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
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Analcime
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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
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Proustite
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Galena
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| 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
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| 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
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| 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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