Unique sunburst necklace featuring three shaped and polished bars of white Takaka marble strung on a sterling silver tiger tail. By Ian Longley.
The design suggests a sunburst evoking the first rays breaking through dark clouds at the end of a storm. The marble is beautifully shaped and polished to show off the colour and cellular pattern of the stone. It is smooth to the touch and looks great on skin or against fabric.
Three shaped and polished bars of marble – the longest measuring approx 45mm / 1¾ inches long – are separated with sterling silver beads and strung on a sterling silver tiger tail with lobster clasp. Necklace measures approx 41cm / 16¼ inches. It is presented in a jeweller’s giftbox.
About Ian Longley
Created by Nelson artist, Ian Longley as part of his Concepts in Stone collection. Ian has been making jewellery for over 30 years and the main focus of his work is in using New Zealand stone, jade, argillite, jasper, agate etc. He is very inspired by the natural beauty that exists in stone, creating pieces that allow the inherent qualities of the stone to shine forth.
About Takaka Marble
Takaka Hill divides Nelson and Golden Bay. Its steep, twisting road reveals the ancient craggy lime and marble formations and caving system that give the hill its popular name, Marble Mountain. It is also a place of legend. Local Maori believed the taipo (devil) lived in the area on top of the hill. Taking refuge from Te Rauparaha on the hill, they fled when they heard deep underground rumbling, fearing it was the growl of taipo. Such noises are thought to be caused by the underground drainage of the hollow hill through the Middle Earth Cave system.
The opening of a road made the quarrying of the hill's limestone and marble resources possible. Quarrying began in the early 1900s. Marble from there gained national prominence in 1911, when it was chosen for use in the construction of the new Parliament Buildings in Wellington. The Government architect, John Campbell, specified Takaka marble because it had the necessary strength and could be polished to a high creamy lustre.