Orange Sodalite and Faceted Bronze has a South American Flair Necklace (BLU-005)
The trapezoid Orange Sodalite beads Miriam chose for her South American Flair necklace show all the bold color patterns of this unique natural stone. Each trapezoid-cut stone is reversible, as shown in the close-ups of the necklace center stones. The beautiful cut of the stones is mirrored by the faceted bronze polygon-shaped beads Miriam used as accents – adding to the attention-getting and dramatic features of this necklace. Although Sodalite is found all over the world, the natural Orange Sodalite Miriam used for this beautiful necklace was mined in Brazil.
- Full length of the necklace is 17 inches, including the handcrafted bronze clasp
- Each Orange Sodalite trapezoid stone is one inch long, and 0.5 and 0.75 inches at the top and bottom, respectively.
- The Old World Bronze™ polygon-shaped beads are 0.25 inches.
- Small African hand-rolled brass beads are used as spacers.
- The necklace is strung on an antique bronze colored flexible 49-strand stainless steel wire that is nylon coated.
Orange Sodaliteis a variety of the traditional Blue Sodalite, discovered in 1806 in Greenland. This lovely stone became more popular as an ornamental stone in 1891, when large deposits were found in Ontario, Canada. On a visit to Ontario, Princess Patricia chose Sodalite as the interior decoration for Marlborough House in England - and 130 tons of stone were quarried and shipped to England. Sodalite can be grey, yellow, orange, or pink.However, for gemstone use, Sodalite is typically varied shades of blue, and most often recognized by its white calcite veins. A rare form of Sodalite, Hackmanite (found in Afghanistan), is a translucent crystal found in grey to violet. The color varies with the sunlight. This unusual phenomenon is called tenebrescence – when a mineral changes color when exposed to sunlight – just like eyeglasses that darken in sunlight and lighten indoors.
*Miriam used Old World Bronze™beads and clasp that are handcrafted using an old-world wax method, and an exclusive bronze recipe developed by the Charveaux family of metalsmiths in Scottsdale, Arizona. As it ages, bronze develops a beautiful patina that enhances the individual character of each piece.