The Necklace from Practical Magic 2: A Deepdive with Josephine Bergsøe

In the early autumn of 2026, Practical Magic 2 finally came out in theatres worldwide. The sequel to the cult-classic, starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock, from 1998 was highly anticipated and with its perfect dose of life and death, light and dark,  it left no one disappointed. 

Alongside Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, Practical Magic 2 was led by young actresses Joey King and Maisie Williams - playing Kylie and Antonia Owens, daughters of Bullock’s character Sally. 

But it wasn’t just the magic that took viewers' breath away, but the stunning jewellery carried by the main cast - particularly the necklace with a skull pendant worn by Joey King. 

The Memento Mori necklace was designed and crafted by Danish jewellery designer Josephine Bergsøe, as an extension of the Memento Mori collection and skull motifs she’s been working on for over 30 years. We sat down with Josephine to ask her everything about this special piece, why she loves working with this motif - and why you would ever like to reminder your customers that they one day will die. 

An ancient symbol 

As a symbol, the skull that has appeared throughout art and culture for centuries. Josephine Bergsøe has worked with this type of handcarved skulls for more than 30 years, and she tells us about her the humanity of the symbol is what inspires her. 

“Once you strip away the surface, we are all the same. We all have dreams, ambitions, fears and rights. That thought has always meant a great deal to me. At the same time, I like to challenge that humility by surrounding the skulls with precious stones, diamonds and pearls. There is a small provocation in that contrast - something very human, I think", she tells us. 

The skull is a motif she has returned to over and over again throughout her career - one she never grows tired of, and a personal favourite to wear. She tells us that she likes the duality:  how it can be serious and playful, humble and extravagant, beautiful and slightly unsettling at the same time. Her skulls are all handcarved by skilled artisans - in coral, jet, amber, turquoise, mammoth or other natural materials. 

“I look for work by exceptionally skilled carvers, where the expression and proportions are just right”, she explains. 

“Sometimes I can go for long periods without finding any. Ordinary or poorly carved skulls are easy to come across, but the really beautiful ones are rare. They are tiny sculptures in their own right.”

With the gemstone as the starting point 

Josephine founded Bergsøe Jewellery in 1989, and crafts each piece by hand alongside her small team, in her atelier in central Copenhagen. No two of her pieces are ever the same, and she travels the world to source the most beautiful and unique gemstones. The stones are the starting point of every piece - the Memento Mori necklace is no exception. 

"It always starts with the skull. I can have one lying on my table for quite some time before I know what it wants to become. I look at its expression, its colour, its shape and the character of the material. Then I begin placing pearls, diamonds and coloured gemstones around it, almost as if I am dressing it. I don't work from a fixed recipe”, she explains. 

This process, and the attention it requires to the gemstones, materials and how the work together, is not one she rushes through - she allows it the time it needs, especially as the Memento Mori’s very purpose is to display contradiction - light in darkness, life in death. 

“The composition develops at the bench until everything finds its place. Sometimes the contrast becomes quite extravagant - a humble little reminder of mortality surrounded by gold, diamonds and pearls. That contradiction is very much part of my Memento Mori pieces. And because every skull is carved by hand and every composition grows around that particular skull, no two pieces can ever be alike", says Josephine. 

"Remember you must die"

In Practical Magic, the Memento Mori necklace is worn by the character Kylie Owens, played by Joey King. Its’ name, Memento Mori, means “remember you must die” in latin.  

“I don't see Memento Mori as something dark or morbid. Quite the opposite. It is a reminder that our time here is limited, and therefore we should try to live it well -  to do things as beautifully, honestly and wholeheartedly as we can while we are here” says Josephine Bergsøe, before continuing: 

“There is something strangely life-affirming in being reminded of mortality" 

Discover the Memento Mori collection here.