Curiosa Bead Embroidered Brooch

Curiosa brings together things that really shouldn't belong together—and makes a convincing argument that they do.

A vividly patterned cabochon in pink, cream, mauve and green sits beside a dense circular arrangement of violet and black glass beads. At its centre, an iridescent crystal throws unexpected flashes of green, pink and gold. Pearls, metallic beads and little projecting details disrupt the outline, while the silver-toned bird skull cuts sharply across the composition.

Nothing is quite matched. Nothing is particularly restrained. And that's precisely the point.

At approximately 5 × 5.2 cm, Curiosa is a compact piece of wearable eccentricity: richly worked, slightly strange and full of details that reward a second look.