Exceptional Variscite Pendant with Miriam’s Signature Sterling Silver Swirls (GRN-018)
You might think this pendant is Green Turquoise, but it’s not. It’s Variscite—An opaque stone that often contains white veins of the calcium aluminium phosphate mineral crandallite. Your Variscite Pendant is Wire-Wrapped with Sterling Silver by Miriam using her Signature Sterling Silver Swirls. It comes beautifully packaged on a lush 19-inch Sterling Silver chain. Variscite is a naturally rough stone. Your pendant has been buffed, and well-polished to have a smooth, but textured natural surface. This is a one-of-kind pendant.
- Stone dimensions are 50mm (2in) x 40mm (1.5in).
- WireWrap and 19-inch chain are Sterling Silver.
So if it's not Turquoise, what is Variscite? Although often confused with Turquoise, Variscite tends to be greener in color rather than blue. In fact, some jewelry designers refer to this wonderful stone as Variscite-Turquoise, and it has even been marketed as Variquoise. The green color results from the presence of small amounts of Chromium.A relatively rare phosphate mineral, the name Variscite is derived from Variscia, the historical name of Vogtland in Germany, where it was first found in 1837. At one time it also went under the name Utahlite, since important deposits have also been found in Utah. Variscite deposits have been found in Austria, Australia, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Spain, the United States (Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina, and Utah), and Venezuela.The Variscite Miriam used for this pendant is likely from Nevada, because it shows black spiderwebbing in the matrix.