'Halo' Larimar & Opal Sterling Silver Statement Pendant

Adam's favourite stone out of all the gems of the world is Opal and it happens to be the birthstone for October.  You've probably heard the superstition that this gem is unlucky to wear unless it's your birthstone. But for many ages they have been considered therapeutic, transformative and a symbol of hope. They were even used traditionally as an engagement stone, symbolising love and fidelity, before being pushed out of the market by 'envious diamond merchants'. 

Adam traveled to Sri Lanka in 2009 to buy Moonstone direct from the mines and has such sourced a superior quality of moonstone displaying a rare vibrant colour.  Typically Sri Lankan stones are “clean” and small; while its Indian counterparts have inclusions that give the stones more character. Darker stones with inclusions come from Bihar in India, and can also be identified as "rainbow moonstone" and "white labradorite".  Moonstones have been associated with femininity, fertility and motherhood since time immemorial.

Zircon is one of the oldest minerals on earth.  This natural gem has an intense fire which gives it real sparkle, rivalling that of diamond!  A September birthstone, Zircon is said to have an intense spiritual energy.  Zircon can come in many natural colours, and should not be confused with Cubic Zirconia - which is in fact a lab-formed (synthetic) gemstone. 

Why do silversmiths use 925%? Measured in parts per thousand, pure silver (999%) is too soft so silversmiths mix it with other metals to make it it harder. The purer the metal, the higher the polish, but it is a lot softer (thus less durable). The harder the metal is, the more hard wearing the jewellery is, but it will also tarnish easier as it has less silver content. Therefore, the silver industry set a standard percentage content for fine silver (925); what we know as "sterling silver". At Two Skies our silversmiths use 925 (sterling) silver for ring shafts and moving parts, and a very high 950% on our stones settings, which enables us to get a strong jewellery item with a beautiful and secure stone setting, without any gluing. Each piece of our jewellery is hand stamped with our Two Skies Hallmark alongside the recognised industry 925 Hallmark.

Relax - you can shop with confidence at Two Skies.  If you change your mind, simply get in touch to let us know you want to return one or all of your items within 7 days of receiving your order, and we'll get a replacement/refund arranged - no quibbles!