Herkimer 'Diamond', Moldavite & Diamond Ring with 18ct Gold & Sterling Silver

Herkimer quartz "diamonds" are rare, naturally formed and faceted crystals of exceptional clarity, originally discovered in Herkimer county, upstate New York - hence the name! They are named after diamonds not only because of their sparkling clarity, but the naturally formed double termination (pointed ends) and 18 sided facet. Like diamonds, they are extremely rare and difficult to find! Our current stock of Herks were mined at a new location in Afghanistan. Although not from Herkimer, New York, these “diamonds” display the same unique double terminated formation and same beautiful clarity. They are also known in the jewellery trade as “Afghan Herks”. Some Herkimers may have subtle, natural inclusions, such as water or plant inclusions which are extremely rare and demonstrate the stone's natural formation. Stones of attunement, they are said to relieve tensions and heal addictions.

Moldavites are an amazing type of natural glass, formed by the heat and impact of a meteorite landing on Earth 15 million years ago. Glass formations like this ('tektites') have been discovered across the globe, but moldavites are unique in their olive-green colouring and can only be found in a small area surrounding the river Moldau in The Czech Republic/Germany. Treasured for centuries by various cultures, it has been used for many purposes - from arrowheads to lucky talismans. Gram-for-gram, Moldavite is rarer than a diamond, as only 50 tonnes were ever formed on earth (compared to over 26 tonnes of diamond produced PER YEAR!)  Without a doubt very rare and precious, moldavites are also thought to hold extremely powerful metaphysical energies and are associated with the holy grail.

Diamonds which have not been commissioned by Two Skies but instead have come to us as salvaged from old, broken or vintage jewellery items. We recycle diamonds for much the same reasons as we recycle our gold - our 'low impact' aspirations and ethical ethos.

The perfect compromise between purity and strength, 18t gold contains 75% gold, with the rest is made up of other more durable metal alloys, used to add strength. White metals are be added to create white gold with copper added to create rose gold. 18ct gold is appreciated for its radiance and much warmer and brighter tones than 14ct and 9ct (58.5% and 37.5% pure gold respectively). 24ct (99.9%) and 22ct (91.6%) are the purest forms of gold, but as such they are very soft, so are only suitable for intricate jewellery, making 18ct the most affordable and durable option for our varied jewellery pieces.

Why do we use RECYCLED 18ct gold?

Commercial gold mining is one of the most environmentally destructive mining processes (1g of gold can produce up to 1000kg of toxic waste)! We source our gold from old stashes, antique coins and bits of old jewellery which are being sold as scrap metal. We melt this down, purify it, and bring it to the desired gold content needed for the jewellery item (as noted above).

Why do silversmiths use 925%? Measured in parts per thousand, pure silver (999%) is too soft, so silversmiths mix it with other metals to make it harder. The purer the metal, the higher the polish, but it is a lot softer (thus less durable). The harder the metal is, the harder wearing the jewellery is, but it will also tarnish easier as it has less silver content. Therefore, the silver industry set a standard percentage content for fine silver (925); what we know as "sterling silver". At Two Skies our silversmiths use 925 (sterling) silver for ring shafts and moving parts, and a very high 950% on our stone’s settings, which enables us to get a strong jewellery item with a beautiful and secure stone setting, without any gluing. Each piece of our jewellery is hand stamped with our Two Skies Hallmark alongside the recognised industry 925 Hallmark.

Relax - you can shop with confidence at Two Skies. If you change your mind, simply get in touch to let us know you want to return one or all your items within 7 days of receiving your order, and we'll get a replacement/refund arranged - no quibbles!

Read our full refunds policy here