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5 Minerals (Non-Gemstones) That Make Beautiful Jewelry

Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but there is a lot to love about minerals. When used in jewelry, minerals offer a beautiful and alluring alternative to even the most sparkling gemstones. Whether you're looking for understated tones or a bold piece that will make you the star of the occasion, try jewelry that features these five distinctive minerals.

Analcime
Analcime
A beautiful white hue makes Analcime stand out from many other minerals. This isometric crystal has also been known to produce red, brown or yellow stones on occasion. The higher level of hardness also gives it a gemstone like quality that works well for items such as pendants and rings. It's not hard to find this mineral in nature. Minerals.Net lists heavy deposits being found in a range of locations throughout the world, including Russia, Italy and Canada.

Proustite
Proustite
 Proustite offers the reddish tones of a ruby. Along with its shades of red, the mineral is also known for its silver or grey highlights that can be found among most deposits. Over time, this hexagonal crystal can take on a deeper red hue. That means the mineral's color when initially set in a piece does not reflect how it may appear after weeks, months or years of wear.

Galena
Galena
Lead gives Galena its bold, grey metallic tone. In some cases, silver has contributed to its special coloring. While attractive on any jewelry piece, a lower level of hardness makes it an easy to damage this choice mineral. Wearers should always be warned to take particular care when wearing items exclusively featuring Galena. For that reason, Galena is often combined with other gemstones or minerals to create a better choice for everyday wear.

Ferberite
Ferberite
Dating back to its discovery in the 1860s, Ferberite has fascinated everyone that has glimpsed its unique design.
This mineral offers a striking tone and sharp angles that make it the perfect choice for pendants and pins. Added black highlights can also be found in many samples. Those subtle black colors makes it a great complement for onyx. The iron based product is hard enough to take regular wear and should require little to no maintenance. Keep in mind, many of their deposits are mined in elongated shapes.

Quartz
Quartz
The use of quartz in jewelry is most commonly associated with new age healing or hippie styles. Crystal healers use various types of quartz stones to treat just about every condition. It's not just new age medicine that sees the benefit of this material. More jewelry makers are using a variety of quartz colors and textures in their pieces. One of the most popular shades is the Tiger Eye. Its mix of gold and red tones creates a tiger like pattern that emphasizes a worldly style. The Rose quartz is arguably the most commonly seen version. Its pleasant light pink hue creates a pastel look.

There has never been a better time to try jewelry that favors minerals over sparkling gemstones. Not only do these choices cover a broad range of prices, they also fit any look. Who knows? Mineral based jewelry might just replace your tried and true favorite pieces.


Jessica Kane is a professional writer who has an interest in arts and crafts, DIY, and other handmade products. She currently writes for Indian Traders, a leading vendor of pendleton blankets and jewelry.

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