Cliff Swain-Salomon -Phalaenopsis Orchid Pendant/Earrings 8/13

Phalænopsis Orchid Earrings  

These orchids are definitely a statement piece and were made in honor of my daughter, whose given birth middle name was Orchid, before adopting and gifting her a new name.  In ancient Greece, orchids were a symbol of virility and fertility. Due to the flower’s symmetry, in China, they are considered “Lan Hua” or the epitome of human perfection. In Victorian England these flowers are considered symbols of love, which is why I had them as one of my wedding flowers. The Phalænopsis orchid has just over 60 varieties that grow naturally in the wild, which is a small number compared to the over 35,000 species of orchid varieties that naturally exist.   

To pattern these beaded beauties, Cliff actually used one of the many orchid plants that he grows, dissecting one of the flowers to ensure it was anatomically correct and true to the original…