Handcrafted bead, rope bracelets by Tanya Lochridge Jewelry
For Tanya Lochridge, it all started way back in 1967. A student of Long Beach State (now CSU Long Beach), she still remembers the very first piece of jewelry she ever sold – a macramé bead bracelet in red and white. Upon learning that, I found myself asking what in the world is macramé? The answer – whatever it is, it must have been relevant back in the late 60’s just as the pieces from Tanya’s current collection are relevant today.
I adore her work. There’s an effortless elegance to her pieces. Her superb craftsmanship and eye for color create an air of refinement in pieces that look more expensive than the price tags attached to them. A part of this comes from innate talent but there’s also the other part – the one that comes from one’s life, one’s outlook, and where one has been and been through. Tanya’s vast experience of sights, smells, and sounds from the different places she’s lived in allow her to draw from a multiplicity of inspirations. From the beaches of Southern California, to the wilderness of Northern California, to the stunning architectures of New York City, and to the family that surround her in Oregon, Tanya has been there, done that, and continues to do. Her entire life, how she has lived provides a diverse perspective that is embodied in her work – strong, bold, confident, vibrant, and not afraid… so not afraid.
Her line, Tanya Lochridge Jewelry, includes a collection of necklaces, bracelets, pendants and earrings. From the bracelet collection, we received a trio of fab bracelets. The first is the Milky Aqua & Smoky Quartz Bracelet which retails for $65. The second is the Kazuri Leopard Bead Bracelet which retails for $60 and the third is the Kazuri Black-Platinum Bead Bracelet which also retails for $60. The pieces arrived beautifully packaged, totally gift-ready.
The first piece, the Milky Aqua & Smoky Quartz is a stretch rope bracelet which measures 3/8” in diameter. Bronze, matte gold, clear brown and turquoise glass beads perfectly complement the large milky aqua and smoky quartz beads that dangle as charms along with Swarovski crystal smoke topaz beads. This is one of many rope bracelets in Tanya’s collection. In fact, there are more than 20 to choose from and I for one would love to have each and every one! The bracelet is easy to wear, slip it on and you’re good to go. The color combination is gorgeous. The piece is chic and great to wear on its own (daytime for work) or piled with tons of gold bangles (for after-work).
The second piece, the Kazuri Leopard Bead Bracelet is a mix of Czech fire-polished faceted rounds and ovals in varying shades of brown and glittery crystal/gold, Czech faceted rondelles in black, and Czech and Japanese glass beads. Front and center is a ¾” round Kazuri bead in leopard print. Kazuri by the way is a Swahili word which means small and beautiful. These handcrafted beads are made from clay from the Mount Kenya region with their colors reflecting Kenyan art and culture. Now back to the bracelet, animal print is a big trend this season but if you don’t want to look like a walking wild animal, this bracelet is a great way to introduce animal print to your wardrobe. This piece is a bit on the long side so it dangles on the wrist. I love to wear it with a little black anything because it dresses up the lowliest of my black things.
The final piece is another Kazuri bead bracelet. Just like the rope bracelet, Tanya has a number of Kazuri pieces – covet-worthy, each and every one of them. This one in particular is the Black-Platinum which features three Kazuri beads along with black Czech pressed glass baroque and pyramid beads and fire-polished faceted rondelles. Just like the leopard piece, this one is like wearing three bracelets all in one. There are three rows total, two are beaded and the third is a highly polished rolo link chain. In this piece, the chain is silver-plated. In the leopard piece, it’s gold-plated and just like the leopard piece, this one is effortless elegance defined. It punches up drab outfits and perfectly complements silver-toned or shimmery dresses – perfect for upcoming holiday parties.
Speaking of holidays, gift giving is just around the corner. The pieces we reviewed will get your mouse in high gear but to get you from zero to shopping in five seconds, know that Tanya has a sale section with deeply discounted pieces that would make your fingers want to do tons of shopping!
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