Bag
Your cart is currently empty
Wishlist

Men's soapstone beaded necklace, 'African Royalty'

Product ID: U35970

Curate

Men's soapstone beaded necklace, 'African Royalty'

Delivery Estimate

This item is available for pre-order and will ship within 2 to 8 weeks. Learn More

Available in 2 to 8 weeks. Learn More

Details

Bold textures and fascinating grains of gray and brown distinguish this very long necklace by Rachel Armah. She works in soapstone with its rich earthen tones, and adds bauxite beads, believed to be healing, to flank the clasp. In the center is a sleek globe carved from bull horn. She names her men's design Ahenfo, which means "royalty" in the Akan language.

Made in Ghana

  • Soapstone, bauxite, bull horn, nylon cord
  • Natural stone - some variations in color and/or pattern are to be expected
  • Free Gift Wrap? Yes
  • Premium Gift Wrap? Yes
  • 0.30 kgs
  • 0.7 lbs
  • 102 cm L x 2 cm W
  • 40" L x 0.8" W
  • Central bead: 4.5 cm L x 4.5 cm W
  • Central bead: 1.8" L x 1.8" W
View in metric units View in US/English units

Product Reviews By Customers

(0)
(0)
(0)
(0)
(0)

Quantity

Triple 'Win' Pricing

Rachel Armah

Meet the Artist

Artfully crafted by Rachel Armah from West Africa.

 

Meet the Artist

Rachel Armah

Rachel Armah

"I am a single mother of two daughters and due to the hardships I have faced as a single mother, I have done all I can to support my girls through petty trading and teaching."

"Growing up in Abiriw was enjoyable and exciting. It was very much a communal life, and every year in September we... celebrated the Odwira festival to give thanks for a good harvest and year. Festivities included a grand durbar of chiefs amidst drumming and dancing. The highlight of the celebration for me as a young girl was the display of the beautiful traditional colorful attires that people wore and accessorized with gorgeous beaded necklaces and other adornments.

"I grew up with my father and sister, my mother passed away when I was a toddler, but I was fortunate to have an adopted mother who took care of all my needs as a young girl. She was such a blessing and she treated me like her biological daughter. My father was a teacher; we traveled with him all over Ghana to where he was posted so I have lived in almost every region of Ghana.

"Although we had some financial difficulties I was able to get a basic high school education in Cape Coast, followed by a Higher National Diploma in Secretarialship as well as a Diploma in Business Studies at the Takoradi Polytechnic. I also took a course at the Federation for Professional Business Women, an NGO, in Clothing and Textiles. From there I worked with the Ghana Education Service where I taught Secretarialship, as well as Clothing and Textile for ten years.

"I am a single mother of two daughters and due to the hardships I have faced as a single mother, I have done all I can to support my girls through petty trading and teaching. With my background in clothing and textiles, I started sewing for people to supplement my income and I realized the need for accessories to enhance the cloths I produced. With this new awareness coupled with the rich cultural experience I had growing up in different towns, I got into bead making.

"I learned the skill from a friend who graciously taught me at no cost. It was a very smooth and pleasant learning process and I was excited to put to use what I was taught. My friend was a good teacher and I a keen student, so in three months I was ready to start crafting pieces and selling them. However, due to financial constraints I wasn't start my own venture, I needed some capital to buy the materials and tools to start.

"God being so good I was able to put some money aside through my sewing to purchase what I needed and I have been designing and crafting beads since 2007. I am currently focused on my sewing and bead making, and now there is one more artisan and two apprentices who help me with both trades. I also call upon casual workers for when it gets really busy.

"I have a real passion for what I do and I work mostly with natural stones made into beads. I travel quite a distance to the eastern region of Ghana to get natural bauxite and soapstone. I am in contact with stone carvers there who shape and cut them to my specifications.

