Michigan Greenstones: At Their Finest

If you happen to be a rock hound who lives in Michigan, chances are you've searched for the illusive Michigan Greenstone, also known as Chlorastrolite. Declared the Official State Gem of Michigan in 1972, these stones can only be found on Isle Royale (an island in Lake Superior) and Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula. Since 2000, it has been prohibited to collect Greenstones from Isle Royale, so collection sites are now very limited.

Processing Chlorastrolite can be difficult and time consuming due to their quartz-like, and hollow tendencies. The end product, however, is so breathtaking that all the effort is worth it. We especially love the variating "turtleback" pattern found on particular specimens.

In early November, you will have the chance to own a one-of-a-kind Greenstone piece as part of the release of our newest Wonderland series! Using recycled sterling silver and Upper Peninsula copper throughout the collection, these pendants will range from petite ovals, to medium-sized circles. A few other mixed metal elements will be added to the larger pieces and you can, of course, find Beth Millner signature trees throughout the series.

And if you can't wait that long, you can find some Greenstone pieces on our website!

We have some awesome behind-the-scenes footage posted to our Instagram page, so make sure you check it out!

*Special thanks to Keweenaw Gem and Gifts for the Greenstone information on their website: http://www.copperconnection.com/