Personal Collection: pietersite

Pietersite is probably my favorite opaque stone. (I usually don’t like opaque stones. I don’t know why. It’s SO shimmery. Photos really don’t do this pair of stones justice. I bought a strand of these beads somewhere out west in 2006, and these were the best two on the strand.
One of the hazards of my job is that I tend to hoard pretty beads for myself, and sometimes I actually get around to making them into jewelry. A few years ago I was doing a lot of work in copper and bronze, and I made myself quite a few pairs of earrings... which proceeded to hang on my earring rack gathering dust for half a decade. (Seriously. I had to wash these.) I’ve never worn any of these, because I just... don’t wear metals that aren’t silver. And it’s long past time for them to go out into the world and be worn. (I’m quite certain I’ve never worn any of these, but if you’d be more comfortable having me put on new hooks, just put a note on your order and I’ll be happy to switch them. I didn’t do it because they’ve developed a nice patina over the years, and bright copper would look a little jarring.)