Rosecut Hemimorphite + Argentium Silver + Hand Fabricated Drop Earrings

Rosecut Hemimorphite + Argentium Silver + Hand Fabricated Drop Earrings

For the first time in my metalsmithing career I have gotten my hands on some gorgeous rosecut (faceted) Hemimorphite! This opaque gemstone most closely resembles Larimar in, but perhaps just a touch more saturated in color. 

Each gemstone is hand chosen, varying slightly in size and shape, and carefully set in my hand fabricated silver work - they swing charmingly from my hand fabricated ear wires! 

My signature heart and initials are hand stamped on the back. 

Total Length: 1 and 5/16 inches from top of ear wire to bottom of gemstone. 

What is Hemimorphite?

Hemimorphite is a component of mineral calamine. It is a silicate mineral which, together with smithsonite (ZnCO₃), has been historically mined from the upper parts of zinc and lead ores. Both compounds were originally believed to be the same mineral and classified as calamine. In the second half of the 18th century, it was discovered that these two different compounds were both present in calamine. They closely resemble one another.

The silicate was the rarer of the two and was named hemimorphite because of the hemimorph development of its crystals. This unusual form, which is typical of only a few minerals, means that the crystals are terminated by dissimilar faces. Hemimorphite most commonly forms crystalline crusts and layers, also massive, granular, rounded and reniform aggregates, concentrically striated, or finely needle-shaped, fibrous or stalactitic, and rarely fan-shaped clusters of crystals.