Xenia Mara necklaces are links to stylish times gone by

As a jewelry junkie, I'm always on the hunt for something standout. It has to be eye-catching, it must have a style of its own and I have to love it. I found it recently at a Xenia Callahan trunk show. The local designer, who sells her pieces under the name of Xenia Mara, uses vintage copper and brass chain, and found objects and gemstones to make one-of-a-kind jewelry.

Each piece is made from materials Callahan has gleaned from her travels to China, Hong Kong and Korea, as well as her close-to-home scavenger hunts at estate sales, garage sales and flea markets. She makes delicate earrings, but it's her necklaces that are the real stunners.

The chains have simple or ornate links, oxidized into a warm-toned patina. They won't turn green -- unless of course you leave them in the rain. "I tell people to picture a shiny new penny and a well worn one," Callahan says of the range of colors that can be found in her collection.

Many of Callahan's designs are influenced by the Art Deco and Art Nouveau periods, giving the jewelry a classic look with a modern twist. One piece might span decades: a copper chain from the 1960s, glass beads from the turn of the century and charms from the 1920s.

"I may only have a few pieces of one item," Callahan says. "I often spend a long time staring at them thinking, 'I only have one shot' to create something really special and unique."

The jewelry is infused with the history of previous owners and collectors. For instance, Callahan has dozens of turn-of-the-century glass pieces from a retired school teacher in New York City. "She collected them and when she died, her family stored them another decade before selling them."

Some of her showstoppers include necklaces of heavy copper chain with thick, flat chandelier crystal pendants or clear quartz crystal, and figure-eight copper link chains studded with gemstones like irregularly faceted lemon citrine.

Necklaces average between $150 and $250, depending on the materials, and earrings are $65 to $90. Custom designs are also available. You can find Xenia Mara jewelry online, and locally at Hitchcock, Burnt Sugar, Clover House and Andaluz.

For a comprehensive look at Callahan's collection, stop by "Embellish," hosted by the Northwest Society of Interior Designers, on June 19 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Oregon Tile & Marble (5930 6th Ave. S.). There is a $10 admission fee.

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