Thomsonite Nugget Pendant Wire Wrapped in .925 Sterling Silver Round Wire

A fascinating and interesting stone composed of fine compact radial acicular (needle like) spherical cores of thomsonite crystals which give the stone unique color and pattern combinations with a silky sheen. Thomsonite is a zeolite mineral similar in structure to larimar (blue pectolite), and some similar zeolite minerals: mordenite, scolecite, natrolite, etc. Thomsonite crystal colors vary from clear to opaque in white, cream, beige, pink, lavender, orange, red, and green, often in multiple color combinations. This stone combines white, light pink, lavender, and brown; it is very versatile. It can be attractively worn against most colors, especially darker contrasting colors. Caution should be taken with white, cream, and other light pastel color backgrounds, as it may blend into them with its beauty obscured. With a non-standard nugget shape and contour, natural fine acicular meshed surface pattern, and pastel color variation, this stone is most appealing to an artistic or naturalistic view.

Description: Bright silky white light pink, lavender, and brown; organic shaped opaque uniquely patterned crystalline stone, wrapped in 22-gauge sterling silver wire.

Stone Size: Medium (1-1/16” x 3/4” x 1/2”).

Pattern: White, light pink, and lavender fine radial compact silky balls and sprays radiating in multiple directions and colliding into each other.

Contour: Smooth organic face.

Unique Features: Unusual radial ball and spray pattern of silky luster and pastel colors; natural pitted and broken regions front and back.

Polish: Quite brilliant, soft silky sheen.

Edges: Smooth to rough, natural, some remaining natural pits and host rock.

Treatment: None; natural stone, smoothed and polished only.

Comment: Thomsonite and scolecite are very similar zeolite minerals, and can’t always be clearly distinguished without analytical testing. Chemically, the main difference is sodium and calcium content with thomsonite containing both sodium and calcium, and scolecite only calcium. Identification by physical appearance is loosely based on crystal size, or radial spray length. Individual thomsonite crystal balls or needle sprays are more fine, smaller, and shorter than scolecite. Thomsonite acicular sprays radiate out from a center point from about an eighth to a half of an inch. Scolecite sprays radiate out from a center point from about three quarters of an inch to two inches or more. Most thomsonite stones and cabochons, like this one, in the gem market are actually highly weathered and/or ground and polished cores of actual crystal clusters or masses. Exposed cores reveal more color variation and pattern, hence the beautiful variations in typical thomsonite pieces.  The beauty in raw thomsonite crystal clusters is seen in the silky to satin like sheen, usually with far less color variation, often in a white to beige base color. A unique, handmade, genuine crystal cluster pendant, this piece is posted individually, not merely a representative item - what you see is what you get.