Royalty

Why Meghan Markle Wore A Tattoo Necklace

The design by Jessica McCormack relates to the royal tour in New Zealand

by Marion Fasel

Meghan Markle has provided an array of jewelry highlights during the royal tour. She tossed on a necklace made with some dried pasta by a 6-year-old in Australia. She sparkled plenty during a state dinner in Fiji in some “borrowed diamond pendant earrings.” When she put on Diana’s aquamarine ring for a dinner in Tonga, it practically broke the internet.

In New Zealand, the Duchess has provided another poignant moment with her jewelry. She wore a diamond Tattoo pendant by New Zealand-born jewelry designer Jessica McCormack as she gave a speech to mark the 125th anniversary of women’s suffrage.

Each Tattoo pendant is made into a unique piece by the random setting of the various sizes of diamonds on the spiral motif. The design draws on the designer’s New Zealand heritage and the rich culture of its native people. It is inspired by the fern frond or koru and the ancient Maori tradition of ‘Ta Moko.’

According to Jessica McCormack’s description of the collection:

For the Maori, the practice of ‘Ta Moko’ – a form of permanently scarring and marking the skin – is a deeply personal art. The tattoos are rife with symbolism and meaning – from birthplace and ancestry to social status and rank. No two Moko are the same, but each conveys a sense of history and place unique to its owner. The fern, or Koru, symbolizes new life, strength and peace, and is an iconic symbol deeply familiar to all New Zealanders.

The Jessica McCormack Tattoo collection is available on ModaOperandi.com

Related Stories: 

More on That Aquamarine Ring Harry Gave Meghan

Kate and Meghan’s Diamonds at State Dinners

The Queen Gave Meghan Earrings

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