IMPORTANT: This listing is for a One of a Kind jewel that cannot be replaced. We recommend Express Shipping with signature required upon delivery to make sure it arrives safely into your hands.

This necklace is Ready To Ship and will leave the studio in 3 - 5 business days.

PLEASE NOTE: This necklace will be created with an 18" bar link chain. If you desire a different chain length you must reach out to us immediately after placing your order for a custom quote on the additional length.

An oval Black Star Diopside cabochon sits within a bouquet of Belladonna blooms. The stone is a rich black with a 'star' shaped asterism that appears in the light, these stones remind me of the Belladonna's deadly berries, which are a similar inky black color.

Atropa belladonna, whose genus is named after Atropos, the fate who cut the thread of life, is considered to be one of the most most poisonous plants in the Witch's Garden. Her delicate flowers, purple/lavender/mauve hang their bell shaped heads almost sadly, while her shiny black death berries beckon invitingly. And yet, these berries are a forbidden kind of fruit, eating them can cause madness and even death.

Much like the Poppy, Belladonna has been used as an ancient pain and sleep aid, "knocking out" those who've used her potent parts in wine and in ointments/salves. Due to its sedative qualities, it has been linked to the infamous 'witches ointment' and appears in nearly all historical recipes for it. These ointments have been said to cause "flight", were used to curse, kill, and were also used for shape-shifting, divination, or for assistance in seeing spirits. Most likely these ointments were originally used for pain relief or for help with sleep, and utilized many of the same plants associated with the "witches garden," such as poppy, with the unexpected yet perhaps welcomed side effect of interesting dreams or altered consciousness.