Don't you just love getting things in the mail? I do! And yesterday I recieved a lovely little package containing my order of 7 Herkimer Diamonds. Although not actually diamonds, these naturally occurring quartz crystals feature two points and lots of glittery facets. The neatest part? You see these little babies just as they are found, no cutting involved (just a little dirt removal)! Can you imagine how fun it must be to just find one and pick it up!? Cool. They are named for Herkimer, NY, where they naturally occur in pockets in the clay-like soil. The "diamond" moniker refers to the quartz's many facets and lovely natural shine. I purposely chose stones with natural black carbon held inside. I love the smoky color! So... with a solder, solder here, & a polish, polish there, I popped these babies into some simple handmade sterling prong settings. The resulting pair of stud earrings is one of my favorite creations so far! My new Herkimer diamond studs will be hitting the shop tomorrow, and of course I will be sure to share on the blog as well!