Description
Oyster Copper Turquoise, Composite Gemstone, Natural, Smooth Rondelle, 8x5mm
This price is for one strand 15" to 16" long
8x5mm smooth rondelle strands have 70 to 75 pieces
Oyster Copper Turquoise is a striking, highly vibrant composite gemstone. It isn't mined from the earth in a single piece; rather, it is a masterfully engineered mosaic that fuses treasures from the land and the sea. The stone is an intentional combination of three distinct materials:
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Turquoise: Real pieces of turquoise provide the foundational color blocks.
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Spiny Oyster Shell: Pieces of shell from the Spondylus princeps mollusk (technically closer to a scallop than a true oyster) introduce fiery splashes of orange, red, purple, or yellow. These mollusks are harvested from warm waters, primarily along the coasts of Baja California and South America.
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Copper Matrix: Gleaming metallic copper is poured into the gaps between the shell and stone pieces. This acts as both the binding agent and a glittering web that outlines the different fragments.
Because the fragments are arranged randomly before being compressed, no two pieces of oyster copper turquoise are ever identical. Every single bead features a completely unique abstract pattern.
While the composite manufacturing technique is modern, the pairing itself is historic. Native American artisans in the American Southwest, particularly Zuni and Navajo silversmiths, have paired turquoise and spiny oyster shell in traditional inlay and mosaic jewelry for centuries, long before modern resins existed. This material offers a contemporary, durable spin on that classic aesthetic.
Mohs Hardness 5 to 6
