Bee Mine 🐝
I’ve always been charmed by bee motifs. They’ve long been associated with France: the honey bee was adopted as a symbol of French royalty centuries before Napoleon, symbolizing immortality and resurrection. There’s an interesting theory that the oh-so-French fleur-de-lis was originally a stylized bee symbol.
Bees are pretty remarkable creatures too. In high school, our biology teacher build an in-classroom hive with glass walls. (The bees could come and go through a sealed vent to the outside.) We watched the bees organize, build their hive, tend to larvae, and dance to direct their hive-mates to where the good pollen was.
Bee Jewelry: Delicate and Bold
I have a hard time resisting jewelry that incorporates a bee motif. Of all the French Kande in my collection, I wear the styles with bees more than any other. The latest collection, Hotel de Ville, has introduced another bee to the family.
I think of this one as a Queen Bee, because she’s all decked out in her jewels. The delicate chain is adjustable from 14.5″ to 17.5″, which provides lots of styling options. It’s also offered in silver. This necklace can be worn on its own, but also looks great layered.
At 1″, these silver bee earrings aren’t overwhelming, but can add a little casual glam to your daytime look. (Also available in gold.)
But there are some fun, bolder styles in this new collection too. I decided to go with a statement necklace, and chose this pearl and gold one (gifted). We all could use a little of that Queen Bee energy sometimes… 😉
I also have my sights on this bracelet, with the Golden Mix stones and golden abeille medallion.
From an earlier collection, this silver Swarovski necklace with “miel” medallions is a nice way to add some subtle sparkle.
And here’s a little something to “sweeten the pot.” French Kande is offering this lovely Rose Quartz necklace for just $30, with a purchase of $250 or more!
Olivia Burton is another brand that features bees prominently in many designs. This bee watch is similar to one I bought last year.
If you prefer smaller stud earrings to dangles, these gold bees are fun.
Julie Vos has a Honey Bee Collection in gold. I thought this bracelet was a good choice…a classic style with a touch of whimsy. It’s adjustable too, a nice detail!
This stunner of a bracelet features faceted apatite beads and a bee charm with black and white diamonds. Casual luxe at its best!
I’m predicting that brooches are poised for a comeback. This one’s from Gucci, (who has some fabulous bee motifs) hence is a bit spendy. Check out Etsy for some fun, budget-friendly options.
I know it’s not jewelry, but see what I mean about Gucci’s fabulous bee motifs? If this wallet were offered in red, I’d be all over it.
Do you wear any bee jewelry, or other accessories with a bee motif?
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These are so charming, thank you for sharing! I am a kindergarten teacher and for the past few years my class theme has revolved around bees. My little friends often gift me with bee gifts because kindergarten is truly the best place to “bee”…
But you left out the best “bee” jewelry. A few years ago, I was watching a British show called The Split. The lead female character always wore a beautiful bee necklace. With a little sleuthing, found out that’s it’s from a UK designer Alex Monroe. So, went to their website and they have gold as well as silver bee jewelry. The firm specializes in nature jewelry. And they ship to the US! I now have a gold mini bee necklace
Manchester, UK, is my nearest city and the worker bee has been its symbol for many ,many years. When the terrorist bomb was detonated in 2017, the bee became an even more potent symbol of a city that would not submit to such an outrage. There always were bees carved, drawn and sculpted around the city but it has become even more prominent; many Mancunians had bee tattoos as their own sign of solidarity. (not me, cannot do tattoos) A wonderful symbol for a proud city and such an amazing insect. Hopefully, the more of us who become aware of them, in any way (jewellery is good!) the more we will also ensure this wonderful creature is not threatened by humanity’s behaviour as is currently the case.
Alll power to the bee!
As insects go, bees are adorable. I have a harder time with spiders, even as jewelry. I have a beautiful tablecloth from Arles with a bee motif. My neighbor has water goblets with bees. Very French.
The bee is a symbol of Napoleon’s reign, and the fleur de lis is a stylized iris representing royalty in France. Both are lovely, very partial to Napoleon’s bee which is seen in so many lovely designs.
Yes, and even before Napoleon, Childeric I (reigned 5th century BC) adopted the bee as the symbol of French royalty. It’s said that Napoleon chose this symbol to link himself to the ancient French kings.
Link to the “stunner of a bracelet “does nor connect to this bracelet. Perhaps no longer available?
Ah, sorry about that! It is still available. I’ve updated it in the post, and here’s the correct link: http://bit.ly/2Sp43an
I am in LOVE with bee jewelry (my dog’s name is Bumble, and he’s a cancer survivor. Bees are also a symbol of overcoming the impossible, so of course I wear them for my Bumble) and so glad you did this feature! You turned me on to French Kande a few years back – and love the pieces you mention here. I have the bee medallion bracelet with multi stones – my advice is you have to stack them – the medallion is heavy and is pulled by gravity to always face down on your wrist, so by stacking a few bracelets, they stay in place better.
Thanks and love your blog!
Oh Dear! This post is wonderful …..but a disaster to my budget LOL
OK, I must dissent: I don’t like bees and I would NEVER wear bee-themed jewelry. I have had enough bad experience with bee stings. Why anyone thinks bees are cute is beyond me.
Not my taste either.
Thanks for the fun post! I’m a big FK fan and I can see this post is going to lighten my wallet! Also, for other bee lovers, Joules clothing has a bee as it’s logo. I have a navy knit blazer and the lining has bees.
More bad news for the humble wild bumblebees this week. They are teetering on mass extinction. And so I ask every green thumb here to plant a bumblebee-friendly garden this spring.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/feb/06/bumblebees-decline-points-to-mass-extinction-study
Susan, you “bee cute” in that jewelry! Yuk yuk. I have a tiny gold and diamond bee pin, one of the first gifts given to me by my hubby after we were married. I’ve always heard the French bee referred to as the Napoleonic bee, n’es pas??
These are all so beautiful, although mostly out of my price range. I’m allergic to bees, but I still love them! I did snag a cute pin set from Chico’s on sale over the holidays that included a bee. (I love brooches and have always worn them.) The set I bought is sold out now, but they still have this one, and they’re showing it on the jacket you previously purchased, I think. 🙂
https://www.chicos.com/store/product/mixedmetal+bee+pin/570273603?color=970&catId=cat40028
And if anybody is in the market for a Gucci ring and is a size 6, they have one on the T.J. Maxx website right now. https://tjmaxx.tjx.com/store/jump/product/Made-In-Italy-18k-Gold-Le-Marche-Des-Merveilles-Bee-Ring/1000524682?colorId=NS1003487&pos=0:2
Cool stuff! You have no way of knowing this but my last name (Hummel) means bumble bee in German. So I’ve always loved bees as a motif. Plus, as you note, they’re wonderful creatures in real life.
Those French Kande pieces are fabulous. I love bees.
For those who do like bee motifs (I do!) the Tiffany Jean Schlumberger bee pieces (earrings, pin, pendant) are for me “the bee’s knees”. They range from relatively low key (all-gold with tiny gemstone eyes) to all-diamond. Many other lines have tried their hand at versions. but like other iconic pieces, the ‘homage’ designs can fall a few buzzes short.