Gou (S$29/US$17.60)

Bling-mix: dalmation jasper, dyed red coral, Swarovski crystals, 14K gold-filled ear hooks, wirework in non-tarnish goldtone wire.

Update: Get these ear-rings and the matching necklace as a set. From now till 28 January, the set is yours for a lucky S$80/US$48.48 instead of S$90/US$54.50.

"Gou" is Mandarin for "Dog," or so I've been told as my knowledge of Mandarin is pathetic at best.

Hmmmm ... one of my New Year resolutions could be to learn conversational Mandarin! Anyone know any good teachers? I'm a doofus with the tones and remember swear words better than polite words, so any teacher would have to have the patience of a saint :-)

Anyways, here's another nod to the Year of the Dog. These ear-rings match the necklace in the previous post or they can be worn alone as well.

Hanging off a large Swarovski crystal-topped Dalmation Jasper bead (about 8-10mm in diameter) is a smaller dyed red coral bead (6mm) that has a little flourish of wirework at the bottom and a Swarovski crystal highlight at the top. This pic doesn't quite capture the subtle sparkle.

Ear hooks are 14K gold-filled. Drop is about 1 1/2 inches.

** Note: Ear hooks are cleaned and disinfected before ear-rings are shipped.

Metaphysical properties of Coral: Coral is said to be a stress-buster and is also believed to bring calm to the user. Some people believe that coral helps restore harmony too.

Metaphysical Properties of Jasper: Jasper was a favourite stone of the ancients and it comes in a constellation of varieties and colours. Jasper is said to drive away negativity and give the user courage to be true to oneself in thought, word and deed.

e-mail: blingmail@yahoo.com.sg