Jewellery companies and designers have been rolling out their interpretations of the mythical creature since the beginning of the calendar year, rendering dragons in gold and silver and decorating them with diamonds and coloured gemstones.
For John Hardy and his creative chairman, Reed Krakoff, the source of inspiration from the archives was not hard to find.
In 2007, the Bali-based brand unveiled the first piece in what would become one of its most recognizable and most successful collections, the “‘Naga Dragon'”.
John Hardy made this bracelet in 2007. The first piece of what would become the “Naga Dragon” collection. A key feature was the mechanics of the dragon's mouth “biting” the gold ring. The mouth acts as a clasp for the bracelet.
The mythical creature is sacred to the people of Bali and symbolizes the connection between man and nature.
As the story goes, the Naga sits on top of a volcano by day, protecting the people. At night, he dives into the ocean to visit his true love, the Pearl.
When it flies back to the volcano in the morning, the water dripping from its scales feeds the fields.
Krakoff's reissue of the dragon pays homage to some of the distinctive elements of the original design. Such as the use of woven chain to imitate the scales. Even in some pieces, the dragon biting its own tail.
But the Naga version is sleeker and more modern, without sacrificing details, making it typical Krakoff.
The new Naga Dragon collection debuted in January. The pieces are available in sterling silver or 14-carat gold, such as the necklace featured as this week's piece of the week.
Source: nationaljeweler.com
