Opalised Shell Fossil Sterling Silver Pendant

A very rare and beautiful find! Natural Opalised fossil cockle shell, set in 925 sterling silver. This piece of iridescent opalised fossil shell showcases a fantastically fiery surface - this unusual piece is sure to attract comments and admiring glances.

Please note that care should be taken when wearing this item, as it is more delicate than standard gemstones. Pendant measures roughly 50x25x18mm, including bail.

Comes with a complimentary premium 18"-20" sterling silver rope twist chain and is presented in a quality Two Skies jewellery box, ready for gifting.

If silica is able to fill in the cavities left in rocks by ancient shells, teeth or bones, a ‘mould’ effect can occur and opal forms in the shape of the original object - leaving us with rare and beautiful Opalised Fossils. Our opalised fossils come from the mines in the Australian town of Yowah, a region famous for it’s opals.
Why do silversmiths use 925%? Measured in parts per thousand, pure silver (999%) is too soft so silversmiths mix it with other metals to make it it harder. The purer the metal, the higher the polish, but it is a lot softer (thus less durable). The harder the metal is, the more hard wearing the jewellery is, but it will also tarnish easier as it has less silver content. Therefore, the silver industry set a standard percentage content for fine silver (925); what we know as "sterling silver". At Two Skies our silversmiths use 925 (sterling) silver for ring shafts and moving parts, and a very high 950% on our stones settings, which enables us to get a strong jewellery item with a beautiful and secure stone setting, without any gluing. Each piece of our jewellery is hand stamped with our Two Skies Hallmark alongside the recognised industry 925 Hallmark.