The koi in this collection is a fish swimming upstream. The old story is the carp that leaps the waterfall at the Dragon Gate and becomes a dragon — which is why the koi is worn for an effort that has not paid off yet, rather than for one that already has.
Three pieces
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White jade koi on red cord — the fish cut in white jade and knotted onto a cord. White reads the whole shape clearly, which is what you want from a figure this small.
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Jade double koi necklace — two fish facing each other, cut as a pendant rather than a bead.
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Enamel koi on woven cord — the only piece here that is not stone. Enamel holds a harder, brighter color than polished jade, and the woven cord gives it something matte to sit against.
Why jade
Jade is tough rather than hard, so it can be cut into thin fins and the curve of a tail without the risk that comes with quartz. Both carved koi here use that — the fins on the white jade piece are the thinnest carving in this collection.
Choosing
If you want the figure legible from across a room, take the white jade. If you want the color, take the enamel.
The jade pieces are cut the same way.
