Deep Earth — A Pair of Astrophyllite Drop Earrings in Oxidized Silver and 14kt Gold

I’ve been waiting a while to get my hands on some small raw faced Astrophyllites that have similar size and shape… so here we go…

Transforming these beauties into a deep drop statement pair, the flashy stripes of bladed minerals on the raw surface shining back at you in the light.

Wrapped in fine silver and backed on sterling, I have wrapped the ear wire around the stone, hand forming each pair to offer a long drop, and finished at the stone end with a 14kt gold ball.

The hand formed wire clasps in the back were a creative way to hold the long wires in place while wearing.

Measuring a total length of 2.5 inches in the back, the stone diameter is approximately 0.7 inches, while the front drop is about 2.25 inches in length.

These are handmade and one of a kind using recycled metals as my other pieces are. I have created these in an eco-friendly manner — from hand with no harsh jewelers chemicals and no power tools.
The old fashioned way.

Thus, it has taken me a considerable amount of time compared to using other modern jewelry techniques. Therefore, file marks, as well as asymmetries are all part of the hand-fashioned process.

As a reminder, no polishing is necessary for these oxidized silver earrings, as polishing or buffing will remove their patina.