Kynam Agarwood Bracelet, Cat's-Eye Nephrite Jade & Duck-Egg Blue Peace Medallion

For the wrist that wants its center to be the pale note in a vivid strand — cat's-eye nephrite jade rounds and Kynam agarwood in alternation, with one duck-egg-blue jade peace medallion at the center.

The bracelet alternates between two bead materials at approximately 8 mm each: vivid green nephrite jade rounds and dark Kynam agarwood rounds. At this size, both materials read individually — the saturated green of the jade and the warm dark brown of the agarwood holding their own against each other as the bracelet circles the wrist. The jade makes the wood appear warmer; the wood makes the jade appear cooler. Neither dominates.

The cat's-eye nephrite jade is for the vivid green ground. These rounds are the chatoyant variety of nephrite — the parallel fibrous crystal structure that can produce a faint moving band of light across the bead in direct sun. The color is fully saturated, the surface smooth and cool against skin. Each bead is slightly different in the way its grain catches the light.

The Kynam agarwood is for the dark contrast and the fragrance. The agarwood rounds carry the bracelet's scent — a warm resinous note released continuously through the warmth of the wrist. At 8 mm, the grain is visible across each bead face: the wood character legible, the fragrance present without insisting on itself.

The duck-egg-blue jade focal is for the quiet center. At the front of the bracelet sits a cushion-square jade piece set into a pave frame studded with fine crystals. The jade is celadon — yadanqing, the pale blue-green nephrite range that sits between jade green and near-white, quieter and more delicate in hue than the vivid green rounds flanking it. The form follows the traditional pingan pai, the flat jade peace medallion of Chinese jewelry, re-set here in a contemporary pave frame that makes the pale stone the calm center of an active surround.

Small red and blue accent stones appear at the end caps, the traditional Chinese color notes that give an otherwise restrained piece its ornamental finish. An adjustable chain runs at the back of the bracelet, allowing it to be sized to the wrist with a small trailing segment at the inside.

This is a piece for the new Chinese-style wardrobe — the gentle, considered designs that pair as easily with a plain knit as with embroidered silk.

Materials: Cat's-eye nephrite jade rounds (approx. 8 mm, vivid green), Kynam agarwood rounds (approx. 8 mm), duck-egg-blue (celadon) nephrite jade peace medallion (approx. 18 mm), small red and blue accent stones, adjustable chain

Natural nephrite jade — color, chatoyancy, and surface character vary by piece. Natural agarwood — grain and fragrance vary. Avoid water. Store in a pouch when not worn.