Ural jewelers have a special relationship with stone. The gemstone acts as the central creative force, suggesting the concept for the piece, the design of the setting, and its decorative execution. This is perfectly illustrated in the series of pendants by the jeweler Vladimir Mikhailovich Vasilkov, dedicated to the seasons, where the stone itself forms the artistic core of each work.
The piece on display is titled “Summer”. It comprises a chain and a pendant. The chain is crafted from large, curved links adorned with an openwork pattern of twisted wire. Suspended from it is a vertically oriented rectangular pendant made of mottled jasper, dominated by a large green field and set in a smooth metal frame. It is attached to the chain via a loop fashioned into a five-petalled flower.
Jasper is known for its diverse chemical and mineralogical composition, which has led to numerous classifications of this rock. People knew and utilized jasper even in prehistoric times, when it was used alongside flint and jade to make tools, weapons, and arrowheads. During antiquity and the Middle Ages, it was valued for jewelry items: gems, seals, amulets, and other small sculptural objects. By the 18th and 19th centuries, it was used for large stone-carving projects and items of palace décor.
Jasper held a place of particular prominence in the Russian Empire. Peter the Great was the first Russian monarch to truly appreciate the beauty of Ural jasper, incorporating it in palace interiors. However, it was Catherine II who elevated this stone to an imperial symbol, making it a mandatory feature of palace design. At her command, luxurious jasper fireplaces were installed in the Moscow Kremlin, and the famous “Agate Rooms” in Tsarskoe Selo were created — interestingly, despite the name, they were adorned not with agate but with multicolored Ural jasper.
In Altai, the Kolyvan manufactory produced the highest quality decorative objects made from jasper to adorn imperial palaces. Today, this stone is used to create jewelry, interior items, and decorative art. It is prized for its strength, abundant reserves, the potential for large monoliths, and the stunning beauty of its patterns and color palette.
In the “Summer” pendant, the jasper combines red, white, and green hues. This mix of colors evokes associations with lush green fields and forests under the midday sun, when the summer heat shimmers in the air. The large, ornate filigree links of the chain echo the splendor of thriving vegetation, completing the artistic image of the summer season.
