Alpaca and Obsidian Pendant

Description

Obsidian Stone with Alpaca Pendants

Artechaski’s skilled craftsman meticulously created these beautiful obsidian stone with alpaca pendants. Each pendant features a one-of-a-kind design that showcases a obsidian stone set in alpaca.

To begin with, alpaca either encases the stone in a bezel setting or strands of alpaca securely enclose the gemstone.  Also, as part of the customizations of each unique design, decorative curvatures of alpaca and an alpaca clasp adorn each pendant.

Next is a precision cut and finely polished piece of natural volcanic glass – the obsidian stone.  While most often black, brilliantly colored stones – rainbow or fire obsidian – highlight some pendants. In either case, the stone is semi-transparent or opaque and has a glassy luster.  Fairly fragile – slightly harder than window glass – most stones have a smooth surface.  Cuts vary from round, oval, pear shaped, or similar.

Unlike gemstones, obsidian is rapidly formed through the following sequence:

•  the fire and ash of a volcanic eruption distributes volcanic rock
• Traces of silica seep into the rock as it hardens
• The rock transforms into glass instead of crystals

In stone age times, sharp and brittle obsidian stones formed various weaponry.  Later, ancient civilizations used obsidian for jewelry, kitchen utensils, and other purposes.  Pliny the Elder mentions obsidian within his 77AD encyclopedia of natural history.  Also, both the Mayan Empire and later the Aztec Empire cherished obsidian.  It was, for example a form of currency as early as the Mayan Empire.

For more information on chrysocolla, See wiki or gemstones.com or gemsrockauctions.com.