When I first saw The Swallow’s Tail—the final painting by Salvador Dali—I was captivated. Not just by the piece itself, which is bold and mathematical and unlike any of his earlier surrealist works, but by the man behind it.Dali has always fascinated me—as he does most people. Eccentric, brilliant, theatrical, and deeply philosophical, he saw the world through a lens entirely his own. His ability to move fluidly between science, art, religion, and math wasn’t just impressive—it was mesmerizing.
The Swallow’s Tail, one symbol in particular caught my eye: the integral sign (∫). Amid all the theory and geometry, this simple, elegant curve stood out. It was so minimal—and yet so charged with meaning.
What Does “Integral” Mean, Anyway?
When I looked up the definition of integral, I found something beautiful. It means necessary to make a whole complete. Essential. Fundamental. Built-in. Words like "unified," "intact," and "undivided" kept coming up.
As a jewelry designer, I’m always drawn to the idea of connection and completeness—how simple shapes can carry deep meaning. That’s exactly what I saw in the integral symbol: a curve that looks quiet and graceful, but holds the concept of wholeness at its core.
Math, Music, and Meaning
As I continued researching the symbol, I discovered something even more poetic. Dali himself compared the shape of the integral sign to the f-hole of a cello—those curved openings on the body of the instrument that allow it to resonate. Without them, the cello couldn’t sing.
And just like that, it all came together for me.
The integral sign is about accumulation—about everything adding up, fitting together, making sense. The cello’s f-hole is about resonance—about creating space for sound and emotion. And the necklace I began sketching was about simplicity—about letting a single curve hold all of that meaning.
The Necklace
Integral Necklace is part of my Simple Summer Collection, a line of lightweight, minimalist pieces designed for effortless wear. It’s made with a single elegant arc—a nod to the integral symbol, the cello’s f-hole, and the idea of quiet completeness.
This necklace is for anyone who finds beauty in the balance.
In the essential.
In the parts of ourselves that feel quietly powerful and whole.