The inspiration:
A lush, botanical pattern painted with a warm, autumnal colourscape, these beautiful fossilized corals bring to mind the richest brocade or floral tapestry.

The materials:
Highly detailed, almost-matching fossilized coral teardrops swirl with soft peach, smouldering sienna and palest lavender in these statement-length recycled sterling silver earrings.

The history:
Fossils have long symbolized the wheel of time, remembrance and evolution. Fossilized coral's seemingly fragile structure belies an internal strength that can survive the ferocity of ocean waves and passing time.
Corals form as a community of individual ocean creatures call polyps, who combine their own carbon dioxide with the lime in warm seawater to form a limestone-like hard exo-skeletons which create exquisite coral formations. Fossilized coral is actually a form of agatized coral that forms when silica in the ocean water hardens, replacing the limestone-like corals with a form of microcrystalline quartz known as chalcedony. This fossilization process can take upwards of 20-30 million years! The delicate, cellular shapes of the fossil coral mirrors the shape of the cells of the body, and is said to strengthen inter-cellular communication and the health and well-being of the skeletal system, hands and feet.
(A quick note: fossil coral should not be mistaken for endangered or protected reef coral or precious coral. It is considered to be a type of agate or chalcedony, rather than a type of coral.)

The process:
These fossilized corals are thoughtfully set in handmade bezels with solid backplates, framed with 5 gleaming silver beads along their bottom edge. A deep patina enhances the granulation detail and contrasts the luminous texture of the stones. The earrings swing from small sterling rings at the top of the teardrop, that connects them to petite, rounded earwires made of 20g sterling silver (.8 mm dia/standard width for western ear-piercings.) A pair of clear silicone stoppers is included to keep them securely on your ears. The silver throughout has been polished to a high shine

The details:

• Earring length: 56 mm

• Earring width: 12 mm at its widest point

• Stone cut & size: natural fossilized coral teardrop cabochons, approximately 10mm wide (at widest point) by 32 mm long.

• Stone source: Pierre Rouge, Marieville, Québec

My promise:
All of my jewelry is made by me, by hand, in my little home studio and will be shipped to you as shown, beautifully packaged and ready for gift-giving to someone special (like yourself!) I am a life-long artist and designer, and I take great care and pride in creating one of a kind jewels that evolve from my own design, emotion and inspiration, rather than trend, imitation or artifice. It means the world to me that you've witnessed my work - thank you for being here, and for shopping and supporting handmade!