Large Gold Topaz Serpentine Earrings

Topaz, 18k gold over silver.

Earrings are approximately 3" x 1" and 2.5" x 1.25"

Over a decade ago, a dear friend discovered a collection of specimen jars in an old high school in Boone, NC. Among them was a perfectly coiled ring-necked snake, which she entrusted to me to give new life. After carefully preparing it for casting and hoping for the best, the process—though unpredictable with organic matter—yielded a flawless bronze replica. That original snake still rests on my bench, and from it, I created a mold that gave rise to the Serpentine Collection. Every snake in the collection originates from that little ring-necked snake.