Anyone who knows me well, knows that I’ve had a special necklace nearly forever, given to me by my best friends on my 21st birthday many years (20) ago.

I wore it so much that 2 years ago the end snapped off it and my good and very talented friend Sally fixed it for me.

I wore it so much, nearly every day… that was until lockdown happened and I didn’t wear it as much. Then all of a sudden in about May time this year, I couldn’t find it.

This was the last photo I have of me wearing it… on a sunny day at the end of April in Shawlands. I was gutted.

I can’t find it in the house anywhere, I’ve checked all my pockets in case it’s there. And it’s not in any of the obvious places, or even in my car or anywhere.

The only thing I can think of is that it maybe eventually broke when I was out and it’s gone. I really miss it.

So I went and contacted the jewellery shop my friends got it from – ORRO – in the merchant city – maybe see if the jewellery designer is still around. They came back to say that it was a German designer and they stopped making the jewellery about 10 years ago. Booooo.

I looked online for German designers and did find one, but it was too complicated to follow up.

I have so many pictures of me with it on!

Anyway. I figured, since it wasn’t coming back, and I missed it so much. I couldn’t get a replacement made by the designer, I might as well have a go at re-making it.

And here it is… after a few attempts … it’s a bit slimmer than the original, but the about same size and pattern – with stainless steel tube beads, blue beads and clear beads.

It feels similar to the old one, but clearly not as quality as it had been. The beads are 3mm and I think I’m going to make another which has 4mm beads. But this one will do as a start / prototype.

I also have some spare coloured beads and stainless steel tube beads, so I’ll likely make a few necklaces and maybe a bracelet or two.

Here’s the 3mm version on me now. I’m quite pleased with it. Now I can continue my journey with this replica necklace, hopefully for another 20 years or more.

And I’ll always remember how generous my best friends were with their present that I wore so much I maybe wore it out!