Breath of Spring Necklace and Earrings Parure
©2025 by Cynthia Rutledge 

In Greek mythology, Chloris, was a nymph/goddess who was associated with spring, flowers and new growth, and in some instances, was named Chloris, the Goddess of the Breath of Spring. She has been depicted talking while her lips breathe spring roses. Chloris was abducted by Zephyrus, the god of the west wind, who transformed her into the deity known as Flora, the goddess of spring upon their marriage.

Many statues and paintings have continued to inspire the viewers with this mythological story. Some of my favorites are the statue by Antonio Corrandini, circa 1720, located at the Victoria and Albert Museum in the UK, shows Zephyrus carrying Flora with cupid watching on. In the painting Primavera, by Sandro Botticelli, circa between 1470 & 1480, located at the Uffitzi Museum in Florence, Italy, show the transition of Chloris into Flora. And one very surprising find is an ancient fresco of the wedding of Zephyrus and Chloris from Pompeii (circa 54 – 68 AD). This amazing fresco is located in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli.

Breath of Spring Necklace & Earrings, a delicate approach to the ancient jewelry found in Pompeii, is a testament to the long-standing skills of the artisans of the time. An arrangement of bezeled round CZs creates the top portion of the earrings and the pendant. This shape leads into a beautifully bezeled marquise-shaped CZ that adds movement to both the earrings and the pendant. A variation of RAW (right-angle weave) and bezeled CZ terminals create a delicate open-work necklace ending in two CZ buttons and necklace connector.

Skill level: Intermediate

Workshop length: This is a one-day workshop

Dimensions: The necklace is 18 inches plus a 2 ½” pendant but easily adjusted. The earrings are 3 ¼” inches including the ear wire and the bottom fringes.

Techniques:

• Embellishing techniques

• Flat, even-count peyote stitch

• Right-angle weave variation

• Tubular even-count peyote stitch, with decreasing