The Poisson Pendant

A note from Elizabeth on the Poisson Pendant - and on a piece of the California coast that has, in one way or another, shaped everything I've ever made.

I grew up on the California coast. Some of my earliest memories are of standing at the edge of the Pacific, watching light move across the water, and understanding — even as a child — that the ocean shapes the way we live, the way we see beauty, and the way we remember place.

My father worked in environmental engineering and was an early founder in air pollution control and emission services. He taught me that the natural world is not separate from our lives; it sustains them. That perspective shaped much of what came later: my relationship to design, gemstones, conservation, and eventually, a small carved fish that became one of the most personal pieces we've created at Elyzian.

The Poisson Pendant Collection began with movement.

I wanted to create a piece that felt alive when worn — fluid rather than static. Something sculptural, tactile, and slightly unexpected.

Each pendant is hand-carved from a single natural gemstone — including lapis lazuli, turquoise, opal, amethyst, kyanite, malachite, onyx, ruby, rose quartz and tanzanite — then articulated in four segments linked with 14k yellow gold. The result is a fish that bends softly against the body and catches light differently with every movement.

No two are identical. The character of each piece is shaped by the stone itself: its grain, saturation, translucency, and natural variation.

We are producing one hundred in total, released in small drops that began June 1 for World Ocean Month.

Why a Fish

Fish have appeared in jewelry and decorative arts for centuries — symbols of abundance,
movement, protection, and transformation. But for me, this collection was less about symbolism than memory. And honestly, it just brings joy. I especially love the black opal — dark and moody indoors, and then you take her out into the sun and, wow, she's a party.

Southern California has always been home, and deeply tied to the ocean. Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, long afternoons on the water, diving below the surface and realizing there was an entirely different world beneath us — those experiences leave an imprint. As a child, I sometimes did my homework in a cave beneath our home at low tide.

The Poisson became a way to translate that feeling into form.

I have spent much of my adult life supporting ocean conservation work, and I've served on the Board of Directors of Oceana since 2020. This summer marks my eleventh year co-chairing the SeaChange Summer Party, Oceana's annual gala in Laguna Beach — and its 25th anniversary on July 25. Since its inception, SeaChange has raised more than $23 million for ocean protection work around the world. Every year, our Orange County community shows up for the ocean, and every year I am reminded that this work belongs to all of us.

Oceana's work is the reason I keep showing up. Years ago, they led the federal lawsuit that forced the U.S. government to protect essential fish habitat along our coast — including the kelp forests of California, the underwater architecture that holds our marine life together. Those are the forests just off our shore. The ones we grew up swimming above. The kind of victory that makes the work feel close to home.

In support of that work, $500 from every Poisson Pendant will be donated to Oceana.

Objects that carry meaning

I have always believed the best jewelry carries something beyond material value. It holds
memory, identity, emotion, history.

This is also the first physical product I've ever made. For years, I worked with clients who created beautiful objects, and I always wanted to bring something to life for World Ocean Month. With Elyzian, I finally can.

The Poisson is ultimately about connection — to the ocean, to craftsmanship, to the natural world, and to the idea that the things we love most are worth protecting.

New pieces are now live on elyzian.com, with drops continuing as the collection unfolds. Oceana's work, and the case for it, in their own words, is at oceana.org.

Thank you for being here, and for caring about the ocean. It is, as a friend once told me at a SeaChange dinner, the common ground we still have left.

Elizabeth Wahler Co-Founder, Elyzian · Board Member, Oceana · Co-Chair, SeaChange 2026

Elizabeth has spent nearly two decades working alongside Oceana's work. The Poisson Pendant Collection is a personal expression of that commitment.