Chrysocolla with Cuprite & Tenorite Wide Band Ring – Size 8.75

I've been holding onto this stone for a while because the color combination is just incredible. Brilliant turquoise-blue chrysocolla sweeps along one side, while the opposite side is filled with rich rusty copper and burnt orange cuprite, divided by a dramatic band of glossy black that is likely tenorite. It looks almost like an abstract landscape or an aerial view of some strange coastline, with that electric blue water running alongside dark rock and fiery earth. This is exactly the kind of stone I have a hard time letting go of until I know what I want to do with it.

Chrysocolla, cuprite and tenorite are all copper-bearing minerals that can occur together in the oxidized zones of copper deposits, which is what can create combinations of such wildly different colors within a single specimen. Chrysocolla brings the intense blue to blue-green color, cuprite can contribute deep reddish brown and coppery tones, while tenorite is a black copper oxide. Together they create a stone that almost doesn't look real, but all of that color comes from its natural mineral composition.

I set the stone in a sterling silver bezel surrounded by a darkened, hand-hammered border, then added pairs of decorative silver prongs along opposite sides of the setting. They're an unexpected little detail that gives the setting a slightly more rugged, architectural feel without competing with the incredible pattern in the stone. The wide sterling silver band is heavily textured and covered with individually applied silver details, then oxidized before the raised metal is polished back to brightness.

Metaphysically, chrysocolla is traditionally associated with communication, calm and self-expression, while cuprite is associated with grounding, vitality and connection to the physical world.

✧ Gemstone: Natural Chrysocolla with Cuprite and likely Tenorite
✧ Ring Size: 8.75; due to the wide band, best suited for approximately a size 8.25–8.5 finger
✧ Band Width: Approximately 18 mm at the front, tapering to 9 mm at the back
✧ Ring Face: Approximately 33.5 x 20.5 mm
✧ Setting: Bezel set with hand-hammered border and decorative silver prongs
✧ Metal: Sterling silver with an oxidized patina

One-of-a-kind and made with care in my studio.