Carved Turquoise Earrings

These earrings have some interesting elements.  Carved turquoise, copper fire brick, orange sapphire and blue zircon in 22k and 18k gold.  This isn't an official "mineral," nor is it pure metal: It's the copper that stuck to the fire brick walls of the smelters in copper ore processing plants in Northern Michigan. It's really interesting material: Smooth and glimmery, the copper is studded with either a cream or black mosaic pattern of fire brick chips caught forever in the metal. Most of these smelters are no longer in operation, so each cab contains a little bit of the history of the Upper Midwest. Each piece has the weight of metal, and a patina like antique copper.

• Carved turquoise
• Firebrick
• Orange Sapphire
• Blue Zircon
• 22k & 18k gold
• Earrings