no place in crystal practice, because it isn't a mineral. It is sand taken past its melting point and cooled too fast to organize itself into a crystal at all. That disorder is precisely what makes it clear.

The history more than covers the gap. In 1291 Venice moved every glass furnace to the island of Murano — officially over the risk of fire — and then forbade its glassmakers to leave the republic. The craft was held as a state asset and the people who knew it were not free to go. Men were kept on an island over the ability to do what this pendant does.

IN THE BOX

• Cotton tote
• Hand-stamped story card
• Catalog card

SAÉA — shelter · refugio · پناه
Shaped by hand. Made to be worn.

SAÉA Stones

Onyx is a natural stone, stunning but not bulletproof. Wipe with a soft, dry cloth. Avoid harsh detergents. Read more here.

Each piece is sealed with food-grade beeswax. Refresh every 6 to 12 months by warming a small amount of oil or wax into the surface, then buffing gently with a soft cloth.

Free ground shipping on U.S. orders over $100. Hand-packed in San Diego using recyclable, plastic-free materials, usually shipped within 1-2 business days.

30-day returns on unused, undamaged pieces. Email us at hello@saeadesigns.com and we will send a return label.

If a piece arrives damaged in transit, send photos of it as it came out of the box to hello@saeadesigns.com and we will refund or exchange it.

SAÉA is a small design studio in San Diego, California.

Each piece begins as raw onyx in the mountains of Balochistan, hand-carved by artisans, then finished, photographed, and shipped from San DIego, California.

Every SAÉA Jewel is made to order in our San Diego studio.