Rhyolite topaz stone sterling silver pendant necklace

photo of the Rhyolite topaz pendant close up, the topaz is an opaque beige colour with speckles of rhyolite in in and a oval-rectangular shape. It is enclosed in a silver woven Celtic plait type bezel, and the bail is a silver wire chunky spiral
photo of the Rhyolite topaz pendant close up, the topaz is an opaque beige colour with speckles of rhyolite in in and a oval-rectangular shape. It is enclosed in a silver woven Celtic plait type bezel, and the bail is a silver wire chunky spiral
photo shows the topaz pendant next to a centimeter ruler, the pendant is small and measure just over 1.5 centimeters
photo shows the topaz pendant next to an inch ruler, the pendant is small and measure just over half and inch
photo of the topaz in rhyolite necklace being worn by a model, the chain reach down to the upper chest area, and the pendant is small, with a contemporary understated design
side profile of the photo of the Rhyolite topaz pendant close up, the topaz is an opaque beige colour with speckles of rhyolite in in and a oval-rectangular shape. It is enclosed in a silver woven Celtic plait type bezel
image shows the rhyolite topaz stone being held up against the light, it is a mainly opaque beige colour, with transparent areas being the topaz
image shows a the rhyolite topaz celtic style pendant in full length complete with the chain it comes on

topaz in rhyolite stone pendant celtic style necklace in 925 sterling silver

£ 140.00       One available, complimentary shipping included. 

Handmade in my small artisan workshop, this stunning and unusual little gemstone pendant is made from rhyolite rock that has topaz naturally growing throughout it, binding it together (if you hold it up to the light you'll see the almost colourless topaz on the outer edges of the rock, as seen in the above photo, the clear areas around the edges are actually near-transparent topaz).

The stone comes from Utah in the USA, and arrived to me in its natural raw form.  After a careful cutting and a fingertip polish, it was securely enclosed in solid sterling silver, using intricate Celtic inspired pattern silver wire work.

The inspiration for this design was one of roots, and how things are intertwined and woven together to create a unique new story - very apt in this case as the topaz and rhyolite are 'woven together' in a sense, by what would have been powerful geological forces many years ago, to create this fascinating blended stone.

I've attached this one of a kind pendant on to a solid 925 sterling silver chain so you can wear it straight away, and as this is a handmade artisan item, the photos show you the exact item you'll receive.

Pendant size (including bail):  small,  1.7cm x 0.7cm

Necklace Length:   47cm   (18.1/2 inches)

Stone: rhyolite (an igneous rock) with topaz gemstone present throughout. 

Stone Size:  11x6mm  (approx, freeform cabochon)

Stone Treatment:  untreated, natural

Stone Origin: Utah, USA

Topaz-in-rhyolite hardness: medium hard mixed stone type, 6 -8 on the MOHS scale. Suitable for careful regular wear.

Technical: gemstone cut and polished in UK and pendant handmade in UK. No electrical or machine powered machines were used in the creation of this pendant. (Please note the chain the pendant is attached to is made in Italy). 

Care: handmade from solid sterling silver, and due to the delicate natural of the intricate silver wire work should always be worn and handled with gentleness and care. 



Gemstone Knowledge

Rhyolite is a type of igneous rock that's formed from volcanic magma and is rich in quartz and feldspar. Whilst a beautiful generally pale coloured rock in its own right, rhyolite is well known in mineral hunting circles as a good place to hunt for gems; rhyolite cavities (called 'vugs' ) within the rhyolite rock are sometimes lined with mineral crystals and gemstones. 

These vugs form through various geological processes and provide environments perfect for the growth of crystals; one way that vugs form is that gas bubbles are sometimes trapped in the molten lava during volcanic eruptions; this lava cools and solidifies into rhyolite, and the gas bubbles then become cavities (vugs) in the rock. Later geological activity can then introduce mineral-rich fluids into these vugs, and it's these fluids that contribute to the growth of gemstones and minerals. The conditions within the vug, such as temperature, chemical elements, ions and mineral content will determine the type of gemstones that develop.

Topaz is a gemstone that forms in a variety of geological settings. It crystallizes in areas that are rich in aluminum, silica, and fluorine, and it can occur in a range of colours. It should be noted that a lot of topaz undergoes extra treatments to achieve its final colour eg, nearly all types of blue topaz on the market are irradiated/ heat treated, and fancy topaz colours such as Mystic topaz have in fact been coated with special chemical vapours to achieve their colourful look. At Nica Brac I only ever use natural untreated topaz in my jewellery.

In ancient times, topaz was believed to have various mystical properties. Some people believed it to promote wisdom and strength, others that it protected the wearer from negative energy. In some cultures it was believed to be a powerful healing stone;in the old book Les Lapidaries de L'antiquite, it discusses how topaz was believed to 'protect the eyes', and if a cross was carved into the gemstone, it would 'protect the wearer at sea'. 

Topaz remains a popular gemstone, and can be found in many places around the world. It is the birthstone for November, and also the state stone of Utah in the USA. Any variety of topaz can be used as a 4th anniversary stone, whilst rare natural Imperial topaz is the 23rd anniversary stone.