Fish-Scale and Sphere Beaded Necklace

What makes this necklace stand out is its construction: confronted fish-scale pyramids set in rows against beaded spheres, a rhythmic alternation of faceted and rounded silver that turns a string of beads into an articulated, almost architectural band. It is a clear demonstration of how Héctor Aguilar thought about jewelry as built form rather than applied decoration.

The piece is made in 940 silver, the higher-than-sterling standard often used in Taxco, and dates to about 1950. The fish-scale pyramids and rows of spheres are joined into a continuous length finished with an integral pin-closure, a clasp worked into the body of the piece rather than added as a separate fitting, which keeps the design uninterrupted around its full run.

This kind of disciplined, repeating geometry was a hallmark of the work coming out of Aguilar's Taller Borda in Taxco, where solid construction and clean massing defined the house style. The pairing of two contrasting bead forms in a single necklace shows the workshop's interest in pattern and texture worked entirely in metal.

The combination of the 940 standard, the integral closure, and the two-form bead scheme makes this a characteristic and substantial example of Aguilar's beadwork.