The city of Ephesus on the Aegean was once one of the most important trading centers in the Mediterranean. With the Temple of Artemis - supposedly the largest and most magnificent temple of its time - the city was also home to one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Ephesus is also one of the oldest known places with its own coinage. Characteristic of the city's coinage is the bee, a sacred animal that plays an important role in the cult of Artemis. One such coin from Ephesus, dating from 323 to 189 BC, forms the model for the pendant on this necklace. On the obverse, the front, it shows the bee with the Greek letters Ε (Epsilon) and Φ (Phi). The reverse shows a stag with an upturned head and a laurel palm in the foreground. Ménard made the pendant and the filigree anchor chain with ring spring clasp from gold-plated 925 silver. It is a so-called electrotype, in which the jewelry is immersed in a solution of metallic ions. A thin layer of gold is deposited on the surface through electrochemical processes.

When Gisela and Detlef Menard founded their own company in 1981, the focus was still on the sale of antique-style jewelry. It has long since become an established family business that stands for timeless design and high quality. To achieve this, Ménard harmoniously combined aspects of craftsmanship, function and design. The clasps on the necklaces and bracelets, for example, are not just a necessary constructive evil, but in their simple yet effective design are sometimes pieces of jewelry in their own right. No wonder Ménard has protected them under design law. The necklaces and bracelets made from the colorful Murano glass beads, which come from the lagoon island near Venice, famous for its glass art, are almost a trademark. And of course Ménard also uses classic jewelry materials such as pearls.

Due to the high working and social standards, short transport routes and technical expertise, Ménard relies largely on Germany as a location: the silver clasps, for example, come from the gold town of Pforzheim, stones and chains from the gemstone town of Idar-Oberstein. It is worth noting that Ménard works specifically with refineries that only use recycled silver and gold for its precious metals.