NOVICA, in association with National Geographic, offers thousands of limited edition and one-of-a-kind gifts, jewelry, and home decor treasures handmade by master artists and artisans throughout the world. Shining oak leaves unite in a dazzling silver necklace. Thoroughly modern, the handcrafted choker comes from Flavia Melendez. .950 rating silver Artisan Info: Born December 23, 1973, Flavia Cecilia Melendez Calderon graduated from the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru with a degree in fine art and a major in painting. Since 1996, she has designed and crafted jewelry. "I'd describe my work as free, emotive and very personal. I try to transmit originality, freedom and expression in every piece," she says. "My life is art. And art is a process that comes together from the very beginning, which is finding just the right stone or imagining the design. I then cast or cut the metal according to the design, and I incise the motifs, make cut-outs, or solder each piece. I add texture when necessary, and polish the jewelry to a glowing sheen. If it requires a stone, I mount it in the setting. Each one is a complement and a challenge," she explains. Melendez's jewelry is crafted of silver with stones she discovers. "My inspiration comes from the pre-Inca epoch, passing through ancient Greece, Rome and other even older civilizations, and I recreate the designs by way of my own personal vision." Her jewelry features irregular forms, with the sensation of having been discovered just

Handmade by Flavia Melendez

Ships from Peru within 10 days

Hook clasp