Wilmington Necklace

A quiet map of the marsh, marked in shell, water, and drift. 

Wilmington is shaped by a stretch of tidal creek on Wilmington Island, Georgia — where oyster beds settle into the mud, marsh grass leans with the wind, and the tide moves slow and steady through narrow bends.

The strand begins with soft, matte bone beads, echoing the pale texture of shell beds exposed at low tide. Between them, coconut shell accents in brown and deep green reflect marsh grass and dark tidal edges, grounding the piece in earth and water.

At the center, smooth brown quartz beads hold the tone of brackish creek water — still, reflective, and shifting with the light. Below them, a row of coconut shell stick beads gathers like driftwood caught where the tide turns.

Hidden within the strand are two small antique brass markers — subtle and easily missed — placed with intention. Together, they map the coordinates of the very place that inspired the piece.

This necklace is not just coastal in feeling — it is of a place.

A Field Notes entry exists for this piece, capturing the place it came from.

How to Wear 

Wilmington sits close to the neckline, making it an easy statement piece for everyday wear.

It pairs naturally with soft cotton, linen, and lived-in layers — pieces that carry the same quiet, grounded feeling as the marsh itself. Wear it on its own to let the textures and materials speak, or layer with longer Mossy Isle strands for added depth.  

This is a piece that feels collected rather than styled.

Symbolism 

Each element in Wilmington reflects a part of the shoreline:

• Bone beads → shell beds and coastal remnants
• Coconut shell accents → marsh grass and dark tidal edges
• Quartz → brackish water and quiet movement
• Stick beads → driftwood gathered at the bend

The two brass markers carry the deepest layer.

They represent:

32° N and 80° W

—a simplified map of the tidal marsh on Wilmington Island.

Placed at the 32nd and 80th positions in the strand, they mark the location quietly — a detail only revealed to those who know where to look. 

A place held in memory, and carried with you.

Details

• 8mm bone button beads

• Coconut shell accent beads in brown and green

• Brown quartz focal beads

• Coconut shell stick bead focal

• Two antique brass coordinate marker beads

• Antique brass hook & eye clasp and findings

• 17 inches