Prasiolite Necklace

This necklace was designed and handmade in our home studio just outside of Seattle, WA. Each necklace starts with a high quality gemstone to which a bail is added. A copper bezel is then electroformed around the stone to create a durable bond between metal and stone elements. The entire piece is then sent out to be further plated in silver at a thickness ten times the industry standard. This results in an heirloom quality piece that can be enjoyed for years to come with proper care. Prasiolite, also known as green amethyst, is a type of quartz that is formed through a heat treatment process. The process involves heating natural amethyst or purple quartz to high temperatures of around 500-600 degrees Celsius, either in a kiln or in a furnace. The heat treatment causes the iron impurities in the amethyst to oxidize, which changes the color of the quartz from purple to a pale greenish-yellow or green color. The exact shade of green depends on the duration and temperature of the heat treat