Ginkgo Grove Barrette

Before there were flowering plants, before there were grasses or fruit trees or anything resembling a modern forest, there were ginkgos. Two hundred and seventy million years old, give or take — older than the dinosaurs, older than most mountain ranges. The species alive today is essentially unchanged from its fossil record. When you hold a ginkgo leaf, you are holding a shape that predates nearly everything you know. That kind of deep time has made the ginkgo sacred across cultures. In Japan, ancient ginkgo trees mark the grounds of temples and shrines, their fan-shaped leaves symbolizing longevity and resilience. In China, they are called "silver apricots" and have been cultivated for over a thousand years. After the bombing of Hiroshima, ginkgo trees were among the first living things to regenerate — scarred, still standing, pushing out new leaves within months. The tree endures. It is not dramatic about it. This barrette renders a grove of those ancient leaves in solid Britannia metal, each fan-shaped form overlapping the next with a depth and texture that catches light differently depending on the angle. Oberon Design, a California studio known for their deeply sculptural metalwork, cast it using hand-carved molds that give every leaf a tactile, almost fossil-like presence against the silver-toned surface. At three inches long and just over an inch wide, it has real substance — 22 grams of solid metal that holds hair with authority and looks quietly striking from any distance. The clasp is sturdy and reliable. Britannia metal is a high-tin alloy, lead-free and hypoallergenic, so it sits comfortably against the skin all day. Handcrafted by Oberon Design in California.