Some may remember the first image, fresh home from Tucson 2014...I was fortunate to be able to purchase a very unique ancient agate bead from Mr. Seymour. This bead bowled me over the second I saw it.

Here is the informative text from Yankee at that time, accompanied by the first image...the "before" image....

Yankee's comments:

"Regarding your bead, I am pretty sure it's from Persia from the Seleucid period,300-200 BC. Seleucid was one of the generals of Alexander the Great and when Alexander died, the vast territory that he conquered was divided in between all of his army commanders. Seleucid got the chunk of Persian region. You can see a very strong Greek influence on the shape of the bead. They used to have lots of buds, acorns, etc…
The bead in the photo is upside down. The bottom part , which is the widest side of the perforation, probably had a gold cap on it. It was one of many identical graduated ones. Judging by the size of your bead, it was probably the center piece or close to the center.
I have seen a half necklace with the gold caps in Jerusalem but it was not for sale."

I've studied and enjoyed this bead quite a lot over the previous months...and after being very, very impressed with the design aesthetic of David Ebbinghouse and his jeweler friend Michael Winsten realized that they were the perfect people to approach about a suspension design to support this bead. Top of the suspension loop to tip, approx. 47mm x about 20mm across.

I am so pleased! I will be wearing this for quite some time; as in forever. Thank you so very much Art, Yankee, David and Michael.