Handmade in Sydney, this one-of-a-kind bracelet is composed from Japanese glass and seed beads alongside antique Japanese, African, and Venetian trade beads. Each piece is arranged intuitively, guided by the artist’s eye to create a rhythm of colour, texture, and history.
The makers are avid collectors of rare and unusual beads, gathered over years of travel and incorporated thoughtfully into each composition. Bracelet 005 draws its palette from time spent in Osaka and the surrounding Kansai countryside — a landscape where traditional craft, seasonal food culture, and everyday colour exist side by side. Bright vermilion, citrus yellow, indigo, milk white, and soft green sit against deeper tones, creating a balance that feels lively yet grounded.
At the centre of the composition is a traditional cherry bead. Cherry beads are small hand-formed glass beads produced by Osaka-area workshops during the late Meiji to early Showa period (late 19th to early 20th century). They were made as everyday decorative components, often within small-scale community-based craft production. Often made by small workshops connected to rural craft communities, these beads were originally created as decorative components for everyday adornment and small personal objects (like hair pins and accessories). Their rounded, lacquer-like colour and simple form reflect a practical craft tradition shaped by agricultural life rather than ornamental luxury.
The bracelet also features a warm-toned carnelian bead and a marbled Japanese glass focal bead, adding depth and variation to the sequence.
Each piece takes hours to make, its structure built bead by bead in an unrepeatable pattern. No two are ever the same. Designed to be worn alone as a statement or layered with other pieces for contrast and character.
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