Teal Oasis
An African bead necklace built around a vintage or antique pendant from Turkmenistan, with its elegant teardrop shape and detailed patterns, evoking the serene beauty of a hidden desert oasis. Around it are brass Mali squashed bicone beads, handmade from recycled metal, and recycled glass beads from Ghana, mostly unpolished. Designed and handmade by me in Montréal.
$150.00
Availability: 1 in stock
- Designed and handmade in Montréal
- Ships insured and tracked across Canada
- Returns within 14 days
Recycled glass from Accra, recycled brass from Mali
The bicones were found by a trusted trader in Koforidua, Ghana. They are increasingly rare because of the ongoing troubles in Mali, and their varying shapes and sizes add warmth and history.
I bought the recycled glass beads directly from a small factory in Accra, Ghana, where they are still made by labour-intensive methods, from crushing the glass to baking the beads in ovens. Their earthy, unpolished texture is part of the design.
It sits in my Vintage & Antique collection, among necklaces made new from old materials.
See the Vintage & Antique collection of vintage bead necklaces
Glass and brass beads are easy to keep. Read how to care for your jewelry
Details
- Vintage or antique teardrop pendant from Turkmenistan
- Brass squashed bicone beads from Mali, handmade from recycled metal
- Recycled glass beads from Accra, Ghana, mostly unpolished
- Length:17 inches (ask me about a change)
- Weight:100.8 grams
- Designed and handmade in Montréal, Québec
- Certified:
Made and Designed in Québec, by Les Produits du Québec
Environmental Impact Statement
At 100.8 grams, this necklace’s reuse of existing materials is estimated to avoid 9.1 kg of CO₂e, roughly the tailpipe emissions of driving 37 kilometres in an average car, and 82 litres of freshwater.
Estimated environmental savings are based on the materials and weights in this piece and Asymmetric by Design’s proprietary environmental-impact model, commissioned by Asymmetric by Design and developed by Oxia Initiative. Results estimate the impact avoided by reusing existing materials instead of sourcing an equivalent quantity of newly produced, mined or sourced material. Figures are modelled estimates, not direct measurements.
Questions about this african bead necklace
What do African beads mean?
There is no single meaning: beads are made and worn in many ways across Africa. The beads in Teal Oasis carry the work of where they come from: recycled glass beads made in Accra, Ghana, by crushing glass and baking it in ovens, and brass bicones from Mali handmade from recycled metal.
Is the glass really recycled?
Yes. I bought these recycled glass beads directly from a small factory in Accra, Ghana, where discarded glass is crushed and baked into beads. Most are left unpolished, which gives them their earthy texture.
