Lily of the Valley

In Victorian times Lily of the Valley symbolised happiness and hope. It was used to protect gardens from evil spirits, and at one point in time it was used as a charm to guard against the spells of witches.

Lily of the Valley is a small delicate flower that is also highly poisonous. The most common effects are stomach ache, blurred vision, slow and irregular pulse, and in severe cases, seizures, vomiting, heart arrhythmia and even death.

This piece was created using a technique called Champlevé. It’s an ancient enameling technique that uses troughs or cells on the surface of an object, and then filled with vitreous enamel. I’ve cut out the flowers and created a recess for the enamel to be fused into.

The pendant measures approx 40mm (1 1/2″) high from the top of the heart to the bottom of the amethyst gemstone and 28mm (1″) wide.