"The challenge I face on such trips is being away from my girls longer than anticipated due to changes that need to be made to stones ordered, or disappointments in producing goods on time by the stone carvers. Aside these few challenges faced, I am grateful to God I can provide for my daughters' needs through this trade.

"My daughters always like to sit with me when threading the beads whenever they are out of school, and they are eager to learn, especially the eldest. She always comes up with very interesting arrangements and colors when I allow them to play with the beads. They love to make pieces for themselves and show them off to their friends!

"I am a friendly, hardworking, kind person and I like to evangelize with members of the church I attend. We visit villages and small towns on the outskirts of Accra on regular basis and I occasionally visit prison inmates in some of the prisons in Accra to evangelize, give support and hope anyway I can. The time spent with them is so heartbreaking and rewarding at the same time. I believe we all need each other in life so although it breaks my heart to see inmates who have been neglected by their families because of bad decisions made, it is also rewarding to give back to society in my own small way.

"I also like to teach under privileged youth how to make tie dye and batik free of charge. I have taught over forty people so far who have gone on to do this to improve their lives and to earn a living for their families.

"My dream for the future is to be able to set up a school with all the facilities needed to teach young and underprivileged girls bead and batik making on a large scale. I also hope to acquire the skills and machines needed to be able to carve out the stone beads at my workshop so I can have access to materials on time.

"Although we now reside in Accra, I make it a point to be part of the yearly Odwira festival in my hometown to be with my extended family, where I draw inspiration from.

"I hope you will enjoy my jewelry! I would like to say thank you to Novica for this opportunity to earn a living and share my jewelry with the world."

View full artist profile

More from this artist

View All

PREVIOUSLY VIEWED

This item qualifies for FREE SHIPPING!

This item ships with a free artist storycard, so you can remember who you impacted today. Customized gift messages are also available with every order.

We want you to be 100% satified with your order, so if you are not completely happy with your item, you can return it within 60 days of receiving it.

Return instructions

We pack, ship, certify and 100% guarantee the quality of this item. Watch this video to see how.

This item is available for backorder and will ship within 2 to 8 weeks. Artists love to get backorders. Placing a backorder ensures that the artisan will do their best to create and deliver your item to our local office for shipment.

Although we cannot guarantee availability, we do expect to be able to fill the order within the timeframe indicated. But sometimes life happens - special materials may not be immediately available to the artist, or there might be some other circumstance beyond our control that could delay the shipment.

If for any reason we are unable to ship the item within the timeframe indicated, we will notify you.

In the unlikely even that we are unable to ship the item within the timeframe indicated, we will contact you and provide an updated delivery window.

This item has a special shipping flat fee which means that due to bulk, duties, or other special requirements, the item will be shipped to you via one of our special one-rate services. Shipping is only available to the United States (lower 48 States only).

WOMEN S M L XL XXL
4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
BUST 35 - 36 37 - 38 39 - 41 42 - 44 46 - 48
WAIST 27 - 28 29 - 30 31 - 33 34 - 36 38 - 40
HIPS 37 - 38 39 - 40 42 - 43 45 - 46 49 - 50
MEN S M L XL XXL
CHEST 36 - 38 39 - 41 42 - 44 46 - 48 50 - 52
WAIST 30 - 32 32 - 34 35 - 37 38 - 41 43 - 45
NECK 14 - 14.5 15 - 15.5 16 - 16.5 17 - 17.5 18 - 18.5
SLEEVE 32.5 33.5 34.5 35.5 36.5
FINDING YOUR SIZE

Take your measurements with the tape measure over your under garments. If your measurements fall between sizes you may prefer the next larger size. Inseam, skirt and dress lengths vary by style and will be listed in the item description. Our sweaters are knit in standard American sizes, however actual measurements vary by style.

BUST / CHEST

Measure around the fullest part of chest under the arms and over the shoulder blades keeping the tape measure level.

WAIST

Measure around the smallest part of the waist keeping the tape measure comfortably loose. Most garments use the low waist measurement noted below.

LOW WAIST

Measure around the body approximately 1.5" below the natural waist (above). This is the area where most pants and skirts actually fit.

HIPS

Standing with your heels together, measure around the fullest part of the body approx 7"-8" below the waist.

NECK

Measure around the base of the neck keeping the tape measure comfortably loose.

SLEEVE

Bend elbow slightly and starting at the center back of the neck, measure across the shoulder, to the elbow and down to the wrist.

INSEAM

Our standard inseam length for women is 32" and 34" for men; however inseam measurements will vary slightly by style.

 

Belts with buckles are measured in inches that correspond to a waist size however, most people do not wear belts on the waist, they wear them closer to the hips. A buckle belt measurement is take from the end of the "pin" of the buckle to the middle hole on the belt. Generally there are 5 holes for size adjustment, with a 1" space between each, so the middle hole will the be average size of the belt.

For at tie belt (no buckle) measure the belt portion end to end and half of the tie portion. This again is the medium size of the belt.

For a soft fabric tie belt it can be called "1 size fits most" and the entire length of the belt should be measured and listed.

See buckle/tie belt size standards below.

WOMEN S M L XL  
4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
inches 26 - 30 28 - 32 31 - 35 34 - 38 38 - 42
cm 76 - 86 81.5 - 91.5 86.5 - 96.5 91.5 - 101.5 96.5 - 106.5

+/- tolerance: 0.5 inches or 1.25 cm

MEN S M L XL XXL
inches 30 - 34 32 - 36 35 - 39 39 - 43 43 - 47
cm 81.5 - 91.5 86.5 - 96.5 91.5 - 101.5 96.5 - 106.5 109 - 119

+/- tolerance: 0.5 inches or 1.25 cm

Sash tie length

Lay sash/tie out flat away from the garment and measure from end to end.

Belt with buckle

Measure from the end of the pin of the buckle (where it touches the buckle) to the middle hole.

Belt without buckle

Measure from the belt portion end to end and half of the tie portion. This is will give you the medium size of the belt.

Download our printable ring sizing chart to find the perfect fit!

DOWNLOAD

We refer to these items as "discounted wholesale". Such items carry a deeper wholesale discount than other items, and have greater potential to provide your business with healthier resale margins.

Premium gift wrapping

Turn your gift-giving into an art form with our new premium gift wrapping service!

Delivering a beautiful handmade treasure, wrapped by hand in exquisite packaging will make your gifts truly unforgettable.

Above all, it's EASY! Just select the premium gift wrapping option during checkout and we do the rest. No more last minute worries about presentation - your gifts will be the best dressed every time!

Most premium gift wrap is only $3.95 - $5.95 per item.

Select your gift wrap option during checkout

Select your gift wrap option during checkout

Go premium for jewelry gifts!

Go premium for jewelry gifts!

Triple 'Win' Pricing

UNICEF Market offers triple win pricing, where YOU the consumer, Children from around the world, and Artisans all benefit.

WIN # 1 You Save!

Handmade goods from developing nations usually pass through a series of intermediaries before being purchased by retail consumers. Each of these intermediaries adds cost to the product, and that cost is passed on to the customer. UNICEF USA partnered with NOVICA, who works directly with artists through their regional offices in Asia, Africa and Latin America, allowing purchases from UNICEF Market to go directly from the artisans to fulfilling customer orders. By skipping steps in the traditional supply chain, you can buy high quality items for less than the regular retail prices.

WIN # 2 Children Benefit!

Each item purchased from UNICEF Market will benefit UNICEF's programs that provide lifesaving nutrition, medicine, education, clean water, emergency relief and more to children in need.

You can learn more about UNICEF's work, on About UNICEF.

WIN # 3 Artisans Profit!

UNICEF Market artisans set their own prices and control their own businesses. UNICEF Market offers artisans a free platform to sell their work throughout the United States.

Back to Top