Three materials from three corners of the earth, compressed together with bronze into a single stone. The result is something that could not have been designed, only discovered.
Kingman turquoise is one of the most celebrated varieties of turquoise in the world, mined from the Kingman Mine in Mohave County, Arizona, one of the oldest and most productive turquoise deposits in North America, with a history of continuous mining stretching back over a thousand years. Its colour is characteristically bright and often threaded with a fine black or brown matrix of iron pyrite or manganese oxide that maps the stone’s geological history in visible lines. Turquoise has been worn as a stone of protection, wisdom, and good fortune across Native American, Persian, Egyptian, and Tibetan cultures for millennia. It is one of the few stones that appear in some form, in almost every ancient jewellery tradition on earth. Associated with the throat chakra, it is considered a stone of honest communication, inner calm, and the kind of grounded confidence that comes from knowing one’s own mind.
Peruvian pink opal brings a softer counterpoint. Found in the Andes mountains of Peru, it is one of the few naturally occurring pink opals in the world, its colour ranging from a pale, milky blush to a deeper, more saturated rose, produced by the presence of organic compounds within the silica structure. Unlike the play-of-colour opals more commonly associated with the name, Peruvian pink opal is prized for its body colour alone — a warmth and softness that sits in quiet contrast to the brightness of the turquoise. Associated with the heart chakra, it is considered a stone of emotional healing, gentle renewal, and the kind of open, receptive awareness that allows new possibilities to emerge.
Spiny oyster shell completes the trio. Harvested from the Spondylus shell found in the waters of the Gulf of California and the Pacific coast of South America, it has been used in jewellery and ceremony by Native American and pre-Columbian cultures for thousands of years, traded across vast distances as a material of significant cultural and spiritual value. Its colour ranges from a deep, burnt orange to a vivid red-pink, and it is this warmth that anchors the palette of the composite stone, providing depth and contrast against the blue of the turquoise and the blush of the opal.
The three materials are compressed together with bronze, an ancient alloy of copper and tin that has been used in craft and adornment since the Bronze Age, which binds the composite and adds a warm, metallic thread that runs through the stone, visible at its edges and surface. The result is a kite-shaped form that is carved and polished to reveal the full character of each material: the sky-blue of the turquoise, the blush of the opal, the warmth of the shell, and the bronze that holds them together.
Wire wrapped by hand in sterling silver, the setting follows the angular geometry of the kite, holding the stone securely while allowing its full face to remain visible. The cool, precise tone of the sterling silver sits in considered contrast with the warm, earthy palette of the composite, a pairing that feels both grounding and refined.
Finished on an 18 inch sterling silver fine curb chain, a classic, lightweight length that sits beautifully at the collarbone, worn alone or layered with other pieces from the collection.
Handcrafted at Rachel Hartley Atelier. Arrives gift-ready.
