This beautifully carved golden jade dragon has hints of pale lavender along his back.  The detail in the carving is wonderful even showing the toes on his feet.  I have topped him with a round bead of Baltic amber reiterating the gold in the dragon.  This is a gorgeous one-of-a-kind piece.  The jade measures 2” long by nearly 1” wide.  It drops with the amber bead 3” from a black natural leather cord that is adjustable from 16” to 32” so it can be worn a variety of lengths.

The dragon is the imperial emblem of the Emperors in China, especially from the from the Han period where their coat of arms shows two dragons fighting for the fiery pearl.  The dragon is a supernatural creature and is the symbol of power, strength, wisdom and goodness.  It represents the utmost in accomplishment: good luck and a successful life. It is also believed to be the guardian of hidden treasures.  It represents the spirit of growth and change.

Chinese royalty has worn jade for centuries.   It is believed to be a spiritual stone and has been called the jewel of heaven.  It represents the five principal virtues:  charity, modesty, courage, justice and wisdom.  From cloudy white to golden brown, light to dark green, to rare lavender, jade is the most highly prized Asian gemstone.  Jade has been regarded as the most precious stone for thousands of years.  It is believed to protect the wearer and ensure good luck and good health as well as to increase life span.

Baltic amber which is millions of years old is the prehistoric fossilized resin of ancient pines often trapping the life of that time as it solidified creating a mini prehistoric map.  It has been used as ornamentation since the Stone Age.  It is symbolic of marriage, considered good luck and often given as a wedding gift. The Greeks believed amber was a kiss from the sun.