{"product_id":"power-without-a-throne-african-opal-dragon-zodiac-necklace","title":"Power Without a Throne — African Opal Dragon Zodiac Necklace","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEleven of these animals can be kept in a yard. This one cannot.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe dragon is the only sign in the twelve that nobody has ever had to feed, and it is the one people fought hardest over the right to wear.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUnder Ming and Qing law the number of claws was rank. Five claws belonged to the emperor and his immediate household. Four for the next tier down, three below that. Wearing a dragon with the wrong number of toes was not a fashion error — it was a matter for the authorities. An empire wrote legislation about a creature that does not exist, and enforced it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSomething similar had happened in Rome, with a stone. Pliny records a senator called Nonius who owned an opal Mark Antony wanted. Nonius kept the ring and went into exile instead. He left his property, his city and his standing, and took one stone.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEleven of these animals can be kept in a yard. This one cannot.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eChen, the fifth earthly branch, is the double hour from seven until nine in the morning. Full working light. The hour when whatever you are going to be that day is already visible.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe dragon here is gold and it takes up the whole circle, tail to whiskers, with clouds and an opal set in a rayed gold mount above it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI did not black this one. A dark circle would have made it theatrical, and the sign does not need help. Clear silver, white stones, and the animal doing the talking.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe metal is solid 925 sterling silver with gold plating on the dragon and the mount. Plating is a surface finish and it wears with time; the silver beneath it does not.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePosted to you tracked. 5–10 days to the UK.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe scales are the reason. They run the full length of the body and each row is cut in separately after casting.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMaterials\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNatural African opal — 4 mm round\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhite cubic zirconia accent stones — laboratory-made, not mined\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e925 sterling silver with gold plating on the dragon and mount\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePendant 25.49 mm across, on a box chain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFree UK delivery · 5–10 days\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWorn for centuries as the sign of authority that was never granted to you. Some people feel something when they put a sign on. Some don't. Either way it is an old idea and it is accurately made.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Asi8","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49044068729002,"sku":"ASI8-OPA-020","price":189.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0719\/3313\/2970\/files\/20-1.jpg?v=1786612305","url":"https:\/\/asieight.com\/products\/power-without-a-throne-african-opal-dragon-zodiac-necklace","provider":"Asi8","version":"1.0","type":"link"}