One of a Kind – Wonky Bezel-set Campitos Turquoise Pendant

The Story Behind this Pendant

Originally meant to be one of the very small collection of tumbled Campitos turquoise pendants with hammered silver bails, this stone was a challenge from the start.

The stone broke when attempting to set the rivet that attached the bail to the stone. But I didn’t want to give up on it.

Instead, I epoxied it back together (if you look closely you can see the line running from the upper left to the rivet in the center of the stone) and spent a lot more time and a lot more silver creating a bezel setting for it with a solid silver back.

Since it already had a hole drilled for the originally-planed bail, I created a tube rivet that went through the hole and added a one-of-a-kind twisted wire bail to hold the chain. The stone “spins” on this bail.

The problems didn’t end there since I also got a double stamp on the back of both my hallmark AND the “.925” silver designation stamp. See photo of the back of the piece.

The end result is completely unique. For a bezel-set pendant with a full silver back, this is a reduced price thanks to all the challenges I had with this one.

Details

This stone, called Campitos turquoise, originates in Mexico and is found in the same area where Sonoran Sunrise stones are mined, near copper mines (see other special collection listing for Sonoran Sunrise pendants). It features sky-blue turquoise in a dark brown stone matrix, sometimes with some quartz present. Each stone started as a rough-cut slab and was tumbled for days in a stone tumbler. The stone was polished to a satin finish and coated with a coat of archival acrylic wax. This stone DOES “spin” on the center rivet hole. While this stone has been tumbled extensively, it is not recommended that it be dropped on hard surfaces or worn in chlorinated water.

Details of This Specific Stone

The measurements on this pendant including the bail are 1 and 7/8″ tall by a diminutive 1/2″ wide. This stone has bright blue spots of turquoise in a dark brown matrix.

Campitos Turquoise Special Collection

I obtained these Campitos turquoise stones on a trip to New Mexico from a jewelry supplier in Gallup. When I got them, they were rough slab cut stones. One a few survived the tumbling process. Though they have been stabilized, the matrix of this type of turquoise is more of a hardened clay-like stone and the smaller stones just did not make it through the tumbler. Well, this one did, but read about the challenges in the first paragraph. It made it through the tumbler, just not the bezel-setting process on first attempt.

Stainless Steel Chain

This pendant hangs from a 20″ stainless steel rolled 3mm box chain with a lobster clasp. The chain glides smoothly through the bail. Stainless chains are quite tough and this one has a nice weighty feel and unisex look.

More about Campitos Turquoise

For those who believe in the metaphysical properties of gemstones, turquoise is often seen as a stone that connects the sky and the earth. It is described as a stone of protection and also fosters good fortune and creativity. This is described on the card pictured in this listing which is included with the pendant.

Ready to Travel

Priority Mail shipping (inside the U.S.) is included in the price and each pendant is shipped in a gift box.