fair trade earrings, blue chalcedony : £10.59

PROPERTIES

Chalcedony, a semi precious gemstone, is in essence a crypto-crystalline sub-species of quartz generally milky brown in colour, but there are also rarer blue (blue chalcedony), green (chrysoprase) and orange-red (cornelian) varieties and less commonly, it can be transparent.

Chalcedony can be virtually any colour of the rainbow though commonly pale blue, yellow, brown or grey with nearly wax-like milky lustre.

Chalcedony is a very fine crystallized or fibrous quartz forming rounded crusts, rinds, or stalactites in volcanic and sedimentary rocks. Chalcedony is a precious stone that occurs in many forms, colours, and shapes. Chalcedony, agates, jaspers, bloodstone, onyx and chrysoprase constitute the chalcedony gemstones.

Indigo Ocean have an elegant and truly gorgeous range of fair trade jewellery inlaid with semi precious gemstones such as silver stud earrings, hook earrings, silver pendants and silver bracelets. We have a great selection of fair trade silver jewellery with stones such as blue chalcedony, malachite, lapis lazuli, tiger’s eye, moonstone and rose quartz. All of our fair trade jewellery is exchanged for a fair wage.

fair trade silver earrings, blue chalcedony : £7.49

HISTORY

Long ago the Romans used chalcedony for wax seals while the Victorians carved them into delicate cameos and intaglios.

In all ages chalcedony has been the stone most used by the gem engraver, and many coloured varieties are still cut and polished as ornamental stones.

Chalcedony is one of the gemstones  used in commesso (florentine mosaic) and is a technique of creating pictures with thin-cut shapes of brightly coloured, semi precious stones. Commesso pictures were used to decorate table tops and small wall panels, range from emblematic and floral subjects to landscapes. This truly stunning and beautiful art was developed in Florence in the late 16th century.

As well as chalcedony other stones also used for this kind of delicate art were agates, quartz, jasper and lapis lazuli.

fair trade silver earrings, blue chalcedony : £4.99

ORIGIN

Although the mineral is mined in many parts of the world, the most prized Chalcedony are found in Madagascar, Brazil, India, USA, China and Mexico.

fair trade silver earrings, blue chalcedony : £10.99

FOLKLORE

Chalcedony is believed to banish fear, hysteria, depression, mental illness and sadness, reduces fever. Wearing chalcedony is believed to be useful for sharpening the sense of vision too.