Behind every necklace is a story.
The History of Lythic Style
I have always had a fondness for rocks. Formed through intense processes deep within our planet, most rocks are millions of years old and connected to the foundations of humanity. Early humans made stone tools from rocks and many of the world's greatest structures were built with stone. I love that they provide a tangible connection to the Earth and the energy of the Universe.
Shortly after joining the military in 1995, I found a stone that I had never seen before. It was silvery like a metal but was very, smooth and irregularly shaped like a stone. It reminded me of a river rock and I was immediately drawn to it. I carried the stone around in my pocket for years wondering what it was. Whenever I felt stressed or anxious, I would hold the stone in my left hand and rub it with my thumb. I found that the smoothness and warmth of the stone calmed me down and made me feel better.
After many years carrying this stone in my pocket, I longed to have a necklace made from this wonderful material. However, I still didn't know what it was and I wasn't sure how to find out. After all, Google did not yet exist.
A decade passed, and all the while, I carried this stone in my pocket. During a business trip to Las Vegas in 2012, I was looking for souvenirs to bring home to my children. As I was walking across a pedestrian bridge, I passed a street vendor selling necklaces. When I looked his way I noticed that some of the necklaces had little beads that seemed to be the same kind of stone that I had in my pocket. I took out the stone and held it next to the necklace. It was the same stone! I was very excited to finally have a chance at getting the answer to a long-held question. I asked the vendor if he could tell me what the stone was. He looked at me, smiled and said, “That’s Hematite! It's a metallic stone." I was so elated to finally learn the name of my favorite stone that I bought a necklace for each of my children.
After learning the name of my favorite stone, I set out to find a necklace made of it. I began my search and looked in many jewelry stores and craft shops over the years. I continued to learn more about Hematite and other Semi-precious stones. Eventually, I became frustrated at not being able to find a necklace that had the design and style that I was searching for. So, I decided to create the necklace that I envisioned.
After creating the first necklace, I found that I had a desire for more elaborate pieces, incorporating more semi-precious stones and pendants. I developed a fondness for creating pieces with Labradorite, Tigers Eye and Quartz. I received many compliments on the necklaces that I was wearing which encouraged me to design and create more. I began to gift pieces to family and friends on special occasions. They shared with me how they would often receive compliments on their necklaces and people would ask where they could buy it. That led me to think about how I could share my love for these wonderful pieces of Mother Earth with the world.