Victorian Pendant with Rare Radioactive Green Zircon

If wearing beautiful jewelry makes you feel warm and fuzzy, you might feel a buzz when you put this pendant on. This charming early-Victorian pendant is almost 200 years old, yet the center zircon is an ancient gem that is estimated to be billions of years old. All natural zircons are ancient and used to date samples in geological sites. Still, green zircons, like this unusual olive-colored gem, are particularly fascinating since they derive their color from trace amounts of radiation over an incredibly long period. As the gem sits in the earth for millions of years, it is exposed to natural low-level radiation from its planet's slight radioactivity. It changes its color to green, making the stone appear slightly silky and hazy, yet safe to wear. The Victorian jeweler who crafted this pendant must have been as charmed by it as we are, since they created a handcrafted setting with fantastic detail. The cushion-cut zircon is collet-set, similar to a bezel, but with small prongs. It is surrounded by natural pearls and Old Mine-cut diamonds (also collet-set) in rich silver and gold. This is a beautiful pendant with a fantastic history and an elegant look on the neck.

Details: antique sterling on 14k yellow gold pendant set with approximately 5ct olive green zircon (Sri Lanka, untreated), .20ctw Old Mine cut diamonds (SI-I1 IJK) and natural pearl accents, circa 1840.