17-year cicada wing pendant

A few years back it was that 17-year year. Wings everywhere. Delicate, tissue-paper structures. But so functional, so… perfect. I saved up a few that were no longer being used by a former owner, see the last photo. Then I made a silver one, delicate, lacey, wearable. Everlasting summer for every year, any season. Not nearly the beauty and amazing usefulness of nature’s workhorse wings, but a reminder, in the deep heart of winter, to think about wings, and warm sultry nights.

This bright shining wing is about 1 3/4″ long and 5/8″ wide. Light and breezy as a summer’s day, these wings bring to mind the late night chorus of high summer that I so enjoy. My own design, these are produced in limited quantities from my intricately hand fabricated sterling model, then each is finished to it’s own one-of-a-kind character, carefully hand hammered to add a slightly faceted texture to the silver that grabs the light. The cicada’s wing hangs from a soldiered ring on an 18″ sterling chain.

Capture a summer memory and dream about the next one. Listen close and you’ll hear the music.