I saw these black beads while shopping and they struck a chord with me because they are not the usual shiny symmetrical beads. They look like lava rock and have a nice texture to them. I was originally going to use turquoise beads to offset them but as I was about to start, I noticed these white howlite beads (which feature some light gray marbling) in my kit and it struck me that together, they reminded me of the pieces on a chess board. So I just went with it. The centerpiece is the Sacred Heart symbol, upon which I hung a king's crown. ♚ The crucifix is made of wood with a metal frame.