{"product_id":"slow-step-african-opal-ox-zodiac-necklace","title":"The Slow Step — African Opal Ox Zodiac Necklace","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe animal that did the actual work came second.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the race story the ox carries the rat across the river, plods to the finish line, and loses by the length of a jump. People tell it as a joke about cunning beating effort.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe ox never seems to have minded. It got something better than first place: a ceremony.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt Lichun, the day that opened spring in the old Chinese calendar, officials built an ox out of clay and paraded it through the town. Then they beat it apart with coloured whips. The point was not cruelty — there was no animal in it — the point was that the farming year could not begin until somebody publicly broke the ox open. Farmers carried the pieces home to their fields.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA whole province waiting on a clay animal before anyone was allowed to start work.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe animal that did the actual work came second.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eChou, the second earthly branch, is the double hour from one until three in the morning. Deep night. Long before anything is visible, and long before anyone is grateful.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis one is the darkest piece in the series and the most patient looking. Black circle, black tree, and the ox standing in gold grass underneath it, not going anywhere.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe metal is solid 925 sterling silver. The gold is a plated finish over that silver and the dark sections are a black finish over the same silver — plating is a surface, it wears with time, the silver underneath does not.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePosted to you tracked. 5–10 days to the UK.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe tree is the slow part. Every branch is finished separately and a rushed one shows immediately against the black.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMaterials\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNatural African opal — 4 mm round\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNano black and white cubic zirconia accent stones — laboratory-made, not mined\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e925 sterling silver, gold plated, with a black finish on the dark sections\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\u003eCarried for centuries as the sign of work that does not announce itself. 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":49044061225130,"sku":"ASI8-OPA-017","price":189.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0719\/3313\/2970\/files\/17-1-opal_e5a292ac-eb7a-4bfc-a903-a66c2e0d4564.jpg?v=1789065791","url":"https:\/\/asieight.com\/products\/slow-step-african-opal-ox-zodiac-necklace","provider":"Asi8","version":"1.0","type":"link"}