Look at the white starbursts on the largest beads. Someone drew each one.

These are Krobo beads from Ghana — recycled glass ground to powder, packed into hand-carved clay moulds and fired in a wood kiln. Once cooled, each bead is painted individually with a slip of contrasting glass and fired a second time so the design fuses into the surface rather than sitting on top of it.

No two are alike, and the strand makes that obvious: starburst eyes, dotted panels, a green and rust bead with a pattern like a woven mat, a plain cobalt cylinder banded in gold.

At the base hangs a cowrie shell, painted in the same tradition. Cowries were used as currency across West Africa for centuries and remain a symbol of prosperity and protection.

Stretch cord, so it goes on in a second. It is the brightest thing you will own and it goes with plain white, denim or black without hesitation.

Details

• Hand-painted recycled glass Krobo beads, made in Ghana
• Painted cowrie shell drop with turquoise accent
• Cobalt, sky blue, sea green and rust palette
• Every bead individually decorated — no two alike
• Stretch cord — no clasp
• Length: 7"–7.5" — custom sizing available for wrists over 9"
• Handmade in Mequon, Wisconsin

Care: Roll onto the wrist rather than pulling — stretching the cord shortens its life. Wipe with a soft dry cloth.

A portion of every purchase supports organizations serving women and youth.