Amica Sterling Silver Pendant with Ancient Mediterranean Stone Maskette & Black Opal

This pendant is named Amica - “friend” in Latin, a quiet word for a presence that is neither saint nor monster, but something in between: the face that travels with you and keeps its own counsel. At its center is an authentic ancient Mediterranean stone maskette, dated to the 12th–17th century, carved from warm brown stone into an elongated face with closed eyes and a soft, almost conspiratorial smile. The features are simple and assured: lids lowered, nose strong, mouth curved just enough to suggest amusement rather than indifference. Such maskettes belonged to a broad folk and devotional tradition around the Mediterranean, kept close as small apotropaic objects - companions that watched, absorbed, and quietly deflected what did not need to reach you. Catalogued as 91LC in a private collection, the maskette is set in 925 sterling silver plated with black ruthenium and 18K gold. The metal rises from the sides of the face in two uneven, branch‑like arms that meet above it, holding a natural black opal trillion cabochon. The opal answers the grounded brown of the stone with green and blue fire under a dark surface - a small, shifting triangle of color that reads like a crown and a signal at once. The setting does not try to correct the artifact; it simply gives the old face a framework and a sky of its own. This is a singular edition - handmade by the designer himself, with no second copy in existence. For those who prefer their protection to arrive as a companion, not a warning. PLEASE NOTE: This pendant is made with an authentic ancient artifact and natural gemstones that may exhibit cracks, scratches, and color or surface irregularities - these are not flaws, but marks of authenticity and age. Gemstone colors may appear differently depending on lighting conditions; please refer to model or lifestyle photos for the most accurate representation.