Spring Pagoda

This golden bead was a challenge in combining many different requirements in one piece. How to make something small, but decorative and pack it with details on different planes, and reveal new details from different angles, and sturdy enough to withstand daily wear, but not too heavy to be comfortable both on the wrist and on the neck. The bead here sits tight on a rather thick red handwoven kumihimo cord, to prevent it from moving. It is still quite chunky